Inniss staying humble during his recruitment

MIAMI — The spotlight has been on Brandon Inniss for so long, it can be tough to remember he is still a highschool sophomore.

Inniss became a varsity starter for University School as an eighth-grader and immediately became a star, hauling in 17 touchdowns in his first two seasons for the Sharks. As a sophomore, Inniss is already an All-American and one of the most coveted prospects in his recruiting class.

“It means a lot, but I keep humble right now,” Inniss said. “I just stay focused on where I need to go to, and that’s really it.”

Inniss played for TRU Prep Academy as a sophomore after U-School shut down its football program due to the coronavirus pandemic. He continued to excel, racking up 32 catches for 811 yards and eight touchdowns in nine games. He was a first-team All-County pick.

With the success comes attention from college coaches. Inniss has offers from more than 30 teams. He is rated a four-star prospect by 247Sports, and he is listed as the top receiver and No. 7 player in the 2023 class.

“(Staying humble is) something my mom and dad preached to me since I was little,” Inniss said. “I was always the guy or one of the guys on the team. So ever since, my older brother has been telling me to stay humble and keep working.”

Although Inniss has been on the college’s radars since he was a middle-school student, he is not in any rush to pick a college team. He said he wants to narrow his choices down in about a year and commit after his senior season.

Inniss said he’s working on building trust and relationships with the coaches recruiting him, including Oklahoma assistant head coach Dennis Simmons, FSU wide receivers coach Ron Dugans, Miami offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee, Ohio State wide receivers coach Brian Hartline, Alabama cornerbacks coach Jay Valai and wide receivers coach Holmon Wiggins.

“Some guys want me to do Zooms,” Inniss said. “Some guys want me to do virtual tours of the school. Some people ask their players to contact me directly because they can’t directly, so that’s what we do. They just keep in contact with me.”

The coronavirus pandemic has prevented Inniss from taking many visits to college campuses, but he said he wanted to visit Alabama, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Georgia, USC and Arizona State. Inniss said local schools like Florida, Florida State and Miami have stood out to him, as well.

“I either stay home (or) I go out,” Inniss said. “It’s really just where I feel at home and feel like family.”

JOHN MCCALL / SOUTH FLORIDA SUN SENTINEL Wide receiver Brandon Inniss catches a pass during the Under Armour All-America Camp Series in Miami on March 7. Inniss is one of the top prospects in the 2023 class.