Historic College Football Programs Trail SEC Team in Pursuit of Nation's No. 2 EDGE

The arms race to earn the commitment of one of the highest-ranked edge rushers in the 2027 college football recruiting class seemed to be leaning towards one Big Ten powerhouse, but now an insurgent SEC contender appears to be gaining ground.

Five-star IMG Academy (Fla.) edge rusher Zyron Forstall, one of the best nationally at his position, seems to now be leaning more towards a rising program that appeared in this season’s College Football Playoff, but three other schools are also in the picture.

Who’s in the lead?

Right now, that appears to be Texas A&M, which is said to be in “pole position” for the edge rusher as he nears a decision, according to Rivals’ Chad Simmons.

That comes after Forstall took a successful visit to the Aggies program over the fall, and another trip to College Station will be set for the spring in the very near future.

“The overall direction of Mike Elko’s program continues to resonate,” with the prospect and appears to have “real separation” from the other contenders, Rivals revealed.

Forstall’s relationship with Texas A&M defensive line coach Elijah Robinson is said to be a critical factor in the dynamic, and one they’ll both seek to build on when the edge rusher returns on his forthcoming visit.

Aggies impress in the 2027 rankings

Texas A&M sits No. 4 nationally in the 2027 college football recruiting rankings, according to an industry-generated average of the various class standings.

247Sports ranks the Aggies’ 2027 haul as the second-best in the country.

Defensive line has been something of a focus, as the Aggies already have four-star No. 11 ranked edge rusher Kaden McCarty from Houston in the group.

No. 3 ranked cornerback Raylaun Henry and third-ranked safety JayQuan Snell both committed to the Aggies in consecutive days back in November, giving the Aggies’ class a very firm foundation to build out from.

Who else is in the picture?

College Football Playoff runner-up Miami is considered the program closest to Texas A&M in terms of Forstall’s current affections as he continues his process, Rivals said.

The prospect is set to take another visit with the Hurricanes, who rank No. 10 in the ‘27 recruiting rankings, according to the average.

Key to that class is the presence of four-star Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) No. 10 ranked athlete Demarcus Deroche, listed as an edge rusher by 247Sports.

Two more to watch

LSU and Notre Dame are believed to be the two other programs, in addition to Miami, that have a credible chance at potentially luring Forstall away from Texas A&M.

No. 4 ranked edge rusher Jaiden Bryant is one of LSU’s two 2027 commitments in a class for Lane Kiffin that sits outside the top 35 nationally right now.

Notre Dame has fared better, ranking sixth in the country with a strong group of defensive prospects committed, but no edge rushers.

What the experts are thinking

Forstall’s perceived attraction to the Texas A&M program has been reflected in the latest expert projections for where the prospect could eventually sign.

Right now, the Aggies are running away with the edge rusher, sitting at 96 percent odds to ultimately earn his commitment, according to Rivals Recruiting Prediction Machine.

USC is hanging around, but at a considerable distance after reportedly emerging as Forstall’s prior favorite, with a 1.7 percent chance at the player.

Eric Henderson was said to be leading the Trojans’ effort to recruit Forstall, but since then has taken the defensive line coach and run game coordinator position for the NFL’s Washington Commanders.

All other programs currently sit under 1 percent to earn Forstall’s pledge.

Where Forstall ranks as a recruit

Almost no other edge rusher prospect in the country is as highly-regarded as Forstall.

The IMG Academy product is currently rated as the No. 2 ranked edge rusher in the nation, according to an average of the national recruiting services.

That average is high on Forstall in general, as he is listed as the No. 11 overall high school player irrespective of position in the 2027 college football recruiting rankings.

A consensus five-star prospect, Forstall is considered the No. 12 overall best player and the second-best edge rusher and player from Florida, according to the industry-generated 247Sports Composite.

(Rivals)

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