Elite edge rusher Jamarion Carlton narrows list to 5 schools ahead of July commitment date

Temple (Texas) four-star EDGE Jamarion Carlton is set to announce his commitment in a little over a month on July 10.

The 6-foot-4.5, 230-pounder is one of the most prized prospects nationally, but had led a recruitment largely focused in and around the state of Texas. Back in February, he named a top six of Baylor, LSU, SMU, Texas, Texas A&M and USC.

With five weeks to go until his decision, some things have shifted, according to Rivals.com’s Sam Spiegelman. The Mustangs and Trojans are now outside his top schools and have been replaced by Texas Tech, which hosted him for an official visit in April. The five contenders left are Baylor, LSU, Texas, Texas A&M and Texas Tech.

Carlton is coming off an official visit with the Tigers over the weekend and still has scheduled stops at Texas (June 6), Texas A&M (June 12) and Baylor (June 20). From there, he will go into decision mode.

“Outside of the relationships, playing early will be a factor in my commitment,” Carlton told On3’s Chad Simmons in March. “That feeling on campus is important for me too. Feeling comfortable and making sure everything fits me is what I am looking for on the visits and when I make my decision.”

Carlton talks six of his contenders

In the interview with Simmons, Carlton also dove into what stands out about some of his top schools:

Baylor: “It is right down the road, so that is nice with Baylor. The coaches make me feel like a priority too. They don’t just say it, but they make me feel it. Baylor was the first school I ever visited too, so I know the coaches well and we have that kind of bond.”

LSU: “They have a reputation with defensive linemen. LSU is a winning school, they push each other and I like coach Kevin Peoples a lot. He is a good guy and I am looking forward to getting out there to spend time with him and coach Brian Kelly.”

Texas: “Texas is building something special. They have winning coaches and a winning culture. I have a good relationship coach with coach LaAllen Clark too. He recruited me at Ohio State, so I know him well.”

Texas A&M: “It is like a family there and I have a great bond with most of the staff. When I go there, everyone knows me and it is a special place. How they welcome me and the hospitality always stands out.”

Carlton is the No. 43 overall prospect and No. 8 EDGE in the 2026 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He’s also the No. 4 player in Texas.