Are you paying close attention? While Texas A&M tends to recruit whoever it wants out of high school, the Aggies do face stiff competition for one four-star recruit in particular. That would be tight end Malik Howard out of Oak Ridge, Tennessee. He is taking official visits to Alabama, Notre Dame, and Tennessee, but has been tied to Miami, Texas A&M, and Vanderbilt, too. Now Oregon is joining the mix.
Howard just visited recently with the Ducks, and told Chad Simmons of Rivals about his recruitment.
“If they keep recruiting me the way they are right now, I don’t think they’re too late.”
If Oregon is now seriously vying for him, that would bring us to seven schools hoping to land Howard.
- Alabama Crimson Tide
- Miami Hurricanes
- Notre Dame Fighting Irish
- Oregon Ducks
- Tennessee Volunteers
- Texas A&M Aggies
- Vanderbilt Commodores
Howard will visit with Alabama on May 29, Tennessee on June 5, and then Notre Dame on June 12...
Oregon has emerged as a serious contender for 4-star TE Malik Howard after a big visit, @ChadSimmons_ reports🦆
— Rivals (@Rivals) May 11, 2026
“If they keep recruiting me the way they are right now, I don’t think they’re too late.”
Read: https://t.co/FMm0XWeVmI pic.twitter.com/sVdreFmjzB
According to the 247Sports Composite, Howard is the No. 9 prospect from Tennessee, the No. 11 tight end in the nation, and the No. 216 overall player in the 2027 recruiting cycle. While staying close to home could be important to him, Texas A&M is in the same boat as Miami. Both of those schools can seemingly outbid anyone for their services if they feel so inclined. Is the juice worth the squeeze?
To be quite frank, there is a non-zero chance with Oregon entering the fray, Texas A&M might leave it.
Oregon now recruiting Malik Howard may force Texas A&M out of the mix
At this stage of the game, a 2027 prospect should have their prospective schools narrowed down to no more than five programs. If Oregon is now in play, Howard being at seven only further complicates things. With Howard visiting Alabama, Notre Dame, and Tennessee all three will presumably be in the mix to land him. Because Vanderbilt is in-state, that may keep the Commodores alive for even longer.
Given that the Aggies have much bigger fish to fry on the recruiting trail, it would not be the least bit shocking to see them punt on Howard in the coming weeks. They might need a tight end to round out their class, but it feels like a stretch for the Aggies to even land him. In a best-case scenario, maybe the Aggies are fifth behind Alabama, Notre Dame, Tennessee, and Vanderbilt, in some order, for him?
To be quite honest, Texas A&M needs to keep the main thing the main thing in terms of their recruiting brand. Whatever they are doing now under Mike Elko is working. The Aggies have a reputation to live up to on the recruiting trail. Now that they have finally tasted the College Football Playoff, it is full-steam ahead to whatever comes next. With Howard's recruitment still seeming murky, let's move on.
Right now, Elko and his staff should exercise all resources to be sure Mark Matthews will be an Aggie.
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