2024 Wish List: Miami Hurricanes Recruiting Edition
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Miami Hurricane recruiting absolutely hit the motherload this early signing period... and holiday season. Any time a program gets a signature it's worked to get ever since the offer went out, it's a early Christmas present.
Miami signed two five stars in offensive linemen Francis Mauigoa and Samson Okunlola, with one more still looming in cornerback commit Cormani McClain. Miami also signed 13 four-stars (ranked by the On3 Composite).
As for the 2024 cycle, Miami has plenty of options at a lot of positions. However, they find themselves in good standing with some of the nation's best prospects. Here are ten Christmas list recruits the Canes should wish for in 2023.
DL David Stone
The defensive line and wide receiver are two of the biggest positions that Miami failed to sign an instant-impact type of player out of high school, but they can make up for it in 2024. Miami found themselves in the top 10 of five-star IMG Academy (Fla.) defensive lineman David Stone earlier this week.
The Del City (Okla.) native has many similar traits to current Miami defensive lineman Leonard Taylor, including size. Stone stands 6-foot-4 270 pounds. Stone would be a home-run signing if the Hurricanes could get him on board, but it will be no easy task.
The Canes have had good luck signing out of IMG Academy lately, but schools like Alabama, Oklahoma and Michigan State are heavy favorites for his services.
WR Joshisa "JoJo" Trader
There are only two words to describe how Miami should be viewing Joshisa Trader: must-get. Trader is a top-tier wide receiver that sits right in Miami's backyard at Chaminade-Madonna Prep and formerly played for Miami Central. However, a once strong pipeline at Chaminade has shifted into a pipeline that BIG 10 and SEC schools are developing a stranglehold on.
Currently, Ohio State holds a commitment from Trader's teammate and another five-star wideout at Chaminade, Jeremiah Smith. There's a good chance that the two are a package deal. With that being the case, Miami needs to continue to apply the full-court press on both Trader and Smith.
Trader caught 47 passes for 743 yards and seven touchdowns in his first year at Chaminade.
WR Jeremiah Smith (Ohio State commit)
Five-star Chaminade-Madonna Prep (Fla.) wide receiver Jeremiah Smith is the second-best recruit in the nation according to the On3 composite. He, like 2023 recruit Brandon Inniss, will be extremely hard to pull from his Ohio State commitment.
Ohio State has the best current track record of sending receivers to the NFL, which is largely the biggest reason top high school receivers keep flooding to Columbus. Jeremiah Smith is a game-wrecker on the offensive end of the ball and is almost guaranteed to come down with 50/50 balls. He's extremely quick and will certainly add strength to his frame once he hits a college weight room
The electric wideout caught 58 passes for 1073 yards his junior year, averaging 18.5 yards per catch. He also snagged 20 touchdowns on the year. Smith has day-one starting potential, no matter how loaded a wide receiver room may be.
Edge TJ Capers
Columbus (Fla.) linebacker TJ Capers is much like 2023 linebacker signee Malik Bryant. Capers is a do it all linebacker that has primarily played outside and on the edge, but he's got experience at the mike linebacker spot. It's hard to project where he will play on defense, but Miami is all in on him for the next cycle.
The five-star linebacker recently released a final five consisting of Louisville, Georgia, Colorado, Miami and USC. Capers would be the icing on the cake for Miami as they've landed a strong group of young linebackers over the last two classes and he would be the crown-jewel linebacker for 2024.
It's also worth noting that Capers attends head coach Mario Cristobal's high school alma-mater. Capers' recruitment will be a tough one to win for any of his five schools, but Cristobal is not going to concede that battle in the slightest.
QB Prentiss "Air" Noland
Miami has dipped into the state of Georgia quite a bit recently for some top talent at the quarterback position and it seems like the Canes have zeroed in on a gunslinger from the Peach State. Langston Hughes (Ga.) four-star quarterback Prentiss "Air" Noland has become a top quarterback on Miami's board and for good reason.
Noland sits tied for second in Georgia high school football history with 55 touchdown passes. That number now sits atop records that were looked at as "legendary" in Georgia high school football and Noland can pride himself on being one of the best in the State's history.
Noland is being recruited by mostly out-of-state schools, which leads to the belief that he's heading out of Georgia. Mississippi State, Texas A&M, Arkansas, Miami and most notably, Auburn, are all teams vying for his signature just under a year away.
ATH KingJoseph Edwards
Buford (Ga.) five-star athlete KingJoseph Edwards has been one of the most vocal recruits in the 2024 class. The kid wants to be recruited, and he often speaks with fans on social media. Edwards, at this point, seems to actually enjoy the recruiting process more than dislike it.
He's always showing love to other teams, including the Hurricanes. Edwards has plans to release his top schools tomorrow, on New Year's Day. It would be a surprise if the Canes aren't in it, but one can guess that Tennessee, Arkansas, Georgia, Alabama and South Carolina are teams that could make the list.
Edwards could be at his best on the edge, but his athleticism and ball skills at receiver and tight end make him one of the better jumbo athletes in the class of 2024.
S/LB Zaquon Patterson
There's no other way to put it: Chaminade-Madonna Prep (Fla.) is absolutely loaded with talent in 2024. So far, two offensive players from the squad have made the list and now four-star hybrid defender Zaquon Patterson joins as well.
Patterson is a physical safety that doesn't know how to play at less than 100%. He runs through ball carriers and could wind up playing linebacker at the Division I level. He rotates from strong and free safety, but he's also often found inside the box for the Lions.
Patterson is one of the most versatile safeties in the 2024 class and he carries power when he tackles. Miami, Auburn, Michigan and Florida State are only a few of many schools in the mix early for his commitment.
CB Ellis Robinson IV
IMG Academy (Fla.) five-star cornerback Ellis Robinson IV recently released a top 5 consisting of Alabama, Colorado, Georgia, LSU and Miami. Robinson is one of, if not the nation's top cornerback in the 2024 cycle and Miami is in the midst of his recruitment.
It will be no easy task to reel in Robinson from three SEC schools and the idea of playing Power Five football with Deion Sanders at Colorado. However, Miami, contrary to their history of recruiting top cornerbacks, currently has the nation's top 2023 cornerback committed in McClain and are waiting on his eventual signature.
Miami is ready more than before for the gritty battles with the recruiting blue-bloods such as Alabama, Georgia and LSU. Especially considering Miami has begun to reenergize a pipeline from IMG Academy.
EDGE Booker Pickett
If Miami fans were aware of 2023 signee Rueben Bain's ability to get sacks, look no further than Wharton (Fla.) four-star Edge Booker Pickett. Pickett has a lean frame with plenty of room to gain weight and become a game-wrecker off the edge.
Pickett is extremely raw, which seemingly sounds crazy to say considering he totaled 30 sacks in 2022. His technique, as most high school defenders will need to be developed further, but he's about as true of a speed-rusher there is.
Pickett can shift gears extremely fast, going from contain to tracking down opposing ball carriers in the run game. South Carolina, Miami and Florida State are early names to watch in Pickett's recruitment.
OL Jimothy Lewis
IMG Academy (Fla.) four-star interior offensive lineman Jimothy Lewis is one of the nation's top athletes at his position in the 2024 cycle. Lewis played aside 2023 signees Francis Mauigoa and Antonio Tripp this past season.
Considering Miami signed two of his teammates, that should give the Canes an inside track to landing his commitment. However, as always, top offensive linemen are a rarity and he'll have all the top schools pursuing him.
Ole Miss, Florida State, Georgia, Mississippi State and Miami are some schools to know early in his recruitment.
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