One Former Five-Star Recruit Who Is Finally Ready to Break Out for the Miami Hurricanes

The Miami Hurricanes' 2023 recruiting class left the team and NFL with gems.

Francis Mauigoa and Rueben Bain Jr. were first-round picks that changed the trajectory of the program, but once the 2023 recruiting class settled in, there was one player sandwiched between them in the rankings.

The Canes had the No. 8 class in the country and two five-star recruits. Leading the charge was Mauigoa; following was offensive tackle Samson "Pancake" Okunlola.

Dec 20, 2025; College Station, TX, USA; Miami Hurricanes offensive lineman Samson Okunlola (63) gets into position during the game between the Aggies and the Hurricanes at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The only difference between Mauigoa and Okunlola is injuries and the opportunities that have come along. Okunlola last saw the field last season, making an appearance in all 16 games, but as he enters his fourth season, the former five-star only has five starts.

It's a battle he has learned from, and it has also helped him rebuild after suffering all the injuries early in his Hurricanes career.

"It's been a tough process, but definitely a blessing," Okunlola said. "All the tough battles that I have faced have made me better. I feel better no matter what has been placed in front of me. I feel better than ever."

This season, he is expected to be a full-time starter, a spot he has waited, worked, and grinded for.

"Me adjusting to it is kind of doing similar things to what I did last year," Okunlola said. "Regardless of whether I am at Miami, I feel like I'm a starter, even when I wasn't. I prepared like a starter. The same thing that I was doing, putting the extra work in, and checking all the boxes."

Moreover, with his time in Miami, he has seen multiple quarterbacks operating in different ways. It has helped him grow into a complete player, but he also understands that his job remains the same no matter who is behind him.

"Different quarterbacks like different playstyles; some people sit in the pocket more, others move around here and there, but at the end of the day I am just blocking," Okunlola said. "At the end of the day, I have one person to block, or switch off blocks; it's all the same."

Now the new challenge starts with the offensive line gelling and growing together. It's a process that the 6-foot-6 redshirt junior has loved seeing.

"We are gelling very well," Okunlola said about the offensive line. "We are all close. We are definitely feeding off each other when it comes to mentality, and when we get on the field, just going down the line, it's a common trend."

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