Miami Commitments and Prospects Shine at Future 50
In this story:
The Under Armour Future 50 came to Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy for a skills competition, one-on-one work, and seven-on-seven. The prospects were fantastic across the board. Among them, two recruits committed to the Miami Hurricanes, as well as recruits that head coach Mario Cristobal and his staff are attempting to sign.
Here’s a breakdown of what All Hurricanes witnessed, player by player, during the Future 50 event.
Miami Commitments
OL Francis Mauigoa: The offensive line MVP of the event for his work in one-on-ones, an award he’s grown used to in the Under Armour circuit, Mauigoa was the best-looking trench-man at the event. His 6-foot-5, 327-pound frame already looks good to go for Week 1 of his Miami freshman season.
He used leverage, power and hand usage to manhandle opposing rushers. Plus, his pass sets were cleaner technically than the last time we saw him at Under Armour’s Orlando camp in April. There’s a reason Mauigoa’s recruitment was heated. Based on the Future 50, he more than lived up to the recruiting hype.
TE Riley Williams: Williams made some tough catches throughout the camp, specifically in the seven-on-seven setting, where he scored a wheel-route touchdown and on a deep corner route during one-on-ones.
RELATED: 2023 Miami Commitment List and Prospect Profiles
His build will need to be reshaped this season at IMG Academy, and further developed upon his enrollment at Miami, to maximize his athleticism. Still, Williams is typically sure-handed and has a good feel for the tight end route tree, in addition to his physical skills. His ability to play well in tight quarters showed itself along the sidelines and in the middle of the field; he’s comfortable in traffic which is essential for a tight end. Williams’ best days are ahead of him at the college level.
Top Targets
DB Joenel Aguero: Aguero looks more like a college linebacker than a high school safety — and he mentioned now being 200 pounds – but is in fantastic shape considering his extremely muscular build. Aguero thrives as a downhill safety who can attack the run and underneath routes. He made a stellar outside pass-breakup in the red-zone during the 7-on-7 tournament.
Aguero will announce his college decision — which he has already made privately — on July 23. Showed good burst out of his breaks during drill work, one-on-ones and seven-on-seven.
Aguero looked most comfortable while playing team defense. He understands when to pass off a receiver and when to attack.
OL Olaus Alinen: Hulking frame highlighted by a broad base that helps him move well in one direction or with a combination of moves. He needs more time refining his pass sets, like the vast majority of young linemen. That comes with repetition. Within the finer workings of what he does well, Alinen’s powerful punch deterred multiple pass rushers even when he was not in ideal pass blocking position. Power is currently his best attribute.
That’s why he could be a candidate to play offensive guard or tackle for Miami. It’s just a matter of when he finds his college niche that determines how soon he makes an impact at the FBS level.
CB Cormani McClain: Just looking at McClain physically, one would think he’s a safety or wide receiver. Watching him move in space tells a different tale. His cat-like quickness was evident from the outset of drill work. He’s been an interception machine at the prep level, and watching him up close, rep after rep, displayed why.
When McClain is confident and just goes all-out to the football he’s as dynamic an overall playmaker as there is in America. Saturday was proof of that. Despite losing some early reps, McClain kept going and steadily improved as the day moved forward. He played his best football during the seven-on-seven portion of the event where his open-field speed helped him close the gap against several top receivers that originally had an edge against McClain.
CB Desmond Ricks: Even despite the class of 2024 prospect being a self-reported 6-foot-2 and 180 pounds, Ricks’ backpedal and pivot are as smooth as any defensive back in America. When charging the football, he can do it quickly no matter if it’s lateral pursuit, going backwards to forwards, or a combination of techniques to help him offset double moves from a receiver.
Finally, his makeup speed is elite. Even when he was beaten over the top, Ricks showed an open-field gear that’s unusual for a high school senior, let alone a player ready to begin his junior year. Combine all of that with a tremendous wingspan, and it’s easy to see why Ricks is in serious contention to be the No. 1 overall player in the class of 2024.
AllHurricanes.com is your home for all things Miami Hurricanes football, recruiting, basketball and other athletics, all the time. Follow along on social media at @AllHurricanes on Twitter and All Hurricanes on Facebook for round-the-clock news and analysis.