Texas Tech commit Jalen Brewster tops ESPN’s cross-class recruit list
ESPN ranked defensive tackle Jalen Brewster No. 1 among top college football recruits across high school classes.
By Georgia Hale · Staff Writer
3 min read
Texas Tech has the top player in ESPN’s new cross-class college football recruiting ranking, with 2027 defensive tackle Jalen Brewster placed at No. 1 by ESPN analyst Billy Tucker.
The list compares elite prospects across high school classes, including rising seniors and younger players in the SC Next ESPN Junior 300. ESPN said its evaluations drew on film study, camp scouting, production, character traits and combine testing data gathered since February.
Ohio State currently has the biggest haul in the ranking, according to ESPN, with four commitments in the top 25. The Buckeyes also have 11 players committed from the 2027 SC Next ESPN 300.
Brewster gives Texas Tech a headline name
Brewster, the No. 1 player in ESPN’s 2027 ESPN 300, is committed to Texas Tech and plays at Cedar Hill High School in Texas. ESPN noted the connection to Red Raiders coach Joey McGuire, who won three state titles at Cedar Hill before entering college coaching.
ESPN listed Brewster at 310 pounds and said his 4.86-second 40-yard dash would have been among the five fastest times for defensive tackles at the 2026 NFL combine. Tucker described him as a disruptive interior defender with burst, range and enough strength to take on double-teams.
The No. 2 spot went to uncommitted 2028 wide receiver Brysen Wright, ESPN’s top-ranked player in the 2028 Junior 300. ESPN said Wright had 46 catches for 983 yards as a sophomore, while also making 63 tackles and five interceptions at safety.
Texas commit John Meredith III ranked third. ESPN reported the 6-foot-2 cornerback ran a laser-timed 4.41-second 40-yard dash, while also noting that the University Interscholastic League Executive Committee denied him varsity eligibility after his transfer from Euless Trinity to North Crowley.
Young quarterback already in the top five
Miami commit Christian Cypher, a quarterback in the class of 2029, came in at No. 4. Carrollton, Georgia, coach Joey King told ESPN that Cypher has a chance to be one of the best quarterbacks he has coached, a group that includes Trevor Lawrence.
Ohio State edge rusher D.J. Jacobs rounded out the top five. ESPN credited him with 292 career tackles, including 67 for loss, and said he projects as the Buckeyes’ highest-rated defensive addition since Jack Sawyer in 2021.
Florida offensive tackle Maxwell Hiller was sixth, followed by Texas A&M offensive tackle Kennedy Brown at No. 7. ESPN said Hiller would be Florida’s highest-rated offensive line recruit in 12 years if he reaches campus, while Brown’s 86-inch wingspan and 11-inch hands would have topped every first-round tackle in the 2026 NFL draft.
Alabama quarterback Elijah Haven ranked eighth and was the only five-star 2027 quarterback on the list section published by ESPN. ESPN credited Haven with more than 9,000 career passing yards, 178 combined touchdowns and a junior-season state record of 62 touchdown passes.
Speed shows up all over the board
South Carolina cornerback Joshua Dobson was ninth after ESPN reported a 4.39-second 40-yard dash in spring 2025. Georgia running back Kemon Spell took the No. 10 spot after a junior season in which ESPN said he averaged nearly 13 yards per carry and scored 32 total touchdowns.
Texas wide receiver Easton Royal, ranked 11th, was cited by ESPN for winning Under Armour All-America game MVP as a junior and running a 10.17-second 100 meters to win a state title this spring.
Uncommitted 2028 defensive tackle Geraci Carson ranked 12th, followed by Texas Tech defensive end Anthony Sweeney at No. 13 and Ohio State wide receiver Jamier Brown at No. 14. ESPN said Brown has run a 10.35-second 100 meters, while Sweeney gives Texas Tech another high-end defensive front prospect alongside Brewster.
This story draws on original reporting from ESPN.com.