John Meredith III is not allowed to play high school football at North Crowley after his appeal to the University Interscholastic League was denied on Thursday. However, the top-ranked prospect in Texas will be allowed to play for Euless Trinity.
His former school is located further from his current place of residence than the school at which he spent last semester.
This latest high school football ruling primarily stems from a box that was checked by his previous (and now current?) head coach. Athletes are not allowed to transfer for athletic purposes in the Lone Star State.
Who is John Meredith III?
If you are a fan of college football, this is a name you should know. John Meredith III, a five-star recruit, ranks as the top defensive back in the Class of 2027, the top player in Texas and the No. 2-4 player in the country depending on where you look.
The 6-foot-2.5, 187-pound corner holds 42 scholarship offers. He committed to Texas in June and does not seem likely to flip.
Although Meredith is going to play on defense in college, his freakish athleticism allowed him to play both ways during his first three seasons of high school football in Texas. The tape speaks for itself.
Meredith spent the last three years at Euless Trinity High School. Founded in 1968, it enrolls approximately 2,700 students in Grades 10-12. The Trojans compete in Class 6A, the largest UIL classification in Texas. They went 8-3 in 2025.
It was announced in January that Meredith made the switch from Euless Trinity to North Crowley High School for the spring semester. He spent the last six months at his new school.
However, the top-ranked prospect in Texas will not be allowed to play football for North Crowley. Meredith was denied eligibility, twice.
High school football players are denied eligibility in Texas if they transferred for athletic reasons.
The unfortunate eligibility ruling was first announced in June. The District 11-6A Executive Committee denied John Meredith III the ability to play at North Crowley in large part because of the head coach at Euless Trinity.
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 Committee did not rule Meredith eligible at North Crowley for this reason. He decided to appeal the decision to the University Interscholastic League.
It is rare that the UIL chooses to overturn a district’s ruling but it has happened. For example, Southlake Carroll running back Riley Wormley was granted eligibility in 2023 because he presented additional evidence regarding his academics.
Meredith based his appeal around proximity and family. His mother recently got married. She and her new husband moved to a new residence that is much closer to North Crowley than Euless Trinity. It made sense to transfer. The commute was too long.
While that is absolutely true, schools in the Burleson, Everman and Crowley school districts are even closer to Meredith’s new residence than North Crowley. His mother said that they chose North Crowley because of his late father, who passed away in 2021. Meredith’s dad lived in the area so Meredith grew up around the North Crowley community.
“Those other schools, that’s not where John grew up,” his mom said during the appeal.”A lot of his friends, childhood friends who he went to church with, they go to North Crowley. His last year of high school, we wanted him to go back home. His whole purpose is because of him missing his pop and finishing out his high school years at a place where he was before he passed.”
Her plea did not land. John Meredith’s appeal was denied by a vote of 3-2 on Thursday.
The No. 1 player in the state is not eligible to play at North Crowley. He will now be forced to seek a new residence in a different state or return to Euless Trinity. Meredith remains eligible at his former school. That seems to be his only option to play in 2026.