A little ’Canes inspiration
UM target Ingraham looks to Thomas
St. Thomas Aquinas four-star defensive end Braylen Ingraham, a Miami Hurricanes recruiting target, recently changed his name on Twitter to MajorNine.
Major Nine is also the hip-hop producer stage name of Chad Thomas, a four-year defensive end for UM who is now on the Cleveland Browns as their third-round draft pick last spring.
This wasn’t just by happenstance for Ingraham, who like Thomas with the ‘Canes, wears No. 9 currently for Aquinas.
“I’m inspired by Chad,” Ingraham told the Sun Sentinel. “I know he is going to do big things in Cleveland.”
While Ingraham doesn’t have a personal relationship with the Miami Booker T. Washington product, he appreciates his approach to playing defense.
“I’ve been watching him play at the U,” said Ingraham, who is 6 feet 4, 260 pounds. “His athleticism and hustle — barely gave up on plays.”
A commitment from Ingraham is forthcoming as he plans on announcing one on Oct. 23, his mother’s birthday.
He has publicly named the Hurricanes as his favorite multiple times. At UM’s Paradise Camp in late July, Ingraham said Alabama and Kentucky were close for him. He also named Florida, Oklahoma and Oregon then, but at the Raiders’ 35-6 win over Piper on Friday, he listed a top five to Sentinel correspondent Pat Lammer that cut out the Sooners.
Ingraham transferred to St. Thomas this offseason from Dillard, where he originally earned a reputation as a high-end recruit but missed most of his junior season due to injury.
Deerfield QB Derohn King sees uptick in interest: Junior Deerfield Beach quarterback Derohn King is off to a hot start to his first season as Bucks signal-caller after transferring from Piper.
In Friday night’s win in Georgia over Buford, a top-50 team nationally (MaxPreps), he threw for 300 yards and three touchdowns. In a defensive struggle and 13-10 victory Week 1 over ChaminadeMadonna, he had an impressive touchdown pass deep to Deajaun McDougle, and also stood out in a kickoff classic against Stranahan.
King, who was a starter for the Bengals since freshman season, has a couple of new schools showing interest.
“Louisville has been on me hard the last few days, told me I can come to a home game anytime this year,” King said.
He added he has received recent Clemson interest, in addition to UCF.
The Knights are one of the five schools that have offered him thus far, along with Florida, FIU, Bowling Green and Tulane. Of those, all but Tulane came his freshman year and most of them have gone through changes in coaching staffs since.