What are Hurricanes getting with their 2021 recruiting class? An expert weighs in
What are the Miami Hurricanes getting in their 16 football commitments for 2021, presuming most stick to their nonbinding pledges?
In several phone conversations during the past two months, longtime recruiting guru Larry Blustein weighed in on the 15 he has evaluated:
▪ Hollywood Chaminade-Madonna running back Thaddius Franklin, a soft commitment who has said he will take other visits:
“I would think he would look around because this is his second time committing to Miami. He’s a big time talent, no doubt. Huge kid — 6-1 1/2 and 223 pounds. You don’t often get a kid that size at running back [out of high school]. Big lumbering kid, bigger than all the backs they have, like a Big Ten back, but very athletic.”
Besides his value on first and second down, Blustein sees him being a solution to UM’s short-yardage issues. The question is whether he stays committed.
▪ Miami Northwestern tight end Kahlil Brantley, a receiver who is expected to make the switch to tight end with UM:
“He’s going to be more of the Brevin Jordan type,” Blustein said. “He’s a pass-catching guy, not really a blocking guy. Very athletic, played quarterback in youth football. Very agile, catches the ball well. Good speed. He could play out of the slot.”
▪ Miami Columbus center Ryan Rodriguez:
“Big-time kid and a smart kid,” Blustein said. “I thought Mario Cristobal might get him to go to Oregon because he’s a Columbus kid. He will be at Miami four years. A natural center.”
▪ Miami Central offensive lineman Laurence Seymore:
“I’ve been following him since seventh grade. He always has been committed to Miami and never wavered. As technically sound as anyone they have in this class. He’s probably a guard but can play center.”
▪ Parkland Stoneman Douglas offensive lineman Michael McLaughlin:
“He’s Eric Winston,” Blustein said of the former Cane and longtime NFL offensive tackle. “Same body type, same look to me. Michael has no fat on him. He’s a tall, skinny guy, 250 pounds and could be 290, 300 by the time everything is finished. He’s athletic, has quick feet. He grew up in Indiana and caught up to the speed of the game pretty quickly. Very intriguing kid. He’s 6-6 and probably an offensive tackle long-term.”
▪ Chaminade-Madonna defensive tackle Allan Haye:
“Like him a lot. Has a lot of potential. He’s strong, agile. He could [begin] at defensive end and move inside eventually. Has the potential to be very good” eventually.
▪ Miami Southwest defensive tackle Savion Collins, who might end up with the Gators (UM reportedly has cooled on him; Collins has said he rarely speaks to Canes coaches anymore):
“He’s got to watch his weight; he will be close to 300 eventually. He will be a space-eater in the middle.”
▪ Northwestern defensive end Ja’Corey Hammett, who might play linebacker at Miami:
“He blew onto the scene last year,” Blustein said. “Very athletic kid. Has played outside linebacker, defensive rush end. He’s probably [best] putting his hands on the ground and moving forward instead of dropping into coverage. He tackles well, has shown ability as a pass rusher. He’s going to have a big year at Northwestern.”
▪ Defensive end Tyler Johnson, who also might play linebacker at Miami (and the younger brother of former UM star safety Jaquan Johnson):
“He’s switching schools to Killian after two years at South Dade,” Blustein said. “He has a lot of the instincts his brother has and he’s bigger than Jaquan. He needs a full year of [Killian coach] Derrick Gibson teaching him a lot of stuff. He was going on instinct the last two years. Now he can be more technical.”
▪ Northwestern cornerback Tim Burns:
“The only knock on him is his size [just 157 pounds at a listed 5-10]. When you have smaller guys like that, they need really good recovery speed like Terrell Buckley, like LaMarcus Joyner. He’s a great athlete but a work in progress. He needs to work up to the level physically to cover big-body kids. I watched him since the ninth grade at Doral, and I like him a lot.”
▪ Fort Myers-based cornerback Malik Curtis:
“Extremely athletic, agile, excellent player; he’s going to be a big-time asset. Not sure where he plays — corner or safety. He’s a big kid and will hit you but has cover skills.” And Blustein said people who know him talk about his “passion for the game.”
He committed as a defensive back but also plays receiver and said Canes coaches have indicated they will put the ball in his hands.
▪ Northwestern four-star receiver Romello Brinson: “Big-time kid. Big-time playmaker. Excellent route runner. Unselfish. A total team-type of player and matured into that. He wasn’t that when he was younger. People downplayed him early on. He’s a difference maker. Has speed, can jump. The impressive route running is what he has that others don’t. He’s a go-to guy. Can play on boundary or slot. Brinson is No. 1-caliber receiver.”
▪ Plantation High receiver Jacolby George: “Like Kevin Beard, same school, steady. Not a burst of speed, but faster than you think he would be. He’s so athletic. As a ninth grader, I was watching him, he kicked, punted, played safety and wide receiver. He got better and better and more mature. They will see how versatile he is. Is he a Day One impact player? That remains to be seen.”
▪ Chaminade-Madonna kicker Andres Borregalas:
“The best kicker Miami has had since Dane Pruitt [in 1995]. There’s an explosion off his leg and he’s deadly accurate. I’ve watched this kid since the sixth grade. His kickoffs always go out of the end zone. He’s unbelievable; the No. 1 kicker in country.”
▪ Texas-based tight end Elijah Arroyo:
Blustein has watched him some, and likes his physicality. And Rivals’ Sam Speigelman offered this assessment:
“Arroyo is an exceptional pass-catching tight end with an enormous catch radius, strong hands and noticeable athleticism. Essentially, Arroyo is a wide receiver in a tight end’s frame, but he’s also a dynamic and willing blocker that coaches will be anxious to put on the field in Coral Gables, Fla. With a strong showing this season, Arroyo should find himself in the mix to crack the Rivals 250.”
Miami’s other commitment is Orlando three-star linebacker Deshawn Troutman.
Unless he pushes back his announcement, four-star Northwestern safety Kamren Kinchens is expected to choose on July 11 among UM, Auburn and Texas A&M.
UM can take 25 players in this 2021 class.
Here’s my piece with co-defensive coordinator Ephraim Banda assessing UM’s new defensive backs, five of whom enrolled this week.
