Miami Using Current Momentum to Build Strong Favorites in the 2027 Class
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Despite playing in the Cotton Bowl this New Year's Eve against Ohio State, the Miami Hurricanes haven't slowed down on the recruiting trail, especially when it comes to five-star offensive lineman Mark Matthews of St. Thomas Aquinas in Ft. Lauderdale.
Thomas is billed as the No. 2 overall player in the country and the nation's best offensive lineman, according to Rivals.com, and recently had an industry prediction logged that has him at a 94 percent chance of landing with the Hurricanes out of high school. Matthews is also the No. 1-ranked prospect in all of Florida.
In addition to Matthews, Miami is also predicted to land one of the country's top edge rushers in David Jacobs of Blessed Trinity Catholic High School in Roswell, Georgia. Although his hometown Georgia Bulldogs have made an offer, Jacobs is also heavily predicted to be one of the first marquee members of Miami's next signing class.
Rivals ranks Jacobs as the second-best edge rusher in the country at the prep level, and at 6-foot-6, projects as the prototypical long edge rusher that can cause problems for quarterbacks at the next level.
With a pair of stud edge rushers already on the roster, Miami has proven that it can both develop and retain its top talent at the position, as junior defensive end Reuben Bain Jr. is tracking to be a top pick in this year's NFL draft.
With both Matthews and Jacobs appearing to be the highlights of the class thus far, more work is to be done, but after the U finished the 2026 high school recruiting class off with a bang notching yet another top-10 recruiting class, the future looks bright in the prep school ranks for the U.
Who Else is Miami Targeting?
Miami is still making headway with top-25 wide out Nick Lennear, a true hometown player who preps for Northwestern High School in Miami. At just 6-feet tall, Lennear bills as the typical South Florida speedster who can move around throughout the slot.
A composite four-star athlete, Lennear's senior season should see him emerge as the type of perimeter weapon that the Miami offense likes to see in the likes of Malachi Toney and others.
The U will still have its fair share of recruiting battles to win, though, such as the case with four-star defensive lineman Jamar Thompson of West Boca Raton High School. at 6-foot-3 and 305 pounds, Thompson is one of the most college-ready prospects in the country from a physical standpoint. However, Alabama is squarely in the mix for him, and is expected to make a big push come his senior season.
With the 2026 class full of potential stars, Miami will now attempt to reload with the 2027 cycle officially in full swing.
