Where Hurricanes stand in pursuit of nation’s top 2023 recruits. And weekend visitors
Part 2 of a 2-part series
With only five nonbinding commitments for 2023, the Miami Hurricanes have plenty of work to do on this next football recruiting class.
The good news is at least a quarter of Rivals’ top 100 players have given some thought to UM, with several giving the Canes serious consideration.
The Canes have been listed as “in the running” for a half dozen of the nation’s top 10 prospects and have been included in the final five to nine choices for these three five-star prospects:
1). David Hicks, a five-star defensive end from Katy, Texas, is visiting UM this weekend.
Hicks, rated by Rivals as the No. 1 player in Texas and the nation’s No. 12 defensive end prospect, is making his third visit to UM this year. He previously took an official visit to Michigan State and plans to take one to Oregon later this month.
He also has taken unofficial visits to Oklahoma, Texas and Texas A&M. Alabama remains in play, too. Rivals predicts he will end up with Texas A&M.
2). Jayden Wayne, a five-star defensive end from Tacoma, Washington, has UM in his top six and has spoken of visiting June 27. His other finalists: Oregon, Alabama, Georgia, LSU and Michigan State.
Wayne, rated the No. 13 defensive end, is considered more likely to end up at an SEC school (Georgia is Rivals’ prediction) or at Oregon, but Rivals said UM “cannot be ruled out.”
3). Five-star Massachusetts-based offensive tackle Samson Okunlola.
UM, Oregon, Oklahoma, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Penn State, Ohio State, Miami and Michigan State are the top nine.
Rivals said “the new five-star offensive tackle doesn’t talk about his recruitment much at all [but] there is a feeling Okunlola prefers teams in the North.”
Among other elite recruits that UM covets:
Bradenton IMG five-star defensive end Sam M’Pemba reportedly liked his visit to UM, but the Canes are seemingly on the outside looking in. Rivals calls this a battle between Notre Dame and Georgia.
Lakeland-based five star cornerback Cormani McClain praised UM when we spoke with him in January, but UM is viewed as an underdog. Rivals predicts he will sign with the Gators and says Alabama is the other favorite.
Brandon Inniss, the five-star receiver from Plantation American Heritage, visited UM’s campus this offseason, but UM isn’t considered a top contender. Rivals said “a visit to Alabama last weekend went well and others will be involved, but it could be USC or Ohio State until the end.”
Inniss is one of several 2023 Heritage players coveted by UM.
The others: four-star cornerback Damari Brown (Rivals No. 61 player in this class; son of former Canes player Selwyn Brown; four-star running back Mark Fletcher (an Ohio State commitment) and four-star safety Daemon Fagan (UM and Ohio State are among the contenders).
Other top 100 players who have given at least some consideration to UM include:
▪ Texas-based five star inside linebacker Anthony Hill, who previously announced a top six of Alabama, Miami, Oklahoma, Texas, Texas A&M, and USC. But Oklahoma, Texas and Texas A&M are the leaders, according to Rivals.
▪ Bradenton IMG five-star offensive tackle Francis Mauigoa. He has a top six of Alabama, Florida, Hawaii, USC, Miami and Tennessee.
▪ Four-star Orlando based linebacker Malik Bryant. UM, Alabama, UF, UCF and USC are his top five, with a Canes visit planned.
▪ Four-star Missouri based defensive end Chandavian Bradley. UM is in his top 10, but Rivals said Tennessee and Texas A&M are the front-runners.
▪ Fort Lauderdale Stranahan four-star receiver Hykeem Williams. His top six, in no particular order: UM, Pittsburgh, Florida State, Alabama, Georgia, and Texas A&M.
▪ Miami Gullliver Prep four-star receiver Jalen Brown. Rivals rates him the No. 44 prospect in this class and predicts he will end up at UM. He was on campus again this past week.
▪ Alabama-based four-star defensive tackle James Smith, the No. 55 player in Rivals’ rankings. Alabama and Georgia are top contenders; UM, Ohio State, Texas A&M, USC and Auburn are viewed as possibilities.
▪ Venice, Florida-based four-star defensive end Damon Wilson; UM is pushing very hard and has at least a chance for Rivals’ No. 59 overall prospect.
▪ Four-star Louisiana safety Derek Williams, who has mentioned UM, Alabama and Texas as options. Rivals predicts he will end up at Alabama.
