The latest on the Miami Hurricanes’ pursuit of three American Heritage blue-chip recruits
With the Miami Hurricanes on their bye week, Kevin Steele and Kevin Smith made the quick trip up to Fort Lauderdale on Saturday to watch one of the biggest high school football games of the weekend.
Plantation American Heritage downed Fort Lauderdale Cardinal Gibbons, 21-2, in a rivalry clash and the two assistant coaches got to watch some of the best players in the country deliver some highlight-worthy moments for American Heritage.
Brandon Inniss caught a touchdown and grabbed a game-sealing interception, Mark Fletcher ran for more than 100 yards and a touchdown and Damari Brown played a lockdown game on the outside, only getting targeted once by the Chiefs.
Miami is still working hard to keep those three blue-chip recruits form leaving South Florida, even though Inniss and Fletcher have already orally committed to the Ohio State Buckeyes.
Damari Brown
Brown remains the Hurricanes’ best shot to end their drought in Plantation. Be is a four-star cornerback, according to the 247Sports composite rankings for the Class of 2023 and the son of former Miami defensive back Selwyn Brown and has been at Hard Rock Stadium for multiple Hurricanes games already this season.
He was, however, in Miami Gardens last month for the Hurricanes’ stunning 45-31 loss to the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders — it was originally supposed to be his official visit before he decided to push it to November — and said it doesn’t affect how he feels about his father’s alma mater.
“I know they have work to do. It’s not overnight,” the 6-foot-1, 180-pound senior said Saturday. “I know I can go in and help fix that. They’re having trouble in the back end.”
Brown took official visits with the Clemson Tigers and Alabama Crimson Tide in June, but this is mostly shaping up to be a battle between Miami and the Florida State Seminoles. Brown will travel to Tallahassee on Oct. 15 for an official visit, then take his official visit in Coral Gables next month when the Hurricanes host Florida State. A decision, he said, should likely come before the end of November.
Brandon Inniss
The top-ranked prospect in Broward County for the 2023 recruiting class, Inniss has been committed to Ohio State since June, but it hasn’t stopped Miami from continuing to recruit him.
“Miami has been talking to me a lot still,” the five-star wide receiver said Saturday.
With the Hurricanes’ wide receivers struggling, it’s not a surprise. Miami keeps adding new blue-chip targets at the position — the Hurricanes made a strong run at Lakeland’s Tyler Williams before he committed to the Georgia Bulldogs on Tuesday, and they’re now planning to bring four-star athlete Malachi Coleman down from Nebraska’s Lincoln East for an official visit this weekend — and it’s mostly because it whiffed on so many top in-state talents.
Miami has others it’s still working on, too. Inniss, however, would be the ultimate prize.
The 6-foot, 190-pound senior insists he’s locked in with the Buckeyes, though, and he’s “probably not” going to visit anywhere else.
“I’ve got to show loyalty where they showed loyalty to me,” Inniss said.
Alabama is also still recruiting the elite receiver.
Mark Fletcher
Ohio State also landed Fletcher’s commitment in March, but it hasn’t kept the Hurricanes from recruiting him about as hard as they have recruited any running back in this recruiting cycle.
“I talk to Miami every day,” the four-star running back said Saturday, “but they still know I’m committed to Ohio State.”
Although he said his “relationship is great” with the Buckeyes, Fletcher did acknowledge he has a few months before the early signing period arrives and he has to make a final decision.
Until then, the Hurricanes are going to keep working on the 6-1, 225-pound senior. Miami is currently the only school left battling Ohio State.
“I feel like that’s the better place for me,” Fletcher said. “I’ve still got time to see, but for right now I’m locked in with Ohio State.”
He also, as of now, doesn’t have any other visits scheduled, although this could always change, too.
“I don’t have nothing planned yet,” Fletcher said, “but it depends.”
This story was originally published October 3, 2022 at 11:52 AM.
