Eli King, a 2028 safety, commits to SMU, choosing the Mustangs over Georgia and Mississippi State

SMU added to its future secondary on Thursday when 2028 safety Eli King committed to the Mustangs, selecting Dallas over power-conference programs including Georgia and Mississippi State. King’s pledge marks a recruiting win for SMU’s staff at a position that shapes both coverage matchups and run support in the American Athletic Conference era.

According to King, SMU stood out early because it was the first school to offer him. From there, his recruitment expanded quickly, with the Mustangs becoming one of roughly 24 opportunities he said he considered as his recruiting process widened. The shift from an early connection to a broader national search is a common arc for high school prospects, but King framed SMU as the baseline relationship that held steady as options grew.

The commitment also reflects how SMU builds trust with recruits through personal attention and staff relationships. King credited the program with taking care of him “from Day 1,” a theme that underscores his belief that the support he received early would continue after he signed. He also pointed to his confidence in head coach Rhett Lashlee as a key factor in his decision-making, tying the commitment to the staff’s long-term plan for how his game fits SMU’s football.

King’s timeline included official visits and evaluation moments that ultimately narrowed his choices. The report described a weekend visit as the point where the decision “sealed,” suggesting that on-campus time, staff interaction, and the day-to-day feel of the program played as large a role as football projection. For recruits still weighing multiple elite programs, that sort of visit can convert interest into commitment.

Georgia and Mississippi State were among the programs King said he weighed, which indicates the level of attention he drew as a 2028 defensive back. While both schools have deep recruiting pipelines, King’s selection of SMU indicates that the Mustangs’ pitch resonated more strongly with him than the chance to compete for immediate depth at larger-brand programs.

For SMU, the pledge is part of an ongoing effort to keep its recruiting momentum and build positional depth ahead of future seasons. Safety recruiting matters beyond adding bodies, because the position is often central to defensive identity, covering tendencies, and the ability to handle both the run fit and the passing game in coordinated coverage systems.

What to watch next is whether SMU’s staff can carry this commitment into additional defensive recruiting in the 2028 class, and how King’s development aligns with SMU’s on-field needs as the Mustangs continue to build toward future conference and nonconference goals. As with any recruiting story, details of how King’s recruitment plays out in-season, including camp participation and further evaluation, will determine how the commitment translates into roster impact later.