This wideout was one of Lashlee’s top 2021 recruiting priorities. The OC sold him on UM
Brashard Smith orally committed to the Miami Hurricanes in July based upon promise. Rhett Lashlee was promising to modernize Miami’s offense after years of pro-style slogs. Manny Diaz was promising to turn the Hurricanes back into a winner after a seven-loss season in 2019.
Smith had yet to see any of this come to fruition. All he could do was trust these promises would be fulfilled.
“Just the new offense and being home,” Smith said Thursday when asked what ultimately led to his commitment.
Home couldn’t change for the three-star wide receiver from Miami Palmetto. The Hurricanes’ offense could.
So far, he’s impressed by what he’s seeing.
“I like it,” Smith said. “It’s quick. It’s on the ball every play, tempo.”
Smith first committed to the Florida Gators in January, just 11 days after the Hurricanes fired former offensive coordinator Dan Enos and just five days after they hired Lashlee as his replacement. Florida was the longtime favorite for the 5-foot-9, 190-pound wideout, selling him on a hybrid role in coach Dan Mullen’s run-heavy spread offense.
It was quickly evident, however, the Hurricanes’ hiring of Lashlee piqued Smith’s interest. Later in January, the receiver attended a junior day in Coral Gables and became a priority target for Lashlee.
The Hurricanes have secured 22 commitments so far in the Class of 2021 and Lashlee is the primary recruiter for one: Smith.
“He’s good. He’s real great. He calls me and FaceTimes me a lot. Even when he’s on vacation, he’ll call me,” said Smith, who noted most of their conversations center around football. “Just working on routes and stuff.”
Smith eventually decommitted from Florida in May as Lashlee kept up contact. Two months later, the Under Armour All-American committed to the Hurricanes.
On Friday, Smith will unofficially begin his senior season with a preseason showdown against Miami Booker T. Washington. The COVID-19 pandemic massively disrupted high school football season in South Florida, but Palmetto opted into the Florida High School Association’s state series, hoping to win an elusive Class 8A championship.
Smith is one of three Panther seniors committed to the Hurricanes, along with blue-chip defensive tackles Leonard Taylor and Savion Collins, and Palmetto also has a pair of future Gators in blue-chip defensive backs Jason Marshall and Corey Collier. Smith is particularly close with the two defensive backs and they spent much of the shutdown working out together, running routes at a park near their homes. Smith, who said he still hears from the Gators, hopes it kept them all fresh enough to make up for time missed throughout the spring and summer.
For Smith, the most important thing is maintaining his speed even with the time off. He’s the No. 58 wide receiver in the 247Sports.com composite rankings for the 2021 recruiting class largely because of his quickness — he has clocked 4.4 seconds in the 40-yard dash. Lashlee likes him because of it and Smith likes the Hurricanes offense because of how they can maximize it.
Smith said Lashlee is pitching him on the same sort of hybrid roles the Gators liked him for. His body type suggests he’s most naturally a fit in the slot, but Smith said Lashlee also likes him because he can play out wide and even play some running back. Last season, he caught 36 passes for 628 yards and 13 touchdowns, added 17 yards on four carries and returned a kick for a touchdown.
Right now, the Hurricanes don’t have a player like him on the roster, which could carve a path for Smith to find a role early on, especially because he plans to early enroll.
The Hurricanes also just need all the help they can get at wideout right now. On Monday, they updated their depth chart to list nine co-starters at their three wide receiver positions, searching for answers as starters Mike Harley, Mark Pope and Dee Wiggins have underachieved.
Five of the new co-starters are underclassman and the Hurricanes currently hold commitments from two blue-chip wideouts, plus Smith. The Hurricanes have not yet put the future of their offense on display. Smith is excited to be a part of it.
“I’m excited,” Smith said. “I’m ready to play with those guys.”
