UM hits state recruiting trail
UM surging on recruiting trail in South Florida
The Miami Hurricanes’ recruiting blueprint has always begun in South Florida, but that hasn’t always went as planned.
Aside from the 2008 top-ranked class and maybe a couple of others, UM has often lost out on top talent from Miami-Dade and Broward counties over the past 15-plus years since the Hurricanes were last truly dominant.
With a 2021 class that has most of its commitments hail from South Florida and has risen to a top-10 ranking by Rivals and 247 Sports, Miami’s efforts locally appear to be paying off this recruiting cycle.
“All you can do is look at the numbers,” UM coach Manny Diaz recently told 560-AM. “Whatever amount of commits we have [16], I think every one of them except for three, are from Dade and Broward. And two of the three that aren’t from Dade and Broward, lived in Dade and Broward when they were young. So, I mean, fact is fact.”
In June, the Hurricanes got four-star receivers Romello Brinson from Miami Northwestern and Jacolby George from Plantation back into the class after they backed off of previous commitments toward the end of last season.
On Thursday night, American Heritage five-star safety James Williams named Miami and Georgia as his top-two choices on Instagram. Williams also decommitted from the Hurricanes after originally giving them his pledge earlier in his recruitment. He even released a top three earlier this offseason that excluded UM — with Alabama and Clemson there with Georgia — before putting the Hurricanes back in the picture.
Five-star defensive tackle Leonard Taylor of Miami Palmetto has Miami in his top five with Florida, LSU, Auburn and Tennessee.
Along with Brinson, the Hurricanes have three-star outside linebacker Ja’Corey Hammett, tight end Kahlil Brantley and cornerback Tim Burns Jr. committed from Northwestern. Miami is the apparent favorite for safety Kamren Kinchens, their high school teammate who is announcing a commitment on July 11.
From Chaminade-Madonna, UM has four-star running back Thad Franklin, three-star defensive tackle Allan Haye and kicker Andres Borregales in the class.
Taylor’s teammate on the Palmetto defensive line, four-star Savion Collins, has been a UM commit since September of 2018, when he played for Southwest Miami High. Outside linebacker Tyler Johnson, from nearby Miami Killian, is committed.
The three offensive linemen in Miami’s 2021 class all hail from South Florida — guard Laurence Seymore from Miami Central, tackle Michael McLaughlin from Stoneman Douglas and center Ryan Rodriguez from Miami Columbus.
“We’ve said this over and over again. We’re always going to start off from home,” Diaz said. “We’re making great progress.”
The two prospects Diaz alluded to — without naming them, as he’s not allowed to per NCAA rules — from elsewhere that once lived in South Florida: Texas tight end Elijah Arroyo and Orlando linebacker Deshawn Troutman.
Even cornerback commit Malik Curtis is not far removed, attending Fort Myers Bishop Verot.
With all that said, notable top area recruits are still committed elsewhere: Clemson has commitments from University School offensive lineman Marcus Tate, Miami Booker T. Washington receiver Jacorey Brooks and Cardinal Gibbons receiver Troy Stellato, while Chaminade four-star outside linebacker Terrence Lewis has committed to Tennessee.