Texas A&M Meets With 5-Star Linebacker With NFL Bloodlines

The No. 1 linebacker in the Class of 2027, Cooper Witten, met with the Texas A&M Aggies amid a contested recruitment process.

A detailed view of a Texas A&M Aggies helmet on the sideline before the game against the Florida Gators at Kyle Field. | Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

One of the hottest names in the Class of 2027 is one with NFL connections that make him an intriguing recruit. Cooper Witten is the No. 1 player at his position, but he carved his own path apart from his father.

Cooper is the son of Jason Witten, who played 17 seasons for the Dallas Cowboys and Las Vegas Raiders. However, the younger Witten does not play tight end; he is an athletic inside linebacker with offers from some of the biggest programs in the Power Four.

On Thursday, Jan. 15, the top linebacker met with the Texas A&M Aggies, putting them firmly in the mix in his recruitment process.

Aggies Meet With 2027 No. 1 Linebacker Cooper Witten

Jason Witten, an Elizabethton alum and former Tennessee Volunteer and Dallas Cowboy, watches from the sidelines during the TSSAA Class 4A BlueCross Bowl football game between Tullahoma and Elizabethton held at Finley Stadium in Chattanooga, Tenn., on Saturday, Dec. 4, 2021. | Brianna Paciorka/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

According to Sam Speigelman of Rivals, Witten is set to visit three schools: Texas A&M, Tennessee, and Georgia. He was scheduled to meet with the Aggies on Saturday, Jan. 17, according to Spiegelman, and will visit Tennessee on Jan. 24 and Georgia one week later on Jan. 31.

However, he shared on X on Jan. 15 that he was with Texas A&M head coach Mike Elko, defensive coordinator Lyle Hemphill, and associate head coach (defense)/linebackers coach Travis Williams. He tagged the three coaches and included the caption "#GigEm."

In November, Witten revealed his top 10 teams as he narrowed down his recruitment process. Texas A&M was one of the 10 and one of six SEC schools represented — Texas, Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, and Oklahoma.

The Volunteers have a strong, established connection as Witten's father's alma mater. As for the Sooners, the elder Witten recently took the tight ends coach job at Oklahoma after coaching at Liberty Christian School in Argyle, Texas, since 2021.

Following the move, Rivals' Steve Wiltfong and Spiegelman logged expert predictions for the younger Witten to land with Oklahoma. His father was his head coach at Liberty Christian, drawing an obvious connection. However, the process may not be so straightforward.

Texas A&M Considered a 'Frontrunner' in Witten's Recruitment

Texas A&M Aggies head coach Mike Elko looks on before the game against the Florida Gators at Kyle Field. | Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

According to Spiegelman, the Aggies are considered one of the "frontrunners" for Witten. He shared with Rivals that he was disappointed that Texas A&M lost defensive coordinator Jay Bateman to Kentucky, but he maintained an expressed interest in the Aggies' defensive system.

"I was close to him [Bateman], but it’s Coach Elko’s defense still. Nothing is gonna change with him calling it," Witten said. "I’m excited to meet the new DC."

Witten also said that, while he was excited for his father's new position and how he enjoyed playing for him, it would not be a critical factor in his recruitment. "I don’t want that to be the defining factor in where I want to go. I want to find the best fit for me," Witten added.

Elko has developed a strong track record as a head coach between his two seasons at Duke and his two with Texas A&M. He was renowned for his defensive mind as a coordinator with the Aggies, but he has maintained this success as the lead man and in his return to Aggieland.

Texas A&M Aggies linebacker Taurean York (21) defends in coverage against the Auburn Tigers during the fourth quarter at Kyle Field. | Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

Elko has gone 35-16 in the last four seasons and led Texas A&M to an 11-2 record and a program-first College Football Playoff berth in 2025. The defense allowed just 21.0 points per game (36th) last season, improving upon the numbers in Elko's first season in charge (22.2, 35th).

Three Aggies were drafted in the 2025 NFL Draft, all coming on defense and being selected in the top 65. Edge rusher Shemar Stewart (17th) went in the first round while Nic Scourton (51st) and defensive tackle Shemar Turner (62nd) went in the second.

This season, the Aggies could have multiple defensive top-100 picks again, with edge rusher Cashius Howell, cornerback Will Lee III, and linebacker Taurean York all potential candidates. York was a standout player who declared as an underclassman, and he is a potential blueprint for the role Witten could play in the Aggies' defense.

While his father was never the most athletically gifted tight end, at least at the NFL level, the younger Witten is a standout athlete who patrols the middle of the field. With a 6'1.5", 220-pound frame, he has the mobility skills to be an inside linebacker, proven by a recorded 10.91-second 100-meter time as a sophomore in 2024.

Witten's athleticism makes him a potentially role-versatile defender, with some experience as a safety. With his strength, speed, and instincts, he could be a potential chess-piece defender for a defensive coordinator with the creativity to utilize him. Texas A&M will certainly be in on the five-star prospect as the Aggies look to continue to build for their future under Elko.