Miami edges out Crimson Tide to pry All-American wide receiver prospect out of Alabama
Less than a week after losing a commitment from one four-star wide receiver, the Miami Hurricanes replaced him with another, beating out the Alabama Crimson Tide to land an oral commitment from Dazalin Worsham.
A four-star wide receiver from Hewitt-Trussville in Alabama, Worsham announced his pledge with a video on Twitter.
The wideout is a major addition to the Hurricanes’ Class of 2020 and makes the decommitment of four-star Northwestern wide receiver Marcus Fleming on Monday more palatable. Worsham is the No. 50 wide receiver in the 247Sports.com composite rankings for the 2020 recruiting class and is slated to play in the Under Armour All-American game early next year. He’s one of the most productive wide receivers in Alabama history and was committed to the Crimson Tide until June.
Just days before he backed off his pledge to Alabama, Worrsham took a June official visit to Coral Gables. He had a strong relationship with Dan Enos from the offensive coordinator’s time as the Crimson Tide’s quarterbacks coach and Enos originally lured him to Miami for the visit. While in South Florida, Worsham built a connection with wide receivers coach Taylor Stubblefield, which kept the Hurricanes in the picture even as they struggled throughout the first half of the season.
The longer Worsham waited between his Miami visit and his commitment, the less likely it seemed he would opt to leave his home state. Stubblefield went up to watch Worsham play earlier this year, though, and kept working on the 6-foot, 185-pound receiver, publicly securing his pledge Friday with the Hurricanes in the midst of a three-game winning streak.
“I think he wants to be part of building something, and obviously Miami has a great history and great past,” said Josh Floyd, Worsham’s high school coach, “so I think he’s excited about trying to get them back going in that direction.”
Worsham finished his career with the Huskies eighth on Alabama’s all-time receptions list. The wideout racked up 54 catches for 427 yards and six touchdowns as a senior, after piling up 87 catches for 1,022 yards and 13 touchdowns as a junior in 2018. His greatest strength, Floyd said, is his route-running, which young wide receivers often struggle with in college. It could make him a plug-and-play option in the slot — a spot where Fleming, 5-10 and 160 pounds, would have competed.
Worsham’s commitment gives the Hurricanes two Under Armour All-American wide receivers in their 2020 class. Michael Redding III, a four-star wide receiver from Bradenton IMG Academy, orally committed to Miami in June and is on track to enroll early. He projects as a more traditional outside receiver. With K.J. Osborn graduating and fellow wide receiver Jeff Thomas a possibility to enter the 2020 NFL Draft, playing time could be available for both incoming freshmen.
The Hurricanes might not be done at wide receiver, either. Douglas Emilien, a three-star wide receiver from Plantation American Heritage, has Miami in his top three and plans to take an official visit next month.
The Hurricanes’ class now ranks No. 6 in the country and No. 2 in the Atlantic Coast Conference behind only the Clemson Tigers’. They hold commitments from eight four-star players — already more than they finished with in the Class of 2019.
This story was originally published November 22, 2019 at 4:51 PM.
