Miami Hurricanes Commitment Profile: DT Daylen Russell
For the Miami Hurricanes, one of the most talented recruits in the 2024 class has not been discussed all that much to date. He’s been listed as an edge defender to date and that’s always been an important position to recruit.
Even better, he’s probably going to end up playing a position that the Canes truly needed to hit hard in the 2024 recruiting class.
Daylen Russell
Size: 6-foot-3, 275 pounds
Position: Defensive Tackle
High School: Miami (Fla.) Christopher Columbus
Recruitment
Florida State, UCF, Nebraska, Louisville, and West Virginia were primary competitors for Russell prior to him committing to Miami. One of the top prospects in Dade County, it was good for Mario Cristobal and the Canes to lock up this recruitment early. Russell committed to the Hurricanes on May 27, 2023. Originally, it was believed he would play defensive end. That’s changed.
Frame
Based on seeing him play vs Tampa (Fla.) Jesuit last night, it was immediately obvious that Russell had changed his frame since last year. According to multiple members of the Columbus staff, Russell was roughly 245 pounds during the 2022 season. He’s now 275, per Russell’s own admission last night.
The added weight looked good on him, too. Some players just cannot hold over 250 pounds and play at a high level. Russell did just fine. He’s been benching around 350 and squatted over 500 pounds. Thus, Russell put in the work to add that mass.
Earned Respect
From communicating with numerous people around the Columbus program, Russell has been and continues to be a favorite for coaches and teammates. He’s earned respect for his personality and play. That’s a great sign for this young man’s future on and off the gridiron.
“He’s a great kid” was one unsolicited comment about Russell, just as an example.
Athleticism
While 275 pounds, Russell showed he could move sideline-to-sideline. There was a play where he was at left outside linebacker. The opposing quarterback rolled away from Russell and was headed for the sideline but Russell cut him off from the backside. That was a tremendous effort, first off.
Secondly, Russell displayed open-field speed. Not many players over 270 have shown that next gear to close in on a ball carrier. He also did a nice job in a similar category.
To tackle some of these shifty running backs and mobile quarterbacks from the modern spread era, the ability to stop and start has long since been a must. Russell did that several times while staying gap sound and keeping containment (he plays on the edge for Columbus, as a reminder).
He made multiple plays at or behind the line where it could have easily been a missed tackle. Russell knew how to break down and move with the ball carrier before bringing him down.
Football Savvy
To the point above, Russell was cautious about not going all-in and attempting to get knockout hits. His aim was to bring down the ball carrier. That was it. He did that when it was his time.
Russell also played smart football by not over pursuing. That’s a rare trait for a prep football player that’s shown as much talent as Russell. It’s probably also why the Columbus coaches have been high on his long-term potential for so long.
Position Flexibility
That prior point leads into what Russell will likely do at the college level. He’s smart enough to learn the playbook and take on the nuances of Power 5 defensive line play. He’s open-minded about it as well.
“Wherever they want to play me,” that’s what Russell said about his future position with the Canes. That would also help alleviate a scenario that’s been talked about quite often at All Hurricanes.
His frame looked like an interior defensive lineman. Considering Miami needed, at minimum, two defensive tackles in this recruiting class, he’s even more valuable than originally believed.
There’s also the commitment of Artavius Jones for the Canes. Combined, that’s two and a third would be great but not a definitive need. In short, unless the Canes land a true big-time interior defensive lineman to go along with Jones and Russell, the scholarship could be used elsewhere.
Impact Potential
Could Russell play early for Miami? Absolutely. The all-around skills were on display last night. He will have some learning to do as he moves inside, long-term. Based on how much Russell showed he could do last night, nobody should doubt him though. He’s one heck of a player and Miami found a gem right in its own backyard at Columbus.
Overall, Russell was one of the most impressive prospects to learn more about, regardless of state, position, or class.
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