Texas A&M’s recruiting momentum hit another gear this week when booming‑leg specialist Asher Murray, a consensus five‑star kicker out of C. E. Byrd High School in Shreveport, Louisiana, announced his pledge to the Aggies’ 2026 class. The commitment vaults head coach Mike Elko’s second full cycle in College Station to No. 7 nationally, according to the 247Sports Composite, and sends a clear signal to SEC rivals that A&M intends to fight for every yard—and every recruit—between now and National Signing Day.
Standing 5‑foot‑10 and tipping the scales at 180 pounds, Murray has built a reputation as one of the most accurate and powerful kickers in the country. As a junior he nailed 12 of 14 field‑goal attempts, including a school‑record 56‑yard bomb, and converted 44 of 47 PATs, feats that earned him MaxPreps Junior All‑American honors and first‑team All‑State recognition in Louisiana.
Scouts rave about the Shreveport native’s repeatable mechanics, compact follow‑through, and ice‑cold demeanor—traits that prompted multiple national services to tag him as the No. 3 kicker in the 2026 cycle despite fierce regional competition.
Murray’s recruitment started modestly with early overtures from Memphis and Maryland, but things escalated once SEC stalwarts LSU, Ole Miss, and Alabama began making calls after witnessing his 56‑yarder circulate on social media. Texas A&M’s special‑teams analyst Joe Schlegel was the first Power 5 staffer to extend a full scholarship, and that head start proved decisive. Murray took an unofficial visit to College Station in late April, attended a closed special‑teams workout, and walked out of Kyle Field raving about the “NFL‑style” operation Elko is installing.
After a month of deliberation, Murray canceled his June officials to Baton Rouge and Athens, then tweeted a simple “Gig ’Em” graphic on June 9, complete with the thumbs‑up emoji and the caption “Locked in—ready to boot in front of 100K.”
With Murray in the fold, A&M now counts 13 commitments: one five‑star, 11 four‑stars, and a high‑three‑star defensive back. The surge bumps the Aggies past Clemson and USC into seventh place nationally and third in the SEC, trailing only Georgia and Alabama in the composite rankings.
For perspective, A&M finished the 2025 cycle ranked 12th after an 8‑5 season; Elko’s staff has now matched last year’s blue‑chip tally before the Fourth of July fireworks have even started.
Kickers rarely move the needle in recruiting rankings, but Murray is the exception. A&M’s fanbase still winces at memories of 2023 and 2024 one‑score losses where field‑goal mishaps proved costly. In Elko’s defensive, clock‑chewing philosophy, flipping field position with touchback‑heavy kickoffs and drilling 50‑yarders can be the difference between a Citrus Bowl bid and a College Football Playoff berth. Special‑teams coordinator Porter Elko (Mike’s younger brother) called Murray “a weapon, not a luxury” in a brief interview with TexAgs.
Incumbent starter Randy Bond—who drilled 18 of 22 field goals last fall—will likely exhaust his eligibility after the 2025 season, leaving a vacancy Murray could seize as a true freshman. The rising senior says he’s eager to learn from Bond and strengthen his already lively leg in A&M’s revamped weight program: “Coach Elko tells me pressure is a privilege. I’m ready for that privilege,” Murray said during an appearance on 97.7 FM in Shreveport.
Landing the top specialist on the board resonates well beyond the kicking game. Elko’s staff will host five‑star wideout Harold “Jet” Richards and top‑100 linebacker Jalen Perkins the last weekend of June; insiders believe Murray’s early pledge provides credibility when coaches pitch a vision of an all‑phase, title‑ready roster. LSU insiders had labeled Murray “a must‑get” after losing a 2025 kicker to Georgia; his decision to cross state lines to College Station stings in Baton Rouge and underscores Elko’s growing footprint in talent‑rich north Louisiana.
The Aggies remain in hot pursuit of blue‑chip edge rusher Tyrese Griffin (Jackson, MS) and Phoenix‑based quarterback Carter Hawkins. Should A&M reel in either prospect before mid‑July, the 2026 haul could jump into the national top five—territory Aggie fans haven’t tasted since the 2022 class headlined by Walter Nolen. Momentum is a fickle ally in recruiting, but Elko’s approach—littering each class with high‑floor special‑teamers plus versatile defensive athletes—has begun to crystallize.
Final whistle
A marquee kicker commitment rarely makes headlines outside specialist circles, yet Asher Murray’s pledge feels like a watershed moment for a Texas A&M program intent on converting inches into championships. By locking down the country’s most coveted leg, Elko not only addressed a lingering roster need but also fired a warning shot across the SEC bow: if the Aggies can steal a Louisiana blue‑chipper LSU coveted, no border is safe. With Murray ready to launch footballs into the College Station night sky, the Aggies’ push toward the top of the 2026 rankings—and toward postseason glory—just added a booming exclamation point.
