Quarterback Luke Nickel Becomes First 2025 Miami Commitment
With several top 2025 quarterback recruits now already committed (more on that trend in another article today), it was great for the Miami Hurricanes to earn a pledge from Luke Nickel. Miami had already secured 19 verbal commitments from the class of 2024, and Nickel was the first for the class of 2025.
It was not an ordinary commitment either. Quarterback coach and offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson snagged a talented signal caller that was coveted by several college football programs.
The 6-foot-2 and 205-pound passer had earned offers from Florida State, Ole Miss, Penn State, Cincinnati, Wisconsin, Indiana, UCF, North Carolina, Virginia Tech, Michigan State (his brother Jack Nickel plays tight end there), Nebraska, Louisville, Duke, West Virginia and Minnesota, among others, in addition to Miami.
Based on his sophomore film, Nickel was part pocket passer as well as backyard football player. Think of former NFL legend Brett Favre as a player he’d compare with.
He displayed the mobility to also execute the run-pass option game quite well, Nickel possessed a physical style of play last season that saw him take on contact, á la an old-school football player like Favre, and he displayed a deft touch during deep shots.
The all-around skillset was impressive for such a young quarterback. Another valuable point about Nickel’s style of play that’s primary to winning football 50 years ago or today. The Milton signal caller would also sit in the pocket and wait for a play to develop before making his selection; he didn’t just panic when the first option was taken from him. That’s when his passing skills came into play.
Nickel’s deft touch, down the field, was impressive. Sometimes he lofted a pass over the defender where only his intended target would be able to haul in the football (level three ball) sometimes Nickel threw a line drive to fit the pass into a tight window (level one ball), and occasionally he'd use just a bit of trajectory that also possessed zip (level two ball). Those points were important because it showed his recognition. Plus, that situational awareness was even more important based on the following.
As a mere sophomore, Nickel had earned the right to be the starting quarterback for Milton (Ga.) High School. It’s one of the top prep programs in the Peach State. The Eagles have gone 42-11 during the past four seasons while playing some of the toughest competition in the South. It’s a 7A program that took on top teams inside of Georgia, as well as Tennessee and Missouri, last season alone.
It's one thing to make good decisions against moderate competition, and quite another to do it versus the talented squads Milton often took on.
Once he’s reached the University of Miami, Nickel will have been as battle tested as just about any signal caller the Canes could have landed. For Miami, Nickel’s decision to play his football for the Orange and Green was a great way to kickoff the 2025 recruiting class.
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