Live updates: QB leaves. Canes add surprise linebacker. A look at 21 who signed with UM
The Miami Hurricanes’ 2025 recruiting class began finalizing their commitments on Wednesday, the first day of a three-day early signing period.
We will be providing live updates all day on all UM transactions:
4 p.m. update: Four-star receiver Malachi Toney signed with UM, ending a day of drama involving the Plantation American Heritage receiver. So all 20 players who began the day as UM non-binding commitments were binding commitments by the end of the day. (Miami parted ways with Tennessee-bound safety Tim Merritt on Tuesday.)
1:30 p.m. update: Reese Poffenbarger will enter the transfer portal, a move that leaves UM with three quarterbacks on its 2025 roster: Emory Williams, Judd Anderson (a freshman this season) and incoming freshman Luke Nickel, who signed with the Canes on Wednesday. UM is expected to explore adding a quarterback in the portal. That player possibly could compete with Williams for the starting job.
Poffenbarger - who joined UM last winter before NFL-bound Cam Ward committed to the Hurricanes - threw for 6613 yards and 60 touchdowns and ran for eight touchdowns in two seasons with FCS team Albany.
Poffenbarger - who has one season of eligibility remaining - appeared in four games in his one year at Miami, completing six of seven pass attempts for 20 yards and rushing for 12 yards on five carries.
SIGNING DAY UPDATES
8 a.m. update: Seventeen of the 20 players who were orally committed to UM signed with the Canes by 8 a.m. Eastern Time.
10:15 a.m. update: Then four-star Las Vegas-based offensive lineman SJ Alofaituli and four-star California-based edge player Hayden Lowe signed with UM just after 7 a.m. Pacific time.
That means by mid-morning, UM had written, binding commitments from 19 of its 20 oral commitments.
The one holdout: receiver Malachi Toney, the Planatation American Heritage receiver.
Toney and his mother told Canesport that he will not sign with UM on Wednesday; no further explanation was given.
Asked by Canesport if he will be signing with Miami at some point, he said: “I’m not sure.” Asked if there are other schools he’s considering, he said: “I really can’t say.”
There were three subtractions from the class this week -- safety Hylton Stubbs (who flipped to Florida), linebacker Gavin Nix (who flipped to Oregon) and safety Timothy Merritt, who was reportedly on the verge of flipping to Tennessee before the Canes dropped him after he attempted to leverage both schools against each other (per Canesport).
10:40 a.m. update: Shortly after 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, UM added a player who wasn’t committed on Tuesday: Tampa Armwood four-star linebacker Kellen Wiley, who picked UM over Florida, Texas and Maryland. Wiley had been pursued by UM for months and visited Miami’s campus during the weekends they played Florida A&M and Florida State.
On.3 rates him the No. 7 linebacker and No. 92 overall prospect in UM’s class. 247 Sports rated Wiley the No. 44 linebacker and No. 325 overall player.
The 6-4, 225-pound inside linebacker played very well in a game against Miami Norland earlier this season and had 75 tackles, including 13 for loss, seven sacks and two interceptions this season.
“I’m excited to get in and ball early,” he told 247 Sports. “They got two good backers in Kiko [Mauigoa] and [Wesley Bissainthe], balled out at a high level. Somewhere I get a chance to play early and play with my teammate [Girard Pringle Jr.].”
Here’s a look at the 19 other players who have signed with UM:
OFFENSE
Quarterback Luke Nickel
The lone quarterback of Miami’s class, Nickel has been committed to UM for over a year and has been a standout for Georgia powerhouse Milton, which is ranked No. 2 nationally this season by MaxPreps and is a perfect 13-0 so far.
On the season, Nickel has completed 66 percent of his passes for 3,033 yards and 36 touchdowns against seven interceptions.
Wide receiver Josh Moore
The West Broward product is one of South Florida’s breakout talents this season. Moore, who is sturdy at 6-4 and 205 pounds and possesses crisp route running skills, caught 57 passes for 1,020 yards and 11 touchdowns to help the Bobcats to their first regional final appearance in school history. He flipped his commitment from Florida to Miami on Oct. 8.
Wide receiver Daylyn Upshaw
Upshaw, a three-star wide receiver from Phenix City (Alabama) Central, has amassed 2,193 receiving yards and 31 touchdowns over his final two seasons of high school. He has been committed to Miami since July 13.
Running back Girald Pringle Jr.
Pringle, out of Seffner Armwood, is a top-10 running back in the Class of 2025. He burst onto the recruiting scene as a junior and continued his ascent this year.
Over his final two seasons at Armwood, Pringle ran for 2,882 yards and 43 touchdowns on 366 carries (a staggering 7.8 yards per carry) using a blend of strength and just enough foot speed to be a threat both between the tackles and on the outside. He committed to Miami on March 23.
Wide receiver Malachi Toney
The three-star receiver out of Plantation American Heritage has had an eventful final year of his recruiting process. He initially committed to Miami on Aug. 22, 2023, as a member of the 2026 recruiting class.
He then reclassified to the Class of 2025 in September of this year and de-committed from UM on Oct. 3 before once re-committed to the Hurricanes on Oct. 28. Toney, 5-10 and 182 pounds, on the season has caught 58 passes for 1,008 yards and 12 touchdowns for an American Heritage team that will play in the Class 4A state semifinal on Friday.
