Five Questions: Miami's 2024 Offensive Recruits
In this story:
Miami's 2024 recruiting class has an excellent blend of offensive recruits. How they perform short-term and long-term can be viewed from different perspectives. Here are five questions that help Canes fans learn more about this big-time offensive recruiting haul.
1) Which Miami offensive recruit plays a significant role when the Canes travel to play Florida on Aug. 31, 2024?
Elija Lofton is the do-it-all recruit listed as a tight end. He's not just a tight end though. Lofton is an H-back, fullback, tight end, and big wide receiver all in one. Coming from Las Vegas (Nev.) Bishop Gormon, Lofton is well-schooled on blocking, catching, and making plays after the football is in his hands.
Miami needs more versatility with its tight end room, and Lofton will provide options for offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson to go with different formations and not subbing out a player. Lofton could provide a strategic edge, especially if Miami goes no-huddle because he can move to multiple spots while the opposing defense tries to quickly run subs on the field or plays without the right personnel.
2) Can any 2024 Canes recruit eventually start at some point during the 2024 season?
It's possible. Miami has more depth than it did in 2023 so that task will not be easy, regardless of position. Maybe Jordan Lyle does if Mark Fletcher, Jr. is banged up. Fletcher seems like the probable starter moving forward but running backs rarely go through an entire season healthy.
Lyle's all-around skills, including the ability to block, could aid him to quickly see the field. He's strong enough to handle the pounding of running the football between the tackles, too.
If there is a need for more running back depth, Chris Wheatley-Humphrey is a player who could help in the backfield and the passing game as well. Doubtful he's a starter, but he's so explosive he could be a part of a freshmen tandem that sees playing time.
3) Which Miami recruit needs a year before making an impact in 2025?
Markel Bell is the easy pick because he's been to junior college and already possesses more experience than the other UM recruits. If Miami did not possess incumbents at left and right tackle, Bell could be a starter this fall.
For a massive man, Bell's ability to pass protect stands out. The 6-foot-8 and 335-pound Bell is not much fun for defensive linemen when he's run blocking either.
As a possible second choice, do not sleep on future center Nino Francavilla. He's as physical as one could hope to see and Francavilla will likely be competing for the center job from recent Indiana Transfer Portal addition Zach Carpenter, the expected 2024 starter for the Canes.
4) Will any of Miami's freshmen be impact players within the return game?
If you do not know much about Ny Carr from Moultrie (Ga.) Colquitt County, it's a good time to start. He's as explosive a wide receiver as there is in the 2024 recruiting class.
Miami Hurricanes National Signing Day Profile: Wide Receiver Ny Carr
Carr's ability to stop and start makes defenders miss one after another. It could be Carr on the kick return unit with soon-to-be UM sophomore Nathaniel "Ray Ray" Joseph. That would be an electric combination.
5) Miami recruit that surprisingly does not receive enough attention?
That's former Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) Saint Thomas Aquinas wide receiver Chance Robinson. He committed to the Canes on April 14, 2023. There's not been as much discussion about him being an impact player, at least not that much lately, and that's unfortunate because he's a playmaker who takes his craft seriously. Robinson will be ready to contribute in Year 1.
Teams like Ohio State, Florida, Penn State, Ole Miss, and many others came after Robinson because he was a big-time talent. His deep speed and suddenness will provide opportunities for him to play and catch passes in 2024.
Ironically, the other Miami recruit that a person could place into that category would be wide receiver Joshisa Trader. The Miami (Fla.) Chaminade-Madonna playmaker made his Miami commitment public on July 13, 2023. Out of sight and out of mind?
Robinson and Trader will play and make an impact in 2023.
Engage with AllHurricanes
Like AllHurricanes on Facebook
Interact with AllHurricanes on Twitter
Recruiting Pages To Bookmark
2023 Miami Commitments and Evaluations
2024 Miami Commitments and Evaluations
Fan Nation High school football recruiting analyst covering the state of Florida, as well as across the Southeastern United States and the state of Texas.
Follow fbscout_florida