Feedback, details, what to know on UM’s 2027 football commitments on offense
The Miami Hurricanes don’t have the volume of 2027 commitments that several other top programs do, but they certainly have the quality.
UM’s 11-member class of nonbinding commitments is ranked fifth (on On3/Rivals) and 11th (on 247). The Canes have five players committed on defense after landing two top prospects in recent days.
Here’s a look at UM’s six 2027 commitments on offense and some feedback:
Illinois-based QB Israel Abrams
▪ The ranking: Rated by 247 Sports as the No. 2 quarterback in the 2027 class and the No. 14 prospect overall. On3.com rates him the No. 3 QB and No. 45 overall prospect.
▪ The background: UM had Abrams atop its board of a handful of quarterbacks that it recruited. He committed to Miami after an on-campus visit, choosing the Canes over Florida, Auburn, Florida State, Kentucky and others.
The 6-4 Abrams told On3.com: “I think I can make all the throws. I feel like I’m a headache for defensive coordinators, especially when we get into pads, where it really matters.”
▪ The stats: Abrams, named the MaxPreps Illinois Player of the Year last season, guided Montini Catholic to a 14-0 record and a 4A state title. He completed 68.5 percent of his passes for 4072 yards, 40 touchdowns and six interceptions. He threw for 425 yards and four touchdowns in the state title game. What’s more, he’s 24-0 as a starter in his career.
▪ The feedback: 247 Sports national recruiting director Andrew Ivins said Abrams has good velocity and “a rapid release, but can also throw with touch and anticipation” and is “accurate on the move” while displaying “the ability to come off his first read and work through his progressions.”
Ivins said he escapes sacks “with slick pocket mobility and an impressive internal clock” and “made major strides both mechanically and mentally over the past 12 months, but is still rounding into form as he grows into a wiry 6-foot-4 frame and learns demands of the position.” Ivins projects him as “a potential high-level distributor for a College Football Playoff hopeful.”
UM has had great success with transfer quarterbacks in recent years. The question is what high school recruit will impress Mario Cristobal enough (in UM practices and mop-up duty in games) to the point where he does not feel compelled to spend millions for a top veteran QB in the portal. If it’s not Luke Nickel or Dereon Coleman in 2027 or 2028, it could be Abrams.
Miami Carol City High WR Nick Lennear
▪ The ranking: Rated by 247 Sports as the No. 3 receiver and No. 16 prospect in the country. On3.com rates him the No. 6 receiver and No. 26 player overall.
▪ The background: A top priority for UM in this cycle, Lennear committed to the Canes on March 5 at Cristobal’s home. Lennear, who will take his official visit to UM late this month, rejected offers from LSU, Texas, Indiana, Southern Cal and others.
▪ The stats: Lennear, 5-11, blossomed as a sophomore, catching 42 passes for 778 yards and 12 TD for Miami Northwestern. He played on both sides of the ball for Northwestern last season and had an interception and six receptions for 135 yards and a touchdown in the state title game against Jacksonville Raines.
Lennear, who transferred to Miami Carol City this offseason, had six catches for 48 yards and a TD in the Navy All American bowl.
▪ The feedback: South Florida-based recruiting guru Larry Blustein said Lennear is “as good as you get. He’s the first player I’ve seen since Duke Johnson who could be a five-star at two positions: receiver and safety. He is as good a kick returner as we’ve seen here in a long time. He’s been a stud since he stepped foot at Northwestern.
“He will be at Carol City this season; defenses will double-cover him. They couldn’t double cover him at Northwestern because they had other good guys. I saw him play in the Navy bowl in San Antonio as a junior and he more than held his own.”
Ivins said Lennear is “on pace to emerge as an offensive weapon for a College Football Playoff contender, but has also turned heads as a defensive back throughout prep career. [He] should be viewed as a true big-play threat with some inside-outside versatility that can flip the field with his deep speed and savvy route running.”
Mississippi-based RB Ty Keys
▪ The ranking: The Canes’ most recent offensive commitment is rated by 247 Sports as the No. 14 running back and the 214th best player in the 2027 class.
