The Texas Longhorns got their new headliner for the 2027 recruiting class on Friday with the commitment of five-star cornerback John Meredith III. The No. 2 player in his class, per ESPN and the 247Sports Composite, made the announcement live on the Pat McAfee Show.

Meredith narrowed his decision down to the Longhorns, Texas A&M Aggies and Alabama Crimson Tide after receiving 42 total offers. 

“The best stay in Texas,” Meredith, originally from Fort Worth, said to McAfee soon after announcing his commitment. “I knew I was going to go to a Texas school. … A lot of people assumed I was gonna go somewhere, but I think I’m just different. I want to go to the University of Texas. I feel like I’d be best fitted there.”

Meredith took his official visit to Austin in early June, a week after traveling to College Station to visit Texas A&M. His decision marks a significant recruiting success for Texas cornerbacks coach Mark Orphey, who also served as the primary recruiter for highly-touted commits Jermaine Bishop, Samari Matthews and Hayward Howard Jr. in last year’s cycle. 

Meredith’s addition to the 2027 class elevated Texas to No. 8 in the 247Sports Composite team rankings, positioning the Longhorns for a sixth-straight top-10 recruiting cycle under head coach Steve Sarkisian. Meredith is the 16th overall commit and second five-star commit of the class, alongside wide receiver Easton Royal, who committed to the program in November 2025. 

According to a June 12 article from The Dallas Morning News, Meredith’s eligibility for his high school senior season at North Crowley High School is up in the air after he was ruled ineligible for transferring from Euless Trinity High School for “athletic purposes.” That uncertainty does not seem to have affected his collegiate recruitment. 

He is set to be one of the Longhorns’ top in-state gets of the Sarkisian era.