College Football Programs Intensify Push to Flip Nation’s No. 2 WR Recruit

One of the very best wide receivers in the country is currently on the books as a pledge to one SEC powerhouse, but several others are circling in an attempt to flip him.

Tim Heitman - Imagn Images

An SEC powerhouse secured the commitment of one of the highest ranked wide receiver prospects in the 2027 college football recruiting class.

But now several other elite programs are looking to make him change his mind and pull off what could be the biggest flip in this cycle.

Five-star New Orleans (La.) Brother Martin wide receiver Easton Royal has already given his pledge to Texas, but three other SEC schools are looking to get in the picture.

What schools are involved?

Brianna Paciorka/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

First up appears to be Tennessee, which Royal paid a personal visit to over this past weekend to get a closer look.

Josh Heupel’s program is on a high after securing a pledge from national No. 8 ranked wide receiver Kesean Bowman.

“It was better than I expected,” Royal said of Tennessee, which treated the player “like a need and not a want,” he revealed.

Tennessee is said to have confidence it can flip Royal from Texas, who would instantly become the best commitment in a class that ranks 13th in the country.

Royal is reportedly heading back to the Volunteers for an official visit at some point this coming summer.

Two other SEC blue bloods want in, too

Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images

It’s not only the Vols who are in the picture, but another pair of SEC hopefuls are said to be under consideration by Royal.

LSU is among them, sitting outside the top 50 nationally in the 2027 recruiting cycle, but with two very promising commitments.

No. 4 edge rusher Jaidan Bryant and No. 7 ranked quarterback Peyton Houston comprise Lane Kiffin’s first recruiting effort, and Royal would be a major coup heading into his first season as head coach.

Another first year coach in the race for Royal is Jon Sumrall, as Florida is reported to be the other school the wide receiver is considering.

No wide receivers have committed to the Gators’ class in 2027, but they do have three prospects all ranked in the top 30 at their respective positions.

One of the nation’s top WR prospects

Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images

Few high school players at the position are more highly considered than Royal when looking over the forthcoming 2027 recruiting cycle.

Royal is listed as the No. 2 wide receiver prospect in the nation, according to an industry weighted average of the national recruiting services.

That average marks him as a consensus five star recruit and the top ranked player at any position from the state of Louisiana.

And he remains one of the 10 best players overall nationally, sitting as the No. 9 ranked high school recruit in America heading into the spring, according to that average.

Royal remains the highest ranked prospect committed to Texas’ recruiting haul in 2027, but it still has some work to do proving it’s better than the other options on the table.