Laurence Seymore, Who Committed to UM in Ninth Grade, Anchors the Canes’ Top 10-Rated 2021 Recruiting Class
Offensive line has been a great concern for Miami for several years. The Hurricanes ranked 129th in the country in third down offense and 127th in the country in sacks allowed last season.
The most logical way to resolve this issue is bringing in top talent. But South Florida isn’t regarded as an offensive line hotbed, and Miami has frequently missed landing the few elite offensive line recruits the area has produced.
That trend could change in the next few years.
Laurence Seymore, the four-star guard out of Miami Central, was the first commitment in Miami’s 2021 class that is now ranked top 10 in the nation by 24/7 Sports and ESPN.
Seymore (6-2, 320) impressed Canes coaches at a camp. Seymore was an eight-grader yet he was dominating high school players. Not long after that showing, on March 31, 2018, Seymore, known as “Big Baby,” committed to his dream school.
Seymore, unlike recruits such as defensive end/tight end Chamon Metayer of North Miami, defensive lineman Anthony Hundley of Miami Booker T. Washington, linebacker Ja’Corey Hammett of Miami Northwestern and wide receiver Fred Eaford of Deerfield Beach, has stayed committed because it allows him to stay home and play in front of family and friends.
However, the dream of playing with the iconic “U” on the side of his helmet nearly vanished about a month ago.
On July 24, Seymore and his younger brother, Lamar, a wide receiver also from Miami Central who is a 2023 UM commitment, were driving along a busy street when an incoming car, a Kia sedan, hit the Seymore’s Toyota Camry head-on. The brothers escaped with minor injuries, partly because both airbags deployed.
“She lost control of her car and came over the median and swerved and hit me head-on,” Laurence said. “The car was totaled and the airbag hit my face so I was a little bruised. It was a scary sight, I could have lost everything.”
Laurence Seymore (6-2, 320) could become the seventh four-star offensive lineman on Miami’s roster next season. He’d join Cleveland Reed, D.J. Scaife, Jalen Rivers, Kai-Leon Herbert, Navaughn Donaldson, and Issiah Walker to form what could be considered a blue-chip front.
Laurence Seymore, a four-year starter at Central, maintains tight relationships with most of his potential UM offensive line teammates, Donaldson, in particular, and is doing his best to recruit more talent for the class.
“We talked after I got in the accident,” Laurence Seymore said. “(Donaldson) reached out to me. I stay in close contact with all of them because we are trying to build something at Miami.”
Laurence Seymore and running back Amari Daniels, his three-star teammate at Central, have been playing together since youth football. Laurence Seymore is part of the reason Daniels transferred to Central from Miami Jackson in 2019 for his junior season. Central won the 2019 6A state title behind a record-breaking rushing performance in the title game with 498 team rushing yards. Daniels rushed for 190 yards on 16 carries and four touchdowns.
Daniels, a 2021 prospect, could be the next major talent to commit to Miami. The Canes are primarily battling Georgia and Texas A&M.
“Me and ’Mari (Amari) have been playing since little league and we have good chemistry with each other,” Laurence Seymore said. “There’s nothing better than playing with someone you've been playing with for that long. We definitely have a bond and I’m telling him to stay home.”
Laurence Seymore would also love to play with center/guard Jeron Scharoun, a senior teammate on the Central offensive line.
“Jeron Scharoun is the player I want to play with the most,” Laurence Seymore said. “Hopefully, Miami takes a look at him. I think he’s a dog like me and can help us.”
Since Seymore’s commitment, the Canes have had three different offensive line coaches in Stacy Searles, Butch Barry and now Garin Justice, but the constant revolving door of coaches has not changed his intentions to play at Hard Rock Stadium for his home games.
Miami is implementing the spread offense under new offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee, whose SMU offense averaged 41.8 points per game in 2019 and ranked seventh nationally.
“That’s the same offense we run, a fast-paced offense,” Laurence Seymore said of his system at Central. “I’m excited to play in that offense. I’m just here to play football. As long as you’re a good coach, I’m going to rock with you.”
Interestingly, Miami’s 2021 recruiting class surged since the COVID-19 pandemic escalated in the spring.
Since that time the Hurricanes acquired two five-star recruits – safety James Williams of Plantation (Fl.) American Heritage and defensive lineman Leonard Taylor of Miami Palmetto – to help headline the class.
The Canes have acquired four four-star recruits – wide receiver Romello Brinson of Miami Northwestern, wide receiver Jacolby George of Plantation (Fl.), defensive lineman Jabari Ishmael of Miami Columbus and safety Kamren Kinchens of Miami Northwestern – to add to the top-level talent.
And Miami has added three three-star recruits – wide receiver Brashard Smith of Miami Palmetto, offensive lineman Ryan Rodriguez of Miami Columbus and defensive lineman Allan Haye of Hollywood (Fl.) Chaminade-Madonna.
As an added bonus, Williams, Brinson, and George were all former de-commits the Canes got back in the fold.
Coach Manny Diaz, tight ends coach Stephen Field, who recruited Laurence Seymore, and Justice maintain contact with Laurence Seymore on a daily basis.
“Now everybody sees what Miami can be,” he said, “and with everyone seeing that we have talent down here that can be something special.
“But everybody’s got their mind of their own. There’s never been a moment when I thought about de-committing. There’s always love at Miami from coach Field, coach Justice and coach Diaz.”
Georgia, Florida and Florida State are still believed to be actively recruiting Laurence Seymore but he said he’s remaining committed to ‘The U.’
Former high school teammate Maurice Smith, now at Florida State, is among those trying to change Laurence Seymore’s mind but “Big Baby” isn’t budging.
“I’m locked with my Miami,” he said. “I don’t think I’m really going anywhere. They believed in me early.”
