2027 Boca Raton (FL) three-star CB Loia Valade commits to Texas A&M

Coming out of their first official visit weekend of the summer, Mike Elko and his staff are building significant momentum on the recruiting trail, already landing a pair of commitments from prospects who were on campus in College Station over the weekend.

However, Texas A&M’s latest addition did not make his way to campus this past weekend in an official capacity.

2027 Boca Raton (FL) West three-star athlete Loia Valade is the latest addition to the class, as he announced his commitment to Texas A&M on Tuesday, choosing the Aggies over Miami, Auburn, and several other programs.

Valade only emerged on Texas A&M’s radar recently after receiving an offer from the Aggies in early May, but Mike Elko’s staff quickly identified the defensive back as a major priority and made an aggressive late push to surge to the front of his recruitment.

While the recruiting industry remains somewhat split on his ranking, with Rivals listing him as the No. 17 cornerback in the class, Texas A&M’s staff has been extremely high on Valade throughout the process and made a concerted effort over the last few weeks to separate itself from the pack.

Miami had carried momentum at different points for one of Florida’s top defensive backs, but Texas A&M’s late charge ultimately proved enough to secure his commitment entering the summer months.

His pledge also marks Texas A&M’s second commitment from the state of Florida on the day.

Valade, who recently moved from Tennessee to Florida after growing up in Canada, now joins an already loaded secondary class featuring five-star cornerback Raylaun Henry, four-star nickel Hakim Frampton, and the nation’s top-ranked safety duo in five-stars Kamarui Dorsey and JayQuan Snell.

Over the last month, Valade consistently praised Texas A&M’s coaching staff and culture throughout the recruiting process. Prior to his commitment, he previewed the Aggies with Rivals national analyst Steve Wiltfong:

“The coaching staff definitely, the environment and it reminds me of where I’m from.”

Texas A&M now sits at 18 total commitments entering the month of June and continues to build momentum with several other top targets still on the board.

For the latest intel and updates on Valade and the rest of Texas A&M’s class, stay tuned to AggieYell.