Five-star RB to join Hurricanes football, track

It’s been a little more than a week since the Hurricanes landed a solid class on National Signing Day, but already the push is on for some of the nation’s top 2018 prospects.

And on Thursday afternoon, Miami landed a verbal commitment from one of those prospects, five-star running back Lorenzo Lingard out of Orange City University.

Lingard, who made an unofficial visit to Miami this week, took to Twitter to share news of his commitment: “I would like to [thank] everyone around me that has made this possible and I’m [so] excited about making a commitment to The U. can’t wait.”

The running back has already earned a berth in next year’s U.S. Army All-American game. He averaged 10.9 yards per carry and totaled 1,418 yards and 22 touchdowns this past season. He is rated the 15th best player in the nation by 247Sports.com and the site ranks him the second best running back prospect in the 2018 class.

Lingard has received offers from Alabama, Clemson, Florida State, Florida, Georgia and a host of other major programs.

“I’ve been thinking about the University of Miami for the past year now and every time I take a visit down there, it was better and better,” Lingard told the Orlando Sentinel. “The opportunities I can have down there are very widespread compared to some of the other schools that I had in mind.

“I like, away from football, how the student body carries themselves as wanting to be the best and keep the brand of ‘The U’ as top tier.”

With Lingard’s commitment, the Hurricanes now have eight committed players in next year’s recruiting class, which jumped to No. 2 in the 247Sports.com class rankings immediately after the running back announced his commitment.

There’s still a long way to go between now and next signing day, but expect the Hurricanes to work hard to keep Lingard in their class, especially after missing out on running back prospect Anthony McFarland during this past recruiting cycle. The Hurricanes, who signed 20 prospects last week, inked just one running back, former Gulliver Prep standout Robert Burns.

At running back, the Hurricanes will next season return rising junior Mark Walton, rising sophomore Travis Homer and rising redshirt junior Trayone Gray, who missed last season with an injury. Redshirt junior Gus Edwards, who has reportedly been considering a transfer from Miami, is no longer listed on the Hurricanes roster.

Lingard, for his part, insists he’s finished with the recruiting process.

“I’m really going to close my recruiting down,” he said. “Right now, I have to focus on all my classes and track and stuff like that.”

Lingard, who was the state 4A champion in the 110-meter hurdles last year, said he also plans to run track for the Hurricanes when he arrives on campus.