Can Texas A&M football leverage weekend visit from 5-star to sway him from Longhorns?

Texas A&M football will be hosting a five-star visitor who is currently predicted to Texas. Can the Aggies pull even in this recruitment?

Sep 3, 2022; College Station, Texas, USA;  Texas A&M Aggies helmet on the sideline during the second half against the Sam Houston State Bearkats at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 3, 2022; College Station, Texas, USA; Texas A&M Aggies helmet on the sideline during the second half against the Sam Houston State Bearkats at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports | Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports

Texas A&M football hosting five-star LB and Texas lean Riley Pettijohn; Can the Aggies steal the momentum in this recruitment?

Texas A&M football is continuing their impressive recruiting run this summer with a stellar visitor list this weekend. On that list are two high-level linebackers: Noah Mikhail (committing June 30) and Riley Pettijohn.

While the Aggies are battling the Oregon Ducks for Mikhail’s verbal pledge—and seem, at least for the moment, to have the upper hand—it is the in-state Longhorns who are the biggest threat for Pettijohn. Signs right now point towards the Horns, but it’s significant that he has made it to College Station for this weekend.

The fringe five-star prospect visited Austin last weekend, yet left without committing. Now that Elko and company have him on campus in Aggieland, they have a shot to try and swing some of the momentum in a maroon direction. 

As of right now, the Aggies have only one linebacker committed in Forney’s Kelvion Riggins. If the Aggies can add the aforementioned Mikhail, the class would be good; if they could add both Mikhail and Pettijohn, it would be great.

As of right now, that’s still a bit of a longshot. There’s a long way to go in this one, and the Aggies are currently playing from behind, by all accounts. I don’t doubt the ability of Bateman and Elko to work their way back into contention here, but that’s still yet a ways away. Recruiting is not a business where the chalk plays out every time, so there’s hope, but you’d rather be the team favored in a given recruitment at this point than not.

Schedule

Schedule