▪ The background: The 6-1, 190-pounder from Poplarsville High had a slew of Power 4 offers, including from Mississippi and LSU (which were his other two finalists) and Alabama. But he forged a bond with UM running backs coach Favian Upshaw and Cristobal during his April visit to campus.
He also plays baseball and reportedly throws 92 mph as a pitcher and bats .450 as a hitter.
▪ The stats: On a team that seldom threw the ball last season, Keys produced an almost unfathomable 3,285 rushing yards and 45 touchdowns on 301 carries, an absurd 10.9 yards per carry. He has 5,072 rushing yards and 78 touchdowns in his high school career. Keys broke the state single-game rushing record, amassing 546 yards and eight touchdowns in a game last September.
▪ The feedback: Ivins says he’s a “slashing runner that... projects as a potential impact player at the Power Four level that might need a year to add some bulk, could still provide early minutes in a rotation.”
Ivins said Keys “can tax the perimeter, but has surprising success working between the tackles.” He said Keys has “limited production to date as a pass catcher, but turned heads at The Opening New Orleans regional where he streaked free down the sidelines on wheel routes.”
Blustein said he’s a “big-time kid. I watched his tape and saw him at the Navy combine. He’s a freak. He’s got a lot of speed, has great vision.”
Fort Pierce John Carroll OL Sean Tatum
▪ The ranking: Rated by 247 Sports as the No. 13 offensive tackle and the No. 232 prospect in the class. On3.com has him ranked higher — No. 9 among interior offensive linemen and No. 145 overall.
▪ The background: He committed to UM on April 10 after watching a spring practice. UF, Auburn and Arkansas and Tennessee were among his other offers.
He told On3.com that he picked UM because “the development part always stands out and of course how they run their offense. Also, they have a great culture that they’ve built around there. Coach Cristobal is an offensive line guy, so he will always show linemen love.”
▪ The stats: The 6-3, 317-pounder played left tackle last season and also played a bit on the defensive line, then appeared in the Navy All-American Bowl. He’s also a standout in the shot put.
▪ The feedback: Ivins said he projects as an interior player “with impressive mobility and power.” Ivins noted he played left tackle last season “but looked much more comfortable at left guard while working inside the AlamoDome” at the Navy All-American Bowl.
Gainesville, Ga. High OL Tyler Ford
▪ The rating: The 6-6, 307-pounder is rated a three-star prospect by 247 Sports, which rates him the 51st-best tackle in the country.
▪ The background: He committed April 5, choosing UM over Auburn, Florida, Arkansas and Duke, among others.
▪ The stats: He played left tackle last season.
▪ The feedback: Ivins said he “should be viewed as a young developmental lineman with multi-year starter upside at the Power Four level.”
Fort Lauderdale Cardinal Gibbons TE Demarcus DeRoche
▪ The rating: Rated by 247 Sports as the 21st best athlete and 325th-best prospect in the 2027 class. On3.com has him ranked as the No. 14 tight end and 242nd-best player overall.
▪ The background: He received a UM offer last August, after attending one of UM’s camps, and quickly accepted. He will visit UM on May 29 and told On3.com in late February that he’s 100 percent locked in with Miami and won’t take other visits.
Texas, Ohio State, Louisville and UF were among others who offered the 6-6 DeRoache.
DeRoche told On3.com: “I always told myself Miami will be the place I want to and will go to. I don’t like leaving Florida.”
▪ The stats: He caught seven touchdowns last season, per MaxPreps. He also averaged more than 13 points per game for the basketball team.
▪ The feedback: Blustein said: “He started out at Boyd Anderson. Great hands, good size. Basketball stud. He got hurt with an ACL; he’s not playing this spring. Very athletic. Nobody knew much about him because he was more of a basketball guy at Boyd Anderson, and then everyone saw him. He’s going to be special.”
Blustein said the question for the Canes is “do they need him as a tight end or a d-end?”
Here’s Part 1 of the series on UM’s 2027 defensive commitments.
This story was originally published May 13, 2026 at 11:00 AM.
