4-star IOL Noah Best names top five schools

Midlothian (Texas) four-star interior offensive lineman Noah Best is one of the top 2026 lineman recruits in the Lone Star State. Five schools are now at the top of his recruitment.

The 6-foot-3, 290-pounder announced on Thursday evening that Kansas State, Missouri, Oklahoma, SMU and Texas Tech are his top five programs heading into the summer:

Where’s 🏠?
@CoachVenables @OU_CoachB@CoachBrianLepak @CoachKli @GarinJustice @rhettlashlee @CoachDrinkwitz @CoachJonesB @JoeyMcGuireTTU @ClayMcGuireTTU pic.twitter.com/m3m3h56FUA

— Noah Best (@NoahBest76) April 24, 2025

Coming out of a round of spring trips, Best has seen contenders emerge. He now has official visits set to each of his finalists, expect for Kansas State. Summer OVs to Mizzou (May 30), Oklahoma (June 6), TTU (June 13) and SMU (June 20) are on the docket, while the Wildcats are also looking to lock in an official visit the blue-chipper.

Best was recently in Manhattan for the first time. That trip vaulted K-State toward the top of his process.

“Honestly, going into it I didn’t expect to like Kansas State this much. I had thought I was pretty set on a top four. But now Kansas State is definitely a school I want to continue building a relationship with,” Best told K-State Online after the visit earlier this month.

He also recently visited SMU in February. The Mustangs are thoroughly in the mix for Best and he likes the relationships he’s building with the in-state ACC program.

“All the coaches, they all like each other. They’re all close, and it’s honestly an amazing atmosphere,” Best previously told On The Pony Express. “Definitely a school that I’ll take a visit to in the summer, and will probably be a part of my final decision at some point.”

The On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine currently favors Oklahoma. Best has been up to Norman plenty in his recruitment and the Sooners, led by touted OL coach Bill Bedenbaugh, remain a team to watch moving forward.

“What’s exciting about the Sooners is that Coach B (Bedenbaugh) shows me how much they want me and how great of a coach he is,” Best told On3’s Steve Wiltfong after a junior day visit in January. “To say that to me means a lot and it definitely sways me in their direction. OU is very similar to a lot of schools but what makes it stand out to me is the staff Coach B makes OU feel special to me.”

Best is the No. 373 overall prospect and No. 29 IOL in the 2026 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He’s also the No. 51 player in Texas.