UM adds another All-American to offensive line

Mario Cristobal’s longterm transformation of the Miami Hurricanes’ offensive line continued Friday when UM snagged one of the nation’s top-10 centers in the 2023 class.

Connor Lew, who will play in the All-American Bowl next year, orally committed to Miami in a ceremony at Kennessaw Mountain, his high school in Kennessaw, Georgia.

Lew mentioned his “relationship and connection” with the UM coaching staff as a reason for his decision.

He’s the fifth Class of 2023 offensive lineman to commit to the Hurricanes, and the third with a fouror five-star grade from at least one of the major recruiting services.

Miami beat out Clemson, Georgia and Auburn to win yet another major national recruiting battle with powerhouse programs from across the southeastern United States.

“I just felt that’s where I needed to go,” Lew said during an announcement televised by the Fox affiliate in Atlanta. “I’m going far from home, but just trusting that staff and give it my all.

“I know they’re going to take care of me down there.”

Although he’s only a three-star interior lineman in the 247Sports composite rankings for the 2023 recruiting cycle, Lew is a four-star prospect in 247’s own rankings and regarded as one of the best centers in the country with excellent size for the position at 6-3 and 280 pounds.

The Hurricanes have now paired two of the best center prospects in the country; Miami commitment Antonio Tripp, a three-star interior lineman from Baltimore’s St. Frances Academy, is also regarded as one of the nation’s best at the position.

Last year, Lew helped anchor the Mustangs on their way to a 10-win season, helping their offense average 32 points per game.

He started to rack up high-profile offers after the season ended — including from Miami, Clemson, Georgia and Auburn — and he took official visits to his top four schools in June.

Although the Hurricanes haven’t recently matched those other three schools in on-field success, Cristobal’s arrival has changed the perception about Miami in the eyes of linemen, who love the coach’s experience at the position and his unusual tactic to jump into drills with offensive linemen during practice.

That approach helped the Hurricanes land a commitment from fivestar Bradenton IMG Academy tackle Francis Mauigoa last week and has made Miami a major factor in the recruitments of basically every highprofile offensive lineman in the 2023 class.

UM has 17 commitments for the 2023 class, and their class now is rated seventh overall (and first in the ACC) in the 247 rankings.