Five Texas A&M commits that may explore options after Fisher's dismissal
Texas A&M made a big move on Sunday morning that will undoubtedly have a big impact on the rest of the college football landscape and recruiting trail. Jimbo Fisher is now out, and the Aggies have shifted their focus to finding the person to lead the program.
With the move officially made, it would not be surprising to see A&M's recruiting haul take a hit with prospects wanting to at least explore other options. Here are some recruits to keep an eye on with the Early Signing Period just around the corner.
*****
MORE TEXAS A&M COVERAGE: Recruiting misses that helped doom Fisher's tenure | Fisher's biggest recruiting wins at in Aggieland | Candidates to replace Fisher | Answering the big questions about Fisher's dismissal | 2024 Commits
FINAL 2023 TEAM RANKINGS: Comprehensive (overall) ranking | High school/JUCO ranking | Transfer portal ranking
CLASS OF 2024 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State
CLASS OF 2025 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State
CLASS OF 2026 RANKINGS: Rivals100
TRANSFER PORTAL: Latest news | Transfer portal player ranking | Transfer portal team ranking | Transfer Tracker | Message board
*****
Bussey is one of the crown jewels of Texas A&M's No. 9 recruiting class. The East Texas athlete is as dynamic of a player as there is in the 2024 recruiting cycle with legit ability to play either side of the ball at a high level.
Bussey has been a frequent visitor to College Station this fall, so a decommitment isn't necessarily imminent. However, Fisher played a key role in getting Bussey on board. With the coaching change, the door is open for others to strike.
LSU and Oklahoma are two programs that could take advantage and turn up the heat on Bussey. Things are bound to get interesting with just over a month until the Early Signing Period.
*****
Reliford committed to Texas A&M over Ole Miss and Vanderbilt back in the summer, giving the Aggies an out-of-state SEC win on the trail. Since then, the Louisiana defender has seen his stock rise with a big senior campaign.
LSU and USC are two programs that have already been involved in trying to flip Reliford, even before the Fisher firing. He's taken visits to Baton Rouge and was just in Los Angeles to see the Trojans.
*****
The highest-ranked prospect in the Aggies' recruiting class, Coleman is one of the premier wide receiver prospects nationally. Coleman, in a bit of a surprise - at least in terms of timing - committed to the Aggies over Auburn and others back in July when A&M was riding a wave of momentum on the trail.
Since then, Coleman has taken other visits around the country. He was up at Colorado this fall as Deion Sanders and the Buffaloes make a push. Florida and most recently Florida State have hosted him. Auburn remains in the mix, too.
*****
Jernigan has been in the Aggies' class since the spring and has reaffirmed his pledge on multiple occasions since then. However, Jernigan has seen his stock rise with his play as a senior with Alabama coming in with an offer and pushing for an official visit.
The offer from the Crimson Tide and opportunity to play for Nick Saban opened his eyes and he's set to visit Tuscaloosa next month. Mississippi State, Ole Miss and Kentucky are others that have remained in the picture with the Early Signing Period looming.
*****
Another highly-ranked recruit in Texas A&M's class, McKinley is a prospect that could opt to open things back up and explore his options after being committed to the Aggies since September. The four-star defensive lineman has no shortage of programs in pursuit.
Texas and Oklahoma were among the finalists for the Rivals250 defender before he chose the Aggies. Both staffs have remained in contact in hopes of potentially pulling off a flip. Then there's LSU, the in-state program looking to keep McKinley close to home.