5-star Texas A&M commit Walter Nolen teases more commitments
Powell (Tenn.) Five-Star Plus defensive lineman Walter Nolen hasn’t been committed to Texas A&M for long, but he appears to be making waves on the recruiting trail.
The Aggies landed Five-Star Plus wide receiver Evan Stewart, the No. 4 prospect in the On3 Consensus, on Monday night. Tuesday morning, Nolen teased that more could be on the way.
“Who they want next #GigEm,” Nolen wrote. He is the No. 2 prospect in the 2022 class, according to the On3 Consensus, a complete and equally weighted industry-generated average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.
With Stewart and Walter Nolen in the fold, Texas A&M has two of the country’s top four prospects committed. Jimbo Fisher and Co. also have five-star safety Bryce Anderson and five-star quarterback Conner Weigman pledged, too. And with only 19 commits, the Aggies still have a chance to land more of the country’s elite talent.
Harold Perkins, Shemar Stewart highlight Texas A&M’s top targets
At the top of that list are five-star linebackers Harold Perkins and five-star defensive lineman Shemar Stewart. The Aggies are considered major contenders — and potentially even the favorites — to land both. Perkins has largely narrowed his focus to three schools: LSU, Texas and Texas A&M. He grew up in New Orleans, and the Tigers hiring Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly could end up being the difference in where he commits.
Stewart, meanwhile, is focused on Georgia and Texas A&M right now. He won’t sign until February, so there is time for other schools to make up ground. But On3 Director of Recruiting Chad Simmons has this race as the Aggies’ to lose.
“Texas A&M is going to be tough to beat,” Simmons wrote recently. “As of now, the five-star out of Opa Locka (Fla.) Monsignor Pace plans to sign in February, so there is time for others to catch up, but the Aggies look to be way out in front. Since the summer, Jimbo Fisher’s program has been trending.”
Those are just Texas A&M’s targets in the top 10. Five-star Oregon commit Kelvin Banks Jr. has long been considered a potential flip. And five-star defensive backs Denver Harris and Jacoby Mathews are both very high on the Aggies. Landing all of the aforementioned tasks sounds impossible, but snatching up both Nolen and Evan Stewart has made major ripples for the Aggies.
They currently hold the No. 3 class — behind Alabama and Georgia — in the On3 Consensus Team Recruiting Rankings. But with the names the Aggies are in the mix with, the path to their first top-ranked recruiting class in the modern era is within reach.