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College Football Playoff contender suffers recruiting loss during rivalry week

Rowan Fisher Shotton|
Athens, Georgia, USA; Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian and Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart interact after a game at Sanford Stadium.
Athens, Georgia, USA; Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian and Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart interact after a game at Sanford Stadium. | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

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Late Friday night, Rivals reporter Hayes Fawcett confirmed what several recruiting outlets had been tracking all afternoon: Melissa (Texas) offensive tackle Max Wright has flipped his class of 2026 commitment from Texas to SMU.

What's interesting is that the flip arrived on the same night that Texas stunned No. 3 Texas A&M 27-17, a win that could improve the Longhorns’ College Football Playoff trajectory.

Arch Manning came up clutch late, running in for a 35-yard touchdown late in the fourth quarter to put Texas up by two scores, while the defense put together timely stops, allowing just seven points in the entire second half.

The victory was crucial for Texas this season, but the Longhorns may have lost one of their most important recruiting assets for next year.

Wright surfaced as a high-ceiling in-state offensive-line target last year and carried steady interest from Power-5 programs before committing to Texas on February 5.

He’s a big-frame tackle prospect, listed at 6-7, 310 on ESPN, and enters the class of 2026 as the No. 47-ranked OT in the country per 247Sports. 

Before flipping to SMU, Wright held more than 20 offers, including Texas Tech, Michigan, Florida, Baylor, and Arizona.

The SMU Mustangs mascot.
Dallas, Texas, USA; The SMU Mustangs mascot waves to the fans during the second half against the Louisville Cardinals at Gerald J. Ford Stadium. | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

As of Saturday, Texas still sits among the top-10 2026 classes in most industry lists (247 lists Texas’ class at No. 8 nationally; On3’s industry comparison slots Texas at No. 10). 

The class remains headlined by five-star QB Dia Bell (No. 2-ranked QB in the country, per ESPN) and five-star edge rusher Richard Wesley (No. 2-ranked EDGE in the country, per ESPN)

The rest of the Longhorns' class has length and several trench prospects, but losing a locally recruited tackle like Wright is a concrete hit to depth and late-season momentum.

For SMU, landing an in-state, Power-5-caliber tackle represents a recruiting coup and helps the Mustangs’ roster and brand-building.

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Rowan Fisher
ROWAN FISHER SHOTTON

Rowan Fisher-Shotton is a versatile journalist known for sharp analysis, player-driven storytelling, and quick-turn coverage across CFB, CBB, the NBA, WNBA, and NFL. A Wilfrid Laurier alum and lifelong athlete, he’s written for FanSided, Pro Football Network, Athlon Sports, and Newsweek, tackling every beat with both a reporter’s edge and a player’s eye.

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