On3 top-100 Texas A&M DL commit Gabriel Reliford updates recruitment

On3 top-100 DL Gabriel Reliford is one of the nation’s most disruptive players in the trenches in this 2024 recruiting cycle.

Reliford, the No. 10 DL in the country out of Shreveport (La.) Evangel Christian Academy, has been committed to the Texas A&M Aggies since the summer. One of the handful of blue-chip commitments in this class for DL coach Elijah Robinson, Reliford was in College Station this past weekend for the Mississippi State game, his second game-day visit of the fall.

The No. 71 player in the On300 for 2024 reacted to the firing of coach Jimbo Fisher and provided this commentary on the state of his commitment:

“I was shocked just as everyone else was, of course,” Reliford told On3 on Sunday. “I’m going to continue to keep my options open, but other than that, I’m just gonna trust God and his process.”

Robinson is set to serve as Texas A&M’s interim head coach. Reliford is excited for the opportunity ahead of him.

“I feel like it was a great move for Coach E,” he said. “He is a great coach.”

Reliford collected an offer from LSU over the summer and has made visits to Baton Rouge twice this fall. USC extended an offer in the direction of one of The Boot’s best amid his strong senior campaign. Reliford took an official visit to Los Angeles earlier this month.

“Tthey have been pressing hard, of course, but they have also been respecting my boundaries, which I appreciate,” Reliford said of the Tigers and Trojans, the team working hard to try and change his mind.

Reliford enjoying a breakthrough senior season

On3 National Scout Cody Bellaire raved about the blue chipper from Shreveport, La., as one of the biggest risers in the updated On300 for this 2024 cycle.

“Gabriel Reliford has continued to strengthen his reputation for being one of the most unblockable players in the entire country,” Bellaire wrote. “The first-step quickness has only gotten stronger. Not only has he shown that he can maintain his get-off and upfield burst, but he has been able to generate more power at the point of attack and has developed more shock in his hands when engaging offensive linemen. Reliford continues to dominate at the high school level and we expect that to continue on at the next level and beyond.”

Director of Scouting Charles Power, who always puts a premium on senior evals, has also observed the strides in Reliford’s development.

“Gabriel Reliford continues to jump out in a big way as a senior,” he wrote. “The play speed and effort level are eye-popping. The ability to track down plays in pursuit and finish with violence is outstanding. Through five games, he looks well on way to a 30+ TFL season, which is an elite production threshold for senior defensive linemen and EDGE prospects. Reliford recently rose to No. 71 in the updated On300 and that might’ve not been high enough based on how he’s looked thus far.”