Texas A&M's new California pipeline produces another 4-star commitment

West Coast teams can't be thrilled with the Texas A&M Aggies right now.

New Texas A&M head coach Mike Elko landed yet another California recruit over the weekend. On3's Hayes Fawcett confirmed that the Aggies had secured a commitment from 4-star linebacker Noah Mikhail on Sunday.

Coming out of Bonita High School in La Verne, California, Mikhail is a top-100 recruit and the No. 10 linebacker in the 2025 recruiting class by 247Sports .

Elko has firmly established a recruiting pipeline in the state of California. Jimbo Fisher had previously ignored the state, preferring to target states like Florida instead. Now, three of the top four commitments in Texas A&M's 2025 class are California recruits. The class is currently topped by 5-star quarterback Husan Longstreet out of Corona, California.

It's a surprising wrinkle in Elko's recruiting strategy. The new Aggies head coach grew up on the East Coast, and the majority of his coaching experience has been out there. The farthest west he's gone in his coaching career has been the Midwest with roles at Notre Dame and Bowling Green.

However, the strategy seems to be working for Elko and his staff. The Aggies currently have the seventh-best 2025 recruiting class in the country, trailing only top-tier programs like Georgia, Notre Dame, Alabama, and Ohio State.

It'll take some time to see the end results from Elko's recruiting classes, but it's clear that he has a vision for his new program.