Emerging OL Ryan Rodriguez Exploring ACC Options and Beyond

The trenches were where most of the top action was last weekend at the Under Armour All-America Camp in south Florida and within that group, class of 2021 standout Ryan Rodriguez proved most consistent in the one day sample.

The Miami (Fla.) Columbus offensive lineman, who helped the Explorers to the Class 8A state championship in 2019, plays left tackle on Friday nights but will slide inside when looking ahead to the collegiate level. The 6-foot-3, 275-pound prospect worked mostly at center against a very good defensive line group and was named a top performer soon after.

The race for his commitment has since heated up. Tulane offered during the week and their defending national champion neighbors could be next.

"LSU is trying to get me up on campus when this corona chaos finishes," Rodriguez told SI All-American. "I’d be very interested in them."

Following the Friday announcement that recruiting is halted through April 15, prospects like the rising senior will focus on their own games instead of hitting the visit trail.

"I’m working out everyday with the O-line, and the other captain Jake Aguirre, at Tropical Park and Victory Performance, which is my trainers gym," he said. "Spring is right around the corner.

"We have big expectations at my school, we want to get to states again and repeat."

Rodriguez was slated to visit Louisville March 21 and Wake Forest March 28 before the COVID-19 parameters were put in place. He was to begin the process of narrowing things down between more than a dozen offers thereafter.

"Louisville, Coach (Frank) Ponce has been reaching out a lot," he said. "They have a good connection with me, I like what they have going on over there. They've been winning.

"And Wake Forest is great academics. I like the coaches over there, they're very straight up, they're not gonna mess around. I'd go there, get my grades right and play football and graduate with a good degree."

Miami offered the local standout in January and has been viewed as a strong contender ever since. Of course each side is plenty familiar with one another and the latest stop at Coral Gables wound up as the final unofficial visit before the new dead period went into effect.

"I just visited UM," Rodriguez said. "It was good, they look like this is the year they may actually come out and make a bang. (D'Eriq) King and the offense is very simple. King is forced to just make a decision and if he can make the right decision, make the right play, they can be very successful.

"They're letting athletes be athletes."

Should the south Florida native be right about The U, he envisions change in the success rate of in-state prospects electing to stay local.

"It doesn't just influence a decision by me, it influences all Florida recruits," he said. "They'd know Miami is back to where it should be and maybe everyone starts going back there instead of Florida.

"Once the winning happens, stuff changes."

At 6-foot-3, 275 pounds, Rodriguez may be a fit in the ACC or beyond at center or guard. The versatility and consistency create a strong floor for one of the top interior projections in the Sunshine State.

"I work every day at tackle, guard and center so I can get all of them down pat," he said.

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