New UM staff signs 8 commits
Class headlined by local defensive standouts, plus star cornerback
With Mario Cristobal days removed from being named the new Miami Hurricanes coach, he and his staff had little time to prepare for the Early Signing Period, which began Wednesday.
Despite the short turnaround, t he Hurricanes managed t o secure the commitments of a few top- rated prospects, receiving eight letters of intent to build the foundation of their 2022 recruiting class.
Here’s a look at the Hurricanes’ class so far:
Wesley Bissainthe
Position: Linebacker
School: Miami Central
Anchoring the Miami Central defense for the past two seasons, Bissainthe helped lead the Rockets to back- to- back state titles in 2019 and 2020 and will be competing for a third this Friday against Merrit Island in the 5A state title game. The 6- foot- 1, 205- pound linebacker, who also plays varsity basketball, has collected 47 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, six sacks and two interceptions this season. Bissainthe — the No. 16 linebacker and No. 169 overall prospect in the nation by 247sports — chose the Hurricanes over Alabama, Florida State, Florida and Michigan State.
Jacurri Brown
Position: QB
School: Lowndes ( Valdosta, Ga.)
Brown, a 6- 4, 205- pound dualthreat quarterback, concludes his high school career with the Lowndes Vikings as the all- time leader in rushing yards ( 4,205), rushing touchdowns ( 54) and passing yards ( 5,552). Leading the Vikings to a 10- 3 record and the state quarterfinals this season, Brown completed 136 of his 242 passes for 2,165 yards, 23 touchdowns and three interceptions, while rushing for 882 yards and 10 scores. Brown, who has started games on varsity since his freshman season, is ranked the No. 17 quarterback and No. 245 overall prospect by 247sports. The Elite 11 invitee chose the Hurricanes over Auburn, Florida, Ole Miss and Tennessee.
Chris Graves
Position: CB
School: Bishop Verot ( Fort Myers)
Ranked as the No. 9 athlete and No. 224 player in the country by 247sports, Graves received snaps at both cornerback and wide receiver. Graves, who won’t turn 18 until August 2022, recorded 17 tackles, two interceptions, one sack and one forced fumble in the sevens games he competed in this season. On offense, he caught 32 passes for 535 yards and six touchdowns. Graves also ran track in the 100- meter dash, 200- meter dash and 4x100- meter relay. The 6- 1, 175- pounder signed with the Hurricanes over Penn State, Virginia Tech, Ole Miss and South Carolina.
Jaden Harris
Position: CB
School: River wood
( Atlanta)
Continuing to stock up on cornerbacks, Harris joins the Hurricanes after helping the Riverwood Raiders reach the first round of the state finals. Harris — the No. 84 cornerback and No. 926 prospect in the nation — started 10 games for the
Raiders this season, recording 10 tackles, one interception and one forced fumble. The 6- f oot, 180- pound cornerback closed out his high school career with 36 tackles, two interceptions, two sacks and one forced fumble. Harris, who also played basketball and competed in track, picked Miami over Georgia Tech, Kansas State, Iowa State and Michigan State.
Isaiah Horton
Position: WR
School: Oakland ( Murfreesboro, Tenn.)
Bringing size and length to the Hurricanes’ receiving corps, the 6- 3, 190- pound playmaker helped win two state titles ( 2021, 2020) for the Oakland Patriots. Horton, who’s ranked the No. 49 wide receiver and No. 335 player in the nation by 247sports, compiled 41 receptions for 732 yards and seven t ouchdowns this season, en route to the Patriots’ second consecutive undefeated season. Horton picked Miami over offers from Alabama, Auburn, Florida and Florida State.
Nyjalik Kelly
Position: DE School: Dillard
As one of the top pass- rushers in the South Florida area, Kelly comes to Miami with the potential of following in the footsteps of former Hurricane defensive ends and NFL first- round draft picks Jaelan Phillips and Gregory Rousseau. Leading the Dillard Panthers on defense to reach the state regional semifinals and achieve a 10- 2 record, Kelly racked up 58 tackles, 20 tackles for loss and 12 sacks this season. Kelly, a Sun Sentinel Super 11 pick prior to the season, is ranked the No. 13 defensive lineman and No. 84 prospect in the country by 247sports. The 6- foot- 4, 240- pound defensive end signed with the Hurricanes over Florida State, LSU, Oregon and Indiana.
Khamauri Rogers
Position: CB
School: Holmes County ( Lexington, Miss.)
Joining Graves and Harris as the third cornerback signed to this class, Rogers is one of the highest- ranked prospects for the Hurricanes by 247sports, listing as the No. 14 cornerback and No. 103 player in the nation. Rogers, who tore his ACL this season, chose the Hurricanes over LSU, Ole Miss, Texas A& M, Michigan, Notre Dame, Mississippi State and Tennessee. As a junior, the 6- 0, 165- pound corner back solidified himself as one of the best players in the state, recording 46 tackles, 22 pass breakups, four interceptions, two pick- sixes and one tackle for loss. Also seeing snaps at wide receiver, Rogers, an Under Armour All- America game invitee, hauled in six touchdown passes during his junior season.
Markeith Williams
Position: S
School: Evans ( Orlando)
Adding depth at safety, Williams comes to the Hurricanes after picking them over Florida, Florida State, Ohio State and Oklahoma. Williams — the No. 26 safety and No. 286 prospect in the nation by 247sports — finishes his senior season with 60 tackles, nine pass deflections and one fumble recovery. Catching the attention of scouts and coaches early in his high school career, the 6- 1, 170- pounder collected 13 interceptions combined in his freshman and sophomore seasons. Williams also ran track in the 100- meter dash and long jump.