Fresh off official visit to Texas A&M, 4-star EDGE Frederick Ards III commits to the Aggies
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Texas A&M didn’t need any more time.
And neither did Frederick Ards III.
The four-star EDGE from Orlando (Fla.) Jones took his official visit to College Station over the weekend and left knowing exactly where he wanted to play his college football.
Ards, the No. 62 prospect in the Rivals300, has committed to Mike Elko and the Aggies, shutting down a recruitment that included Alabama, Florida, South Carolina and several other national powers.
The 6-foot-3.5, 220-pound pass rusher entered the official visit with Texas A&M already sitting near the top of his list. The plan was to finish the process, take additional official visits and continue evaluating his options.
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That changed quickly.
There will be no trip to Alabama. No official visit to Florida.
After spending the weekend in College Station, Ards made his decision. That feeling of being a priority ultimately separated the Aggies from the rest of the field.
“I built close connections with the coaching staff, and I could honestly see myself succeeding on and off the field at Texas A&M,” Ards told Rivals. “They’ve always wanted me. They’ve made me a strong priority. I felt wanted by the A&M staff. That was always the same.”
That feeling of being a priority ultimately separated the Aggies from the field.
South Carolina made a strong push this spring and gave Ards plenty to think about. Alabama and Florida remained major contenders throughout the process as well.
In the end, Texas A&M’s consistency won out.
A major reason was the relationship with defensive line coach Elijah Robinson. He has known him since his time at Syracuse.
“Relationship I’ve built with coach E. Before he was at Texas A&M, he was at Syracuse. Just brought it over to Texas A&M. Getting to know the whole staff and build a relationship with them. A&M is just really high in my recruitment.”
Many other coaches were involved too, including Mike Elko.
“I like the defense under Coach Elko. He is a defensive freak. like what he’s building as a program. The way they recruit and the team they are building has had my attention for a while.”
The message from the staff never changed throughout the recruiting process.
“They keep everything real with me,” Ards said. “The staff has always been real. They are honest.”
Ards becomes commitment No. 17 for the Aggies, who currently boast the nation’s No. 1 recruiting class.
And the momentum may not be slowing down anytime soon.
Texas A&M continues to trend for several other high-profile targets as Elko and his staff build one of the most impressive classes in the country.
Now Ards is officially part of it.
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