Miami Recruiting Questions and Predictions: Canes Battling Gators and Noles, Final Recruiting Rankings, and More
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Time for a rundown on some Miami recruiting topics. This is my own opinion and it’s based on knowledge from talking to recruits, reading the tea leaves, and the momentum that Mario Cristobal and the Miami coaching staff built along the recruiting trail.
Here we go…
Should Miami worry about Saint Thomas Aquinas WR Chance Robinson Visiting Florida, something he announced Monday night via his social media?
Several points here. One, it’s never favorable when one of Miami’s commitments visits another school. That did not suddenly change. However, Robinson is a life-long Miami fan and those of us in the media knew he would likely take visits.
Will he sign with another school other than Miami? I believe that’s the bigger question, and quite frankly it’s unlikely Robinson flips. Robinson has been comfortable with the Canes for a long time. I’ve chatted with enough to know that and so do many other recruiting analysts.
Additionally, Florida will likely have a below .500 record this season. That’s going to make it hard for Billy Napier and his staff to flip Robinson and any other major targets. That's especially true with the passing game situation, even with talented quarterback DJ Lagway committed from Willis (Texas) High School.
A 2024 quarterback commitment to Florida, Lagway will not suddenly just resurrect the UF passing game as a true freshman. That's not realistic. That also brings up the bigger overall concern.
There’s also a big reason Robinson made his original pledge to become a Cane, too.
Mario Cristobal and his entire coaching staff have done a tremendous job of making Robinson and his family feel welcome. At the end of the day, Robinson should be expected to end up signing with Miami.
Can Miami Land a Top 5 Recruiting Class?
I say Yes.
More specifically and having been asked about where Miami stands, I firmly believe Miami ends up in the top five to seven schools in the country.
Take a look at the official visit list and start going through the names. It’s a tremendous prospect sheet that’s soon headed to Coral Gables. Further, Miami had numerous unofficial visits of late; top-notch prospects.
I know. There’s a long way to go until National Signing Day. I just like what I’m hearing from recruits and those in the recruiting world, as well as the facts about that recruiting visitors list.
Just how good a prospect is Miami commitment Dylan Day?
He’s a dude. I could care no less about his “unranked” 3-star status. That’s a low ranking by all the major recruiting services and there’s a reason why. Day has not been in front of recruiting analysts nearly as much as many other recruits that many of us that live in Georgia and Florida get to see.
He plays for Baton Rouge (La.) Southern Lab, a program that’s been no stranger to sending players to LSU and SEC programs for a long time. He’s still not down in an area that’s covered as much. That’s a major disadvantage for him and other recruits, quite frankly. Know the following about Day, however.
He’s gifted enough to play cornerback, safety or wide receiver for The U. Look for a full film breakdown sooner than later, too. His junior film was legit and it’s one that I have gone back to watch multiple times just because it’s entertaining.
Uncommitted recruit that has set an official visit to Miami and could make the biggest impact for the 2024 season?
That’s a tough question, but there could be a lot of different angles to tackle it.
If I could only take one, I’d go with edge rusher Dylan Stewart from Washington (D.C.) Friendship Collegiate Academy. His ability to bend off the edge after an incredible burst off the line was fun to watch over and over.
He’s conservatively one of the nation’s top 10 recruits. If Stewart signs with the Hurricanes, expect to see him in the opponent’s backfield quite often.
Will Miami or Florida State end up with the better recruiting class?
This one should be considered a slight edge to the Canes, but it's not a slam dunk. The Noles have been slowly building momentum with many players in states like Georgia and Alabama, in addition to already having 11 commitments in total.
As evidence of their recruiting prowess, elite tight end Landen Thomas recently flipped from Georgia to FSU. He’s from Moultrie (Ga.) Colquitt County, a town full of UGA fans. That was impressive for Mike Norvell and his staff.
There's also superstar running back and do-it-all recruit Kam Davis from Albany (Ga.) Dougherty that's stuck with FSU for two years as a pledge. He's a special talent and he confirmed on the phone to me that he's going to sign with the Noles. Great dude and one that should be respected anytime he takes to the gridiron.
Still, for FSU to surpass what Miami has done they will need to close strong – especially on the defensive side of the football – to overcome Miami’s recruiting efforts. There’s a long way to go. Maybe FSU gets that done but I would not bet on it.
In the end, I expect FSU to have a recruiting class that finishes being ranked No. 10 to 15 in the country. Give credit to FSU’s staff though. They’ve done a good job.
Miami Racking Up Impressive Official Visitor List
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Fan Nation High school football recruiting analyst covering the state of Florida, as well as across the Southeastern United States and the state of Texas.
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