Texas A&M still 'has the edge' in landing 2027 5-star LB
According to AggieYell insider Joseph Hastings, Texas A&M still holds a slight edge over Miami to land 2027 5-star LB Kaden Henderson.
Texas A&M's 2027 recruiting class is, once again, loaded with elite defensive talent at nearly every position, including a nation-leading four five-star commitments, led by incoming IMG Academy senior edge Zyron Forstall, but coach Mike Elko and his staff have yet to land a linebacker commitment after landing four in the 2026 signing class. However, the Aggies are reportedly still leading to land blue-chip four-star linebacker Kaden Henderson, while AggieYell recruiting analyst Joseph Hastings revealed that, alongside Henderson, fellow four-star linebackers Isaac McNeil, Ja'Bios Smith, Mikahi Allen, Noah Glover, and Drew Williams are all names to watch. Still, according to Hastings , Henderson is still the favorite, even though Miami is clearly pushing hard.
Outside of Drew Williams, three of the linebackers listed will take official visits to College Station this summer, while Issac McNeil, who is teammates with five-star edge JaBarrious Garror, looks like the second-best option if Henderson commits to Miami, which was reported early last month. Henderson is, and will remain, the Aggies No. 1 target, and while the Tampa Bay (FL) native will continue to ponder the idea of staying close to home and playing for one of the top programs in the country, his relationship with Elko and linebackers coach Travis Williams is stronger than ever, and should reflect his final decision if the AggieYell team's prediction holds up.
"We believe this ultimately comes down to A&M and Miami, with the Aggies having the edge right now. " After Elko and his staff saw a record 10 players selected in the 2026 NFL Draft, Henderson's recent interview with Hastings reflected on the historic weekend, noting his fit in Texas A&M's defense, and he believes this is just the start under Elko's leadership. “It means a lot,” Henderson stated to AggieYell.
“It speaks to not only what they’re doing… whenever they speak with me, it’s a testament to that they really produce guys and get guys to the next level. Whenever you win, you’re going to be having those guys getting to the league. I feel like the trajectory they’re in, they’re going to keep ascending.