Tight end Brock Schott
Schott is a four-star prospect who was a two-way player for Leo (Indiana) High. On offense, he was a tight end who produced 1,673 yards over his final three seasons. On defense, he was an edge rusher/outside linebacker who had 41 sacks over that same time frame. Schott, who will play tight end for UM, has been committed to Miami since April 13.
Tight end Luka Gilbert
Gilbert, out of West Chester (Ohio) Lakota West High, is a four-star prospect and has good size at 6-7 and 233 pounds.
Center Seuseu Alofaituli
Alofaituli, from Las Vegas powerhouse Bishop Gorman, is the No. 7 overall interior offensive lineman and No. 96 overall prospect in the class per the 247Sports composite ranking.
Alofaituli has been committed to Miami since July 5 and was selected to participate in both the Under Armour All-America Game and the Polynesian Bowl.
He was a four-year starter at Bishop Gorman and can play anywhere on the offensive line, although he will most likely slot in at center.
Offensive lineman Max Buchanan
Buchanan has been the starting left tackle for Sanford Seminole High the past two years. But the four-star prospect is listed as the No. 19 interior lineman recruit in the Class of 2025, according to the 247Sports Composite ranking. He has been committed to Miami since June 26.
Offensive lineman Jaden Wilkerson
He’s a three-star recruit who finished his high school career at Orlando Edgewater after also playing at Lake Nona and Lake Highland Prep. Wilkerson is tabbed as the No. 90 offensive tackle in the class, according to the 247Sports Composite ranking. He has been committed to Miami since June 19.
Offensive lineman Demetrius Campbell
Campbell, who attends Orlando Christian Prep, has size at 6-6 and 300 pounds. He was the starting left tackle at Orlando Christian Prep the past two years and is pegged as the No. 74 offensive tackle in the class, per the 247Sports Composite ranking. He committed to Miami on June 18.
DEFENSE
Linebacker Ezekiel Marcelin
Marcelin has been a standout on defense at Miami Central for the past three seasons. The three-star linebacker finished his senior season with 15 tackles for loss after logging 109 tackles (including 19 for loss and 12 sacks) as a junior. He has been committed to Miami since June 23.
Edge player Hayden Lowe
The 6-4, 242-pound edge rusher from Westlake Village (California) Oaks Christian High is Miami’s highest ranked recruit this cycle — No. 44 overall by 247Sports.
He committed to Miami on Nov. 13, flipping from USC to Miami. He finished his senior season with 59 tackles, 18 tackles for loss and 16 sacks for the No. 16 overall team in California, according to MaxPreps.
247Sports’ Greg Biggins notes that Lowe “shows the ability to play just about anywhere along the defensive line” and “has the frame to easily add another 20-25 pounds with ease without losing any of his athleticism.”
Defensive tackle Donta Simpson
Simpson, at 6-3 and 281 pounds, has been a force on the interior of the defensive line for national powerhouse Chaminade-Madonna in Hollywood. He enters the Class 1A state semifinals this week with 10 tackles for loss and six sacks this season after logging 19.5 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks as a junior. He committed to the Hurricanes on Aug. 2.
Defensive lineman Mykah Newton
Newton finished his senior season at Newberry High with 21 tackles for loss and nine sacks and had 36 sacks overall in his four-year career. The 6-2, 255-pound edge rusher has a long wingspan and shows good burst at the line of scrimmage. He committed to UM on Aug. 16.
Defensive end Herbert Scroggins
Scroggins, a 6-2, 235-pound edge rusher, had 21 sacks as a senior for the Benedictine Military School in Savannah, Georgia. He has been committed to Miami since June 28.
Defensive back Bryce Fitzgerald
Fitzgerald, who spent his final two seasons of high school at Columbus after starting his career at Belen Jesuit, is a ball-hawking safety. He recorded a staggering 10 interceptions (including five in the playoffs) to help the Explorers win their second consecutive state football title in 2023 and has two more this year (along with three defended passes) for a Columbus team that is still competing in the FHSAA playoffs.
Defensive back Amari Wallace
Wallace had been a three-year starter for perennial state-title contender Miami Central before sustaining a leg injury ahead of his senior season. Wallace told 247Sports in early November that he anticipates being ready to participate in spring football practices as an early enrollee. He has been a Miami pledge since June 20.
Cornerback Jaboree Antoine
A four-star recruit out of New Iberia (Louisiana) Westgate, Antoine is a lanky (6-1, 170 pounds) cornerback who also played quarterback for his high school. He missed most of his junior year with a collarbone injury but had five interceptions as a sophomore.
Cornerback Chris Ewald
Ewald, a four-star prospect, has been a three-year starter for national powerhouse Hollywood Chaminade-Madonna. Entering the Class 1A state semifinals on Friday, Ewald has recorded 48 defended passes over the past three years, including 16 this season, to go along with six interceptions.
NEWS NOTE
Receiver Xavier Restrepo became the third Canes play to accept an invitation to the Senior Bowl, joining offensive lineman Jalen Rivers and tight end Elijah Arroyo Jr.
This story was originally published December 4, 2024 at 8:12 AM.
