Lakewood’s four-star tight end Caleb Tafua revealed his top four choices—California, Texas A&M, USC, and Washington—on December 11. This announcement followed his initial visit to Texas A&M on November 30, where he attended their game against Texas.
Tafua was advised to visit Texas A&M in person to truly understand the program, and he found it to be “different” in College Station. Standing 6-foot-4 and weighing 215 pounds, the recruit sought guidance through prayer and discussions with his family about his decision. However, he felt confident about committing to head coach Mike Elko and his staff shortly after returning home. He officially solidified his decision on Saturday by announcing his commitment to Texas A&M.
“It felt like that was where I needed to be,” Tafua told On3. “It’s where I felt everybody around me getting hyped up. I see myself in those stadiums and playing for A&M.”
Tafua shared that Washington was “up there” with the Aggies. Yet Texas A&M won out for him for multiple reasons. The environment at Kyle Field made a lasting impression on the No. 20 player in California.
“I never witnessed anything like that,” said Tafua, the No. 217 overall prospect and No. 8 tight end in the 2026 On300. “The 12th Man is very different… It’s very different out there in Texas because the state of Texas is all about football.”
