Miami Recruiting Trends: 2023 and 2024 OL Signees and Commits
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Article photo of Tommy Kinsler; photo credit to Brian Smith
Now that the Hurricanes have landed seven offensive line recruits from the classes of 2023 and 2024 combined.
Let’s take a look at how that impacts Miami this upcoming season through the future, via a few key questions and thoughts. First, the actual players and where they ranked via the recruiting services.
2023 Offensive Line Class
Rankings in order of national, position, and state.
Francis Mauigoa, 6-5, 325, Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy
On3
: 19, 3, and 4
247
: 6, 2, and 2
Rivals
: 17, 2 and 7
ESPN
: 6, 1, and 1
Samson Okunlola, 6-5, 325, Brockton (Mass.) Thayer Academy
On3
: 62, 6, and 3
247
: 20, 4, 1
Rivals
: 28, 4, and 1
ESPN
: 21, 1, and 1
Antonio Tripp, Jr., IOL, 6-3, 300, Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy
On3
: Unranked, 87, and 20
247
: Unranked, 21 and 64
Rivals
: Unranked across the board
ESPN
: Unranked, 14, and 70
Tommy Kinsler, OL, 6-6, 330, Ocala (Fla.) Trinity Catholic
On3
: Unranked, 76, and 153
247
: Unranked, 35, and 81
Rivals
: Unranked, 23, and 76
ESPN
: Unranked, 83, and 141
Frankie Tinilau, 6-5, 315, Miami (Fla.) La Salle
On3
: Unranked, 54, and 113
247
: Unranked, 72, and 140
Rivals
: Unranked across the board
ESPN
: Unranked, 70, and 120
2023 Miami Offensive Line Commitments
Deryc Plazz, OL, 6-5, 280, Jacksonville (Fla.) Mandarin
On3
: Unranked, 92, and 157
247
: Unranked, 73, and 113
Rivals
: Unranked, 56, and 90
ESPN
: Unranked, 39, and 95
Juan Minaya, OL, 6-6, 330, Paramus (N.J.) Paramus Catholic
On3
: Unranked, 102, and 34
247
: Unranked, 101, and 29
Rivals
: Unranked, 69, and 14
ESPN
: Unranked, unranked, and 16
1) Which 2023 Miami offensive line recruits could play this fall?
This is the one that most Canes fans often bring up on Twitter and various forms of social media, and it's really exciting. The obvious answers, based on the data above, would lead one to believe Mauigoa and Okunlola. That’s fair as both were absolutely tremendous players during their prep careers and also project well to the college level.
However, the start of this conversation should be about building a unit for 2023. Should Miami fans expect one, or possibly both, of these young men to play this fall?
Yes, all signs pointed to that during spring practices and the spring game itself. There’s still more to it than that.
As noted in today’s Countdown to Canes Football list with Zion Nelson, he’s been on track to play again. What if Nelson goes down and/or another starting offensive lineman goes down though?
It’s not like the Miami program has loads of offensive line depth. Well, at least not proven depth. If that happens, it’s not out of the question that Kinsler could also play because he’s such a tremendous athlete. Do not sleep on Kinsler in that regard because he has a tremendous amount of talent.
Additionally, he's capable as a guard or tackle. Anyone that’s seen him workout and play live several times, it’s easy to understand why his offer list was vast.
Tripp and Tinilau might need a redshirt year to play, like the majority of offensive linemen do. They both have the frames to one day start for the Canes as well.
Overall, the 2023 Miami recruiting class was a great start to rebuilding the program, and the offensive line was the backbone of that class.
2) Does the 2023 offensive line class have balance?
Yes, positionally, several of the five players can move between guard and tackle. Most feel Tripp will eventually be the center. The number of combinations that one could come up with from left tackle all the way across to right tackle, it was encouraging on National Signing Day and continues to be.
Do not be surprised if at some point Mauigoa and/or Okunlola both play along the interior and at tackle during their UM careers. They have both shown to be talented enough that it’s more a matter of what Miami offensive line coach Alex Mirabal needs in the lineup as opposed to what they could play.
Same deal with Kinsler. Hard to find a player with his flexibility and explosiveness. Tinilau could eventually play tackle as well, but might be better as a mauler along the interior. Tripp’s frame leads one to believe he will stick to the interior during his time at UM.
3) Can the Hurricanes eventually compete, straight up, with Alabama and Georgia, with this level of offensive line recruiting?
Absolutely.
From this entire list of questions, this one is the most important answer. To be competitive with Bama and UGA, one must be able to impose one’s will on the opponent, and be able to consistently gain success.
That’s running the football obviously, but it’s also about the ability to run various play-action passing plays off those run-action movements from the offensive line and selling it 100% to allow players like Robby Washington to sprint down the field and catch a 75-yard touchdown pass.
4) How do the 2024 Miami offensive line commitments fit into the equation?
Hard not to like the athleticism of Minaya and Plazz. Again, like with the 2023 class, these two were selected as much for their athleticism as their size. One or both of them could play guard or tackle. Mirabal will figure out where all these guys fit in best once in Coral Gables.
Should Canes fans be excited about these? No doubt about it they should!
5) What’s next for Miami offensive line recruiting?
Miami will likely finish with three offensive line recruits for the 2024 class. In 2025, it will be four more than likely. The denominator for what each prospect brings?
Movement skills. Players that move in space well, in addition to being physical at the point of attack, like Kinsler or Mauigoa or Okunlola, that’s what the Canes likely want for the future of the offense.
Offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson’s offense concepts will adapt to the talent, and Miami’s short passing game should flourish with all the speedy slot receivers. Expect to see these big fellas getting out on the edges and being a part of some short throws that lead to long gains and touchdowns.
Yes, there will still be plenty of beef up front help the Hurricanes moving forward, too. Miami will want to smash teams in the red zone. That’s not going to change much under Mario Cristobal and Mirabal.
Overall, Miami has already begun to turn the corner up front. That’s imperative to win big and get the Canes back to being in the hunt for the College Football Playoff.
No matter the skill talent signed, on either side of the football, Miami needed to hit a home run with the 2023 offensive line recruiting class. Mission accomplished. Already adding two more talented offensive line recruits to the 2024 recruiting class kept the Canes on track for even more future success in the win-loss column.
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