Five-star offensive tackle Mark Matthews, ESPN's No. 6 overall recruit in the 2027 class, announced his commitment to Georgia on Monday, less than 24 hours after he pulled his pledge from Texas A&M.
A 6-foot-6, 285-pound lineman from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Matthews is the No. 2 offensive tackle prospect in the SC Next ESPN 300.
He initially committed to the Aggies on May 15 and remained one of the headliners atop Texas A&M's top-ranked recruiting class before reopening his recruiting process Sunday. In a social media post announcing his pledge to the Bulldogs on Monday morning, Matthews said his recruiting is "100% shut down."
"I have nothing but respect for Texas A&M and wish the program nothing but success," he wrote. "However, after extensive prayer and deep conversations with my parents, I have realized that my heart and my future lie in Athens."
Matthews, a multiyear starter at Florida's St. Thomas Aquinas High School, joins as the top-ranked member of Georgia coach Kirby Smart's 2027 recruiting class, joining No. 1 overall running back Kemon Spell (No. 10 in the SC Next ESPN 300) as the second five-star prospect set to sign with the program when the early signing period opens on Dec. 2.
Smart and the Bulldogs were heavily involved in Matthews' initial recruitment alongside fellow spring finalists LSU and Miami earlier this year. While the Hurricanes were viewed as front-runners to secure Matthews' pledge upon his decommitment Sunday, sources tell ESPN that Georgia had been lurking in the backdrop of Matthews' process this fall, culminating in his late-cycle flip from the SEC rival Aggies.
The Bulldogs can now claim one of the most talented offensive tackle classes in the 2027 cycle.
With Matthews' pledge alongside four-star linemen Kelsey Adams (No. 126 overall) and Kennedee Jackson (No. 153), the program holds commitments from three of ESPN's top 15 offensive tackles in the class, more than any other program nationally. Three-star tackles Miller Westerfield, Demar Dotson Jr., Ty Johnson and Abram Eisenhower round out a deep offensive line class bound for Georgia in 2027.
The Bulldogs' 2027 class entered Monday with the No. 11 recruiting class in ESPN's latest class rankings for the 2027 cycle. The 2027 early signing period runs from Dec. 2 to 4.
