North Crowley Five star cornerback, John Meredith II has been ruled ineligable to play for the 2026 Varsity Football Season after District Executive Committee determined his transfer from Trinity was made for athletic purposes.
The DEC came to the decision on Thursday during the 11-6A District Hearing, where members voted 5-2 against John Meredith's eligibility. This comes months after Meredith announced his transfer from Euless Trinity to North Crowley.
John Meredith is the top prospect in the state of Texas and considered a high prospect in the nation, he is rated a 98 OVR per 247Sports and is class of 2027. He is also ranked the number 1 cornerback in the nation, who has gotten offers from programs like Ohio State, Georgia, Alabama, Miami, Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, Oregon and Notre Dame.
The North Crowley Panthers finished last season with a Regional Finals loss to the Allen Eagles and following the Spring, Head Coach and State Champion, Ray Gates departed to go be an assistant at North Texas. They finished last year with a 12-2 record in 2025.
John still has an option to appeal the ruling to the UIL State Executive Committee, however, appeals of DEC rulings are known to be difficult to overturn.
During his junior year at Trinity, Meredith earned the First Team all District Honors and was later able to participate in the Under Armor All American Game. He was also regarded as one of the top recruits in the DFW area.
The ruling creates a major question mark for North Crowley heading into the 2026 season. With the Panthers beginning a new era under a new head coach, Meredith was expected to play a significant role in the secondary and serve as one of the team’s top playmakers. Despite the setback, North Crowley still features a roster loaded with Division I talent. Meredith now has the option to appeal the decision to the UIL State Executive Committee, which would determine whether he can regain eligibility for the upcoming season.