No. 5 Ranked College Football LB Recruit Spurns Three Major Programs

A top linebacker in the 2027 Rivals300 makes a landmark commitment, spurning three blue-blood programs in a decision rooted in family.

Georgia head coach Kirby Smart and the Bulldogs swung and missed on a top LB recruit from the Class of 2027. | Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

Four-star linebacker AJ Randle committed to Miami on Thursday, choosing the Hurricanes over a star-studded list of finalists that included Ohio State, Georgia and South Carolina.

The 6-foot-3, 210-pound Garner, North Carolina, native is ranked the No. 5 linebacker and No. 57 overall prospect in the Rivals300. If his ranking holds, it would be the first time in the 247Sports era that Miami has signed a top-100 linebacker.

Randle made his announcement live on YouTube with CBS Sports, and his reasoning was rooted in family. "Miami involved my mom and dad in the recruiting process from day one," he said. "They did a great job with my mom, my dad and with me."

He had originally planned to push his decision deep into the summer, but Miami changed that calculus.

What Ohio State, Georgia and South Carolina lose

Ohio State linebackers coach James Laurinaitis had Randle as a priority target, and the North Carolina prospect was scheduled to visit Columbus this spring. The Buckeyes, who currently hold the No. 2-ranked 2027 class according to multiple services, still have the top prize at the position on their board.

Five-star Tampa linebacker Kaden Henderson, ranked the No. 1 linebacker and No. 25 overall prospect in the country, remains firmly in play for Ohio State. Landing Henderson would go a long way toward softening the Randle miss.

Georgia's situation is more complicated. Kirby Smart's 2027 class is off to an inauspicious start, sitting 31st nationally in the 247Sports composite rankings after the Bulldogs have missed on a number of top recruits in the early going.

Ohio State linebackers coach James Laurinaitis and the Buckeyes missed out on AJ Randle but have already landed Kaden Henderson, a top recruit at the position. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The class fell further after five-star cornerback Donte Wright flipped to Miami on May 9 and top-100 cornerback Jerry Outhouse decommitted days earlier and chose UCLA, leaving Georgia with zero defensive backs committed in the 2027 cycle. The staff has since added three-star linebacker Temorris Campbell out of South Florida to address another position of need, but the secondary remains a glaring gap heading into official visit season.

South Carolina's 2027 class is still very much a work in progress. As of this writing, the Gamecocks had just nine commitments in the 2027 cycle, with the class ranked 27th nationally according to 247Sports. Losing Randle, who would have been the class headliner, stings for Shane Beamer's staff, which will now need to redirect its efforts at linebacker.

What Randle's commitment holds for the Hurricanes' 2027 class

Head coach Mario Cristobal and defensive coordinator Corey Hetherman closed the deal, and Randle made clear their approach stood out. "The staff was excellent and from top to bottom, they just did everything right by me," Randle said. "So, I really appreciate them for that and just giving me the opportunity."

Randle was Miami's second commitment of the day, arriving just hours after four-star offensive lineman Jatori Williams pledged. According to Rivals, Miami now sits at No. 4 nationally with 15 commitments, a class that includes five-star cornerback Donte Wright, five-star wide receiver Nick Lennear and Top 50 quarterback Israel Adams.

BREAKING: Four-Star LB AJ Randle has Committed to Miami, he tells me for @Rivals

The 6’3 215 LB chose the Hurricanes over South Carolina, Ohio State, and Georgia

He’s ranked as the No. 5 LB in the 2027 Rivals300 🙌https://t.co/N7GwUKRdcT pic.twitter.com/NLWRinVEx9

— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) May 21, 2026

Under Cristobal, Miami is on pace for its fourth top-10 recruiting class in the past five years, already ranked inside the top 10 on both the 247Sports composite and the Rivals Industry rankings. Randle is the first linebacker in the class and fills a critical need as the Hurricanes rebuild their defense following the departures of edge rushers Rueben Bain Jr. and Akheem Mesidor to the NFL Draft.

The Hurricanes open the 2026 season on the road against Stanford on Friday, Sept. 4 at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN.