Recruiting Country: The latest recruiting news surrounding the Maroon & White

TexAgs' recruiting analyst Ryan Brauninger joined TexAgs Radio on Wednesday morning for another edition of Recruiting Country, highlighting the latest news and notes from the recruiting and transfer portal trail surrounding Texas A&M.

Key notes from Recruiting Country

• I am going to San Antonio for the Navy All-American Bowl. Army moved theirs to Frisco in late January. It is still the most highly regarded All-Star game for football players, and this is the first year they will allow juniors to play. You will have a good handful of A&M signees playing, but you will have 2026 commit Aaron Gregory‍ and a whole host of 2026 offers.
   
• On Friday, we have the All-American Bowl combine, the largest circus on the recruiting calendar. It is good for us because there are 450 kids across the country who participate. They do all the measurements and do one-on-ones. I will be heading back to College Station on Friday as A&M will host the first Junior Day of the year on Saturday.
   
• It’s a blessing to do this job. My brain fires on one thing, and that’s sports. I am one of the few people walking the planet to work in an industry I love. It’s the job, and I’m not complaining. 
   
• Aaron Gregory‍ is on the East roster. For A&M, TE Kiotti Armstrong‍, CB Adonyss Currie‍, OLB Marco Jones‍, DL Chace Sims‍, LB Noah Mikhail‍ and OL Lamont Rogers‍. I think A&M is the most represented school in San Antonio. This is the most A&M commits/signees in a game since the infamous class of 2022 at the Under Armour game in Orlando.
   
• A&M will have a loaded visitor list. They will have the top two offensive tackle prospects in the country in 2026 in Jackson Cantwell‍ and Immanuel Iheanacho‍. They are lay-down five stars. They are Lamont Rogers-caliber type of tackles. Cantwell coming to A&M’s Junior Day tells you that has a little bit of sticking power.
   
• Landon Rink‍ made a name for himself at the Under Armour event, but also with who he was going up against. He commands respect for the way he plays the game, the way he practices and the fun he has doing it. Players and coaches took notice of Rink, and Cantwell and Iheanacho were two of those, as well.
   
• You look through the lens of what Adam Cushing has done with his position group since he arrived at Texas A&M. First of all, the on-field performance, did the offensive line get better or worse from last year? They got better. He only lost two players in Kam Dewberry and TJ Shanahan, who were in and out of the lineup. The offensive line is not in a bad spot. We are waiting on an announcement from Trey Zuhn III, but you haven't seen anything from him, so you would say that's in a good spot.
   
• They are extremely high on the group that redshirted. Ashton Funk, Isendre Ahfua, Blake Ivy and Robert Bourdon. You are bringing in six offensive linemen, all of which are early enrollees. You will have ten true and redshirt freshman offensive linemen in your room this spring. You also bring back all that experience. Cantwell and Iheanacho won't go anywhere on the top of the board. You can be really picky. 
   
• Cushing is just so personable. There wasn't an assistant coach working harder to move TVs and fridges to the kids’ dorm rooms. He wants to build good bonds. He wants to teach them the game and technique. If you push him hard enough, he will get after you, but his No. 1 priority is to teach. That is very well received by the current OL group.
   
• Jonte Newman‍ said one of the bigger points he made on why he chose A&M was because of the time Cushing took to break down his film. He was critical in a way to teach, not to put him down. He takes the time to do the little things.
   
• It’s been a long time coming for Eric Karner. He committed to Jimbo Fisher before the coaching change. He signed with the Aggies but had just undergone shoulder surgery. A&M called him and said, “We still want you, but we don't want to start your clock. Would you be willing to take a grayshirt?” Eric agreed. He enrolled yesterday with the class of 2025 as a signing member with the class of 2024.
   
• Karner has a lot of pass-catcher traits at the tight position. He could fit in an H-back role. It's been a while since he’s played football, but he is a gifted receiver. I am telling you, the guy everyone is talking about who went under the radar is Nate Boerkircher. I am intrigued to see how this kid looks when he gets to campus. Micah Riley, too. Neither are coming in with huge production numbers but were brought to fill roles. 
   
• For the arrival of all these players in San Antonio, Kiotti Armstrong was the talk of the town with the eyeball test. He showed up without shoes on, just a touch under 6-foot-6, 268 pounds. His wingspan is just over seven feet.
   
• It’s hard to say they will take another wide receiver in this window. They are not going to just add a body. The goal was to get Noah Thomas back. Right now, you are looking at the playoff teams. Not just at wide receiver but defensive tackle.
   
• Should someone go in that you think is a difference maker, then yes, I think A&M would make a run there. This could go into the spring window. If you look at last year’s spring window, A&M did good work getting Solomon DeShields, Shane Calhoun, Kolinu'u Faaiu and Jacob Bostick. You can get guys that start or come in and are rotational players. There is still work to be done, and you can go out and get quality.
   
• Tyler Thomas‍ looks awesome. He walked up, and it was very noticeable he had been eating right and getting into the gym. He looks like a really impressive young offensive lineman now. I would say the same about DJ Sanders‍ from Bellville. After their senior seasons, A&M will send them their workout stuff and the expectations in the weight room.
   
• I had never seen Nelson McGuire‍. This kid looks like he’s a real people-mover. He has a flat belly and broad shoulders, but his lower body looks like a powerlifter. Really impressed with him.
   
• In late May, Jerome Myles‍ will move in. He measured in at just south of 6-foot-4 and 211 pounds. At that weight, he has the fastest 100-meter time in the state of Utah ever. This is a rare type of athlete. You are hesitant after knee surgeries, but if he gets back to 100 percent, you look at the A&M receiver room... Yes, you lose Noah Thomas, but the room will be three former five-stars with Terry Bussey, Micah Hudson and Myles. 
   
• I talked to Brady Hart‍ yesterday. He was named Mr. Florida Football Player of the Year as a 16-year-old and won a state championship. He is extremely cerebral, way ahead of his age in terms of maturity and handling himself.
   
• All those early enrollees moved in. The couple that aren’t here right now are Mario Craver and Tyler Onyedim, who will both be here this weekend. Kevin Concepcion got a lot of the newcomers together to go have a late night throwing session at the indoor on day one. 
   
• One of the more interesting storylines of Mike Elko’s second season will be, “What does the roster look like?” but what does the culture look like? As much as I love Noah, he was in the class of 2022. There are not many of them left over. There are things to look for in the roster with how the culture is changing moving forward.