▪ Four-star California based quarterback Jaden Rashada, who plans to pick June 18 from among LSU, Oregon, Florida, Ole Miss, Miami, Cal and Texas A&M. He’s visiting UF this week. Rashada completed 57 percent of his passes for 2,220 yards, 27 touchdowns and five interceptions last season.
▪ Miami Edison four-star receiver Nathaniel Joseph. He’s a Clemson commitment, but UM is reportedly very much in play.
▪ Four-star Tallahassee-based cornerback Makari Vickers. UM is in his top eight, but Rivals predicts its No. 94 overall prospect will pick Alabama.
▪ Four-star Alabama-based guard Madden Sanker. Multiple recruiting analysts believe UM has a very good chance. Arkansas, Louisville, Michigan State and Georgia also remain very much in play for Rivals’ No. 95 prospect.
UM also is in the mix for several four-star prospects outside of the Rivals top 100, including Orlando-based offensive tackle Payton Kirkland, rated by Rivals as the No. 226 player in this class. Kirkland is considering UM, Oklahoma, UF, Michigan State and Alabama, with UM, UF and the Crimson Tide viewed by recruiting websites as the top contenders.
Orlando-based running back Cedrick Baxter (Rivals’ No. 118 prospect) previously listed UM in his top five. Connecticut-based four-star offensive tackle Olaus Alinen (Rivals’ No. 134 prospect) reportedly enjoyed his UM visit last weekend, but Alabama and Georgia and Ohio State are formidable competition.
That four-star, outside-the-top 100 group of realistic Canes targets also includes Miami Central four-star defensive end Rueben Bain, rated by Rivals as the No. 156 prospect in the 2023 class. Bain told Rivals that the Canes “are really showing that they want me.”
And that four-star group also includes New Jersey-based defensive tackle Sydir Mitchell and Oklahoma defensive end Bai Jobe, who planned to visit UM this weekend. Jobe is the No. 150 overall prospect in Rivals’ 2023 rankings, while Mitchell is the No. 15 defensive tackle.
UM’s other scheduled visitors this June 10-12 weekend, according to recruiting websites: three-star Connecticut-based tight end Jackson Carver (rated by Rivals as the No. 15 tight end in the country), Georgia-based center Connor Lew (Rivals’ No. 7 center) and Texas-based tight end Reid Mikeska.
Maryland-based interior offensive lineman Antonio Tripp, one of UM’s five 2023 non-binding commitments, also was expected to visit UM this weekend. And Orlando based three-star tight end Dylan Wade planned to take an unofficial visit, per Canesport.
Also notable: UM remains very much in play for three-star Milton, Florida-based quarterback Emory Williams. He wants to make a decision by the end of the month.
And Miami has offers out to several three-star prospects, including Miami Northwestern receiver Andy Jean, a previous UM commitment who is once again strongly considering the Canes.
THIS AND THAT
A couple thoughts from South Florida-based recruiting analyst Larry Blustein on UM’s 2023 targets:
“If they can flip [Miami Edison four-star receiver] Nathaniel Joseph from Clemson, that’s a marquee kid. From what I heard, [four-star receiver] Jalen Brown from Gulliver is leaning [Miami].
“If they can keep [Miami Central four-star defensive end] Rueben Bain and Alabama doesn’t come in and swoop him in, he’s like Leonard Taylor in that he’s an upper-tier kid. That’s how you move to the next level.
“Brown and Joseph would be guys they have a real good chance to get. Their concentration is working on upper tier kids; that’s what gets you to the next level.”
▪ Beyond the very top South Florida prospects in this recruiting cycle (such as Inniss), Blustein also remains bullish on Killian four-star linebacker Stanquan Clark — rated by Rivals as the No. 146 player in this class — and said he would help this UM class.
Clark plans to visit NC State this weekend and has said UM is in the mix for one of his four other official visits.
“He’s a massive playmaker,” Blustein said. “He was taught under Derrick Gibson at Killian to play safety. He reminds me of Sean Spence. I told that to [UM linebackers coach] Charlie Strong. He’s undersized but will fill up the tackle charts.”
Here’s Part 1 with a look at UM’s five nonbinding commitments and some of recruiting guru Larry Blustein’s thoughts.
This story was originally published June 10, 2022 at 4:17 PM.
