Miami Commitment Profile: Cornerback Ryan Mack
The Miami Hurricanes picked up a legacy recruit with their most recent commitment on June 26.
This young man has been trained to play the difficult position of cornerback and will enter the Power 5 as a player that’s far more advanced than the majority of other prep recruits from the class of 2024.
Ryan Mack
Size: 5-foot-11, 170 pounds
Position: Cornerback
High School: Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) Saint Thomas Aquinas
Recruitment
Mack earned offers from Miami, Florida State, Penn State, Alabama, Ole Miss, Pittsburgh and many other programs. In the end, he selected Miami over Pittsburgh.
Frame
Lean and wiry, Mack has room for another 10 to 20 pounds, depending on how big he would prefer to end up.
Mack’s measurements fit the role of being a nickel cornerback quite well. While he could start his Miami career on the outside, playing nickel also makes sense while he gains more muscle via the Miami strength and conditioning program.
The Canes need players that can play nickel in each recruiting class, so Mack has a possible role there.
Athleticism
Changed direction well. Planted one foot and got up to top speed quickly. Most importantly for a cornerback, Mack showed he could change directions multiple times – within a short timeframe – and stay under control to make a play on the football.
Does not possess a lot of power with his hands to physically force a bigger wide receiver off his route during a jam at the line of scrimmage. That’s the one area he definitely needs to work on. He’s aggressive and will mix it up, however.
Cornerback Instincts
Crafty would be a good starting point for defining Mack. He’s especially adept at playing zone coverage. When needed, he would leave his responsibility and jump a route one zone over and pick off a pass or make a play on the ball. That’s instinct.
When the football was in the air, he also did a good job of being too aggressive with his hands and picking up needless pass interference penalties. His ability to stay consistent and not panic like many cornerbacks do enabled him to be effective.
Long-Term Projection
This one depends on what Mack and Miami want to do. Size can often be the key to being a top-notch outside cornerback. Mack has shown to be a technician, but he’s just not the long and rangy cornerback that some of the other players the Canes have recruited over the years.
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Therefore, at least for now, nickel cornerback makes the most sense. It takes a unique player like Mack to handle the mental side of that position. He will be fine in that category because of his intelligence and technique.
If Mack gains the strength and size to move to the perimeter and be a consistent starter, that would be a big bonus. He definitely has the work ethic to reach that point. Hard to find cornerbacks that already have his technique coming out of the prep ranks, too.
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