Incoming recruits compare favorably to current safeties

UM coaches see lot of Johnson, Redwine in Francois, Washington

HOMESTEAD — Transitioning from the talented safety duo of Jaquan Johnson and Sheldrick Redwine this season, Miami Hurricanes coaches feel as if they may have their future Johnson-Redwine tandem in the 2020 recruiting class.

That’s whom UM safeties coach Ephraim Banda compares Homestead South Dade safety prospects Jaiden Francois and Keshawn Washington to, both Miami commits say

“He’ll be calling me ‘Redwine’ because of my dreads,” said Washington, laughing.

But there are similarities in their play too.

“He plays the same thing I play,” said Washington, who is a

6-foot-2, 185-pound three-star recruit. “He plays safety. He’s aggressive. [Banda] told me I’m going to be the next Redwine.”

Said Francois, a four-star recruit, of how Banda sees Johnson in him: “Always working hard, never give up, and I’m always leading my team. … I give every play my best. Just trying to get my interceptions.”

The 5-11, 180-pound Francois racked up a whopping 12 interceptions as a junior for South Dade last year. While both are versatile defensive backs who can play cornerback, South Dade coach Nate Hudson said the two are being recruited as safeties.

Another similarity in the duos is that Johnson and Redwine were also high school teammates coming out of a south Miami-Dade County school, Killian.

The Hurricanes now have a pair of Palm Beach County safeties as their starters. Although both junior Amari Carter and sophomore Gurvan Hall are Palm Beach Gardens grads, they never played together in high school, with Hall playing at Palm Beach Lakes when Carter was still at Gardens before Hall’s senior season.

Along with Francois and Washington, UM also has a South Dade commitment from Johnson’s younger brother, Tyler Johnson, a 6-2, 200-pound junior defensive end.

On Thursday, Banda visited the school to check in with all three before checking out their game at Homestead’s Harris Field against Miami Norland, a

35-32 win. Hurricanes recruits in South Dade safeties Jaiden Francois, left, and Keshawn Washington are seen during a 2018 visit to the University of Miami.

“It felt good that they came out to support me on the time that they had,” said Francois, who expanded on what conversations are like with Banda and UM coach Manny Diaz.

“I tried my best to put on a show for them. Basically, I just keep in touch, [tell them] how I’m doing in school, [talk] about football [and] family. Just keeping in touch and making sure I’m good.”

Said Washington of Banda: “He was just telling me stay loyal to the school, get better, get stronger and stay healthy.”

Both Francois and Washington committed once to Miami, decommitted and eventually rejoined the 2020 recruiting class for the Hurricanes, which is ranked ninth by Rivals and 13th by 247 Sports.

Washington says he’s “locked in right now” and doesn’t know if he’ll take visits to other schools this season. Francois described himself as “both” between being a firm Miami commit and staying open.

Francois is planning on attending Saturday’s game against Bethune-Cookman, but he is also eyeing visits to Ohio State and Penn State. While Washington couldn’t make the BethuneCookman game, he plans on going to the home game against Virginia on Oct. 11 and watching UM in Tallahassee against FSU on Nov. 2.

UM offensive line coach Butch Barry, as well as recruiting director David Cooney, was also at the game targeting Norland four-star offensive lineman Issiah Walker.

Norland coach Daryle Heidelburg says Walker is a Florida Big 3 battle between UM, Florida and FSU.

KESHAWN WASHINGTON