It’s been an offseason of change for the Texas A&M Aggies, who replaced Jimbo Fisher with former Duke head coach Mike Elko. The coaching staff has been overhauled, as Elko has replaced every position coach from last year as the Aggies seek their first 10-win season since 2012. While the Aggies’ Class of 2024 recruits ranks 19th nationally per 247Sports, it lags in the deep SEC and is just ninth in the conference. That class is headlined by five four-star gets, headlined by Blake Ivy of Clear Springs (TX) as he’s the 10th-ranked OT in the country.
Elko and staff were able to showcase their recruiting prowess by landing a pair of four-stars from Tampa, Fla., in WR Izaiah Williams and EDGE Solomon Williams. Plus, top 247 cornerback Devin Williams has scheduled a visit. However, A&M still has some ground to gain with the Class of 2025 as it is currently ranked No. 24, with just three commits so far. If you want to see the latest Texas A&M recruiting news, be sure to see what the proven team of insiders are saying at GigEm247, the 247Sports affiliate that covers Texas A&M.
GigEm247’s team of Texas A&M insiders are providing frequent updates on every recruiting development, including insights from Jeff Tarpley, who has covered the team for more than 25 years and has deep-rooted ties inside and around the A&M community. Tarpley helped GigEm247 report an unfiltered view of the behind-the-scenes talks that ultimately led to Texas A&M parting ways with former head coach Jimbo Fisher.
The team at GigEm has a complete recap of National Signing Day and some early updates on important 2025 recruits. Head to GigEm247 now to see them all.
Mike Elko Texas A&M recruiting updates
Texas A&M wrapped up a successful 2024 recruiting class by signing Bussey, Robert Bourdon and Ashton Bethel-Roman. Bussey is a two-way star who played cornerback and wide receiver in high school, and Texas A&M is expected to use him in several different ways. There was serious buzz regarding a potential flip to LSU on National Signing Day, but Bussey wound up signing with his in-state school. Bourdon was the first to sign on Wednesday, as the one-time Duke commitment flipped to Texas A&M following the coaching change.
The Aggies moved quickly in January, getting Bourdon to campus for a visit to make him feel comfortable with the flip. Bethel-Roman was the other key signing for Texas A&M after getting out of his letter of intent to sign with Arkansas. The wide receiver is a dynamic playmaker with elite speed, and he is expected to be a factor in the offense from the jump. See a full post-Signing Day recap here.
One player from the 2025 class who has already committed to Texas A&M is four-star linebacker Kelvion Riggins. The Forney, Texas, linebacker committed to Texas A&M at the end of January, giving the Aggies an explosive defensive playmaker in their 2025 class. Riggins spent the first two seasons of his high school career at South Oak Cliff High School, winning the state title and all-district honors as a sophomore. He played defensive end during that state title run before moving to linebacker at Forney. GigEm247 has a full breakdown of what he brings to the table.
Another player that Elko’s staff is interested in for 2025 is Top247 four-star cornerback Kade Phillips. The in-state cornerback has already taken multiple trips to College Station throughout his recruitment, including a visit for junior day at the beginning of January. It was his first visit to campus since Elko’s staff took over, giving Phillips a chance to meet the new staff in full. Phillips is the No. 33 cornerback in the 2025 class, and he has already visited several other in-state schools. He is slated to visit several out-of-state programs after the dead period is lifted, including one of Texas A&M’s rivals.
Another player that Elko’s staff is interested in for 2025 is four-star defensive lineman Kevin Oatis out of Hattiesburg, Miss. At 6-foot-2, 285 pounds, Oatis is the No. 5 prospect in Mississippi, per 247Sports, and he’s the 22nd-ranked defensive lineman in the nation. He was being heavily recruited by Elijah Robinson — who helped A&M land No. 2 overall prospect Walter Nolen in 2022 — but Robinson departed College Station for the defensive coordinator job at Syracuse in December. The task to land Oatis will now seemingly fall on the shoulders of DL coach Sean Spencer and DC Jay Bateman, who are both in their first years with the program.
Oatis received an offer from Texas A&M in Jan. 2023, which was among dozens of offers he received. He then attended a Texas A&M Aggies camp in June 2023, and recent NFL success by A&M defensive line alums definitely has to improve the Aggies’ chances of landing Oatis. Former Aggie DL Justin Madubuike just made the Pro Bowl, as did Myles Garrett, who also claimed the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year award. Oatis also has in-state offers from Ole Miss and Mississippi State, as well as powerhouse programs like LSU and Michigan, but he’d be a huge land for new A&M coach Elko, himself a former DC for the Aggies (2018-21). See if he’ll land at A&M now.
How to get insider Texas A&M recruiting updates
The Aggies are also targeting a 2025 four-star wide receiver who is expected to return to campus this spring following a junior-day trip. See who it is at GigEm247.
Who are the top 2025 recruits that Texas A&M is going after, and which four-star wide receiver is set to return to campus this spring? Go to GigEm247 to see the latest updates, all from a team of reporters with decades of experience covering the Aggies, and find out.
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