On Saturday night, one of Texas A&M's priority prospects in the 2027 recruiting class, five-star running back Laden Williams-Callis, committed to the Texas Longhorns, which was a foregone conclusion given his demand for early playing time, while the Aggies' future backfield is expected to feature rising sophomore Jamarion Morrow and current freshmen KJ Edwards and Carsyn Baker.
While landing Williams-Callis would have been icing on the cake for the Aggies' No. 1-ranked 2027 cycle, third-year coach Mike Elko and running backs coach Trooper Taylor will now veer their focus to Texas Tech commit and four-star back SaRod Baker, even though many, including myself, fully believe that the Aggies will continue to keep a line of communication with Williams-Callis.
However, It's also important to note that the other 2027 Texas running back commit, four-star Noah Roberts, could opt for a change of scenery given Williams-Callis's determination to win the starting RB role as soon as his freshman season, and would cement him as the star RB commit in the Aggies' 2027 cycle. This weekend, the AggieYell (subscription required) team discussed this potential outcome.
"A&M could pitch him on being the star back of their class, which he currently isn’t with Texas right now. The Aggies offered in January 2025 and did recruit him for some time. He also plays for Basha High School in Arizona, which is the same school as Arizona State offensive tackle commit Jake Hildebrand, who the Aggies heavily recruited at one point. A&M has recently established a presence in the state of Arizona."
Under Mike Elko, Texas A&M has landed key commitments in the 2025 and 2026 recruiting class from blue-chip defensive backs Jamar Beal-Goines and Camren Hamiel out of Arizona, while Noah Roberts is one of the more versatile offensive weapons in the 2027 cycle after recording 761 yards and 8 rushing touchdowns, combined with 50 receptions for 562 yards and 6 touchdowns during his 2025 junior season.
Flipping SaRod Baker, similar to Williams-Callis, will be tough given his "locked in" status with the Red Raiders, but is expected to make his way back to College Station this season after his official visit back in early June.
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This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: Texas A&M pivots recruiting strategy after losing top 2027 RB target
