John Meredith is not going to play his senior year of high school football at Euless Trinity and will instead reclassify to play college football at Texas. He refused to let his former coaching staff win after it held him hostage.
All of this because of a single box on a transfer form.
This surprising reclassification puts an end to one of the unsettled high school football sagas in the Lone Star State. The Longhorns are getting one of their top recruits a year early, which will give him time to learn the system (and grow in the weight room).
John Meredith tried to transfer to a different high school football team.
As a five-star recruit, John Meredith III previously ranked as one of the top-four players in the recruiting Class of 2027 and the top-ranked defensive back. That will soon change given his classification.
However, to understand why Meredith is now joining the Class of 2026, we must first look at what happened with his senior year of high school football.
The 6-foot-2.5, 187-pound defensive back played his first three seasons at Euless Trinity High School. It was announced in January that he transferred to North Crowley for the second semester of his junior year.
Meredith was going to play his senior season of high school football for the Panthers and then he was going to enroll at the University of Texas— either next January to participate in spring practices or next summer. His plans were foiled.
A failed eligibility appeal led him to enroll at Texas instead.
The District 11-6A Executive Committee ruled that Meredith would not be eligible at North Crowley in the fall. The University Interscholastic League ultimately denied his appeal. He was not allowed to play for the Panthers. He was only allowed to play for Euless Trinity, the school he left at the beginning of the year.
His rejection stemmed from his former head coach.
Aaron Lineweaver marked on his ‘Prior Athletic Participation Form’ that he thought the transfer was for athletic purposes. High school athletes in Texas are not allowed to transfer for athletic reasons. The District 11-6A Executive Committed denied his eligibility for that reason. As did the UIL.
Euless Trinity essentially held him hostage. He could either return and play for the Trojans, leave the state, or not play at all.
Meredith ultimately landed on a different plan. It was announced on Thursday that he will reclassify to the Class of 2026 and join the University of Texas football program in the next few weeks.
Although Meredith won’t get to play his senior season of high school football and likely won’t see the field in a significant capacity for the Longhorns, it was the best solution to the situation that Euless put him in. The Longhorns are thrilled to get him on campus.
Even if he ends up taking a redshirt he can get ready for 2027 as a “sophomore” when he would’ve been a freshman!