The latest ahead of national signing day with All-American, former Broward POY to sign
National signing day isn’t quite the spectacle it once was. The early signing period and transfer portal have taken away a lot of the luster.
Still, there are several high-profile recruits set to make their final decisions Wednesday, as well as a bunch of potential under-the-radar gems ready to find their home and begin their college journeys by signing national letters of intent.
All-American Simpkins makes pick
Ja’Vin Simpkins is one of only nine Under Armour All-Americans still uncommitted going into signing day, and the three-star running back’s recruitment has had its fair share of twists and turns.
The Norland star was twice orally committed to the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, first for about 10 months in 2021 and again for about four last year, and then picked up additional interest late in 2022, only to not sign during the early signing period.
After initially narrowing his choices down to the Michigan State Spartans and UCF Knights, Simpkins is set to choose between the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers and Western Michigan Broncos this week. An announcement is set for 1 p.m. on Wednesday at Miami Norland Senior High School in Miami Gardens.
For either school, adding Simpkins would be a major coup. The 5-foot-9, 187-pound tailback is the top uncommitted running back left in the Class of 2023, according to the 247Sports composite rankings, and would be far and away the top-ranked prospect in either team’s 2023 recruiting class.
The senior is the No. 490 overall player in the class and was a first-team all-county selection by the Miami Herald for the second straight year last season, rushing for 769 yards and 10 touchdowns on 108 carries, with 18 catches for 258 yards and only one fumble lost, to help the Vikings return to the ranks of the elite in Florida.
Will Western’s Hurst find home?
Collin Hurst put together one of the best careers ever by a quarterback in Broward County across the last four years, but went into the final days before NSD without a clear next step in his career.
Around Western, there’s a hope the three-star quarterback will wind up with a Division I home, though.
The senior is set to sign a national letter of intent Wednesday at 9:30 a.m. at Western High School in Davie and his decision will come on the heels of a trip to Clinton, South Carolina, to visit the FCS Presbyterian Blue Hose.
The 5-10, 160-pound senior also has preferred walk-on opportunities available with several programs, including the FIU Panthers and Coastal Carolina.
Hurst was a first-team all-Broward County selection by the Herald for the third time last season — the only year he missed out on first-team honors was 2020, when the Wildcats’ season was severely shortened by COVID-19 — after going 154 of 244 for 2,116 yards, 15 touchdowns and five interceptions, with 32 carries for 380 yards and two touchdowns.
Another Miami gem for SMU?
Rhett Lashlee has opened up a pipeline from Miami-Dade County to Dallas in the last few months, mostly adding to his SMU Mustangs’ roster by plucking former Miami Hurricanes out of the transfer portal.
The coach, however, did finally make a move for a high school player in January, bringing Northwestern receiver Adam Moore to Texas for an official visit earlier this month.
The three-star tight end combined more than 1,000 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns in his last two years of high school and his Bulls are scheduled to hold a signing event Wednesday at 11 a.m. at Miami Northwestern Senior High School.
Moore, 6-2 and 220 pounds, is a top-1,000 prospect in the 2023 recruiting cycle and the No. 2 unsigned player left in South Florida.
More Chaminade-Madonna stars sign
No one had a more impressive group of prospects last year than Chaminade-Madonna — from seniors headed to Power 5 conferences to multiple five-star juniors — and some of the Lions’ lesser-heralded prospects are set to sign Wednesday at 2 p.m. at Chaminade-Madonna College Preparatory School in Hollywood.
Three-star tackle Elvin Harris orally committed to the FCS Campbell Camels on Jan. 16, unranked athlete Jeno Junius orally committed to the FCS Western Carolina Catamounts on Jan. 22 and three-star wide receiver Duane Thomas Jr. orally committed to the Charlotte 49ers last Tuesday. Once they sign, Harris, Junius and Thomas will give the Lions nine players signed with D-I programs in the 2023 cycle.
Both Harris and Thomas were second-team all-county selections, and Thomas had 35 catches for 606 yards and six touchdowns, and 35 carries for 287 yards and four touchdowns. Junius was a first-team all-county selection and had 129 tackles, 17 tackles for loss, 6 1/2 sacks, two interceptions, three passes defended, one fumble recovery, two forced fumbles and one blocked punt as a hybrid safety-linebacker.
The rest
▪ Hezekiah Harris, St. Thomas Aquinas: The 6-2, 180-pound quarterback is likely headed to one of the service academies. He took official visits with the Army Black Knights, Navy Midshipmen and Air Force Falcons throughout January.
▪ Keyshawn Johnson, St. Thomas Aquinas: The 6-2, 230-pound linebacker picked off an offer from the FAU Owls on Thursday.
▪ David Jester, Homestead: The 6-3, 179-pound athlete orally committed to the Akron Zips on Jan. 15. He’s a three-star safety.
▪ Trimaine Brown, Homestead: The 5-11, 150-pound athlete orally committed to the Bowling Green Falcons on Saturday.
▪ Marcus Woodley, Homestead: The 6-2, 210-pound linebacker is set to sign with Western Michigan.
▪ Robert Hammond III, Cardinal Gibbons: The 6-1, 160-pound kicker committed to FAU on Monday.
▪ Francisco Caballero, Gulliver Prep: The 6-3, 270-pound interior lineman orally committed to the FCS Dartmouth Big Green on Monday.
▪ Roger Reyes, Western: The 6-5, 285-pound tackle orally committed to the FCS Villanova Wildcats on Jan. 23.
▪ Gavin Peacock, Monarch: The 6-2, 265-pound defensive lineman officially visited the FCS Stetson Hatters over the weekend.
▪ Cole Baird, Calvary Christian Academy: The 6-5, 235-pound defensive lineman committed to Air Force on Jan. 15.
▪ Cooper Aurilia, Calvary Christian Academy: The 6-foot, 181-pound safety is already committed to Stetson.
This story was originally published January 31, 2023 at 1:30 PM.
