Recruiting Radar: Class Breakdown 1/13

With the Dead Period for recruiting now over, and coaches allowed to visit prospects face to face, it's time for another class breakdown. Without further ado, here we go:

Quarterback

Need: 1

Committed: 1 (Enrolled)

I've always believed that to have a functional program, you have to get a QB in every recruiting class. And, for Miami, we have a good one. Jack Allison, a 4-star recruit, has been committed to Miami since near the end of his sophomore year of high school. Not only that, but he's already enrolled at Miami.

Allison figures to be, at the very least, heavily involved in the QB competition for years to come. Some see him as the unquestioned QB of the Future for Miami. With him on campus, the Canes are done recruiting this position for this class.

Looking forward, 2017 QB commit 4-star N'Kosi Perry is a stud. He's a dual-threat dynamo with very good tools. He may end up looking around at other schools; Perry himself has said he wants to play in a spread system in college. With only 1 spot at this position per class, I expect Miami to look at other options just as Perry is doing.

Running Back

Need: 2

Committed: 1

Here is a spot where we've seen attrition since my last class breakdown. Richt and staff were clearly looking at going in a different direction, so former commit 3-star Jawon Hamilton decommitted about a week ago. He'll likely end up at UCF, a good fit for the speedy Hamilton to play in Scott Frost's spread system. But, no matter where he decides to go, it won't be Miami. So, onwards we go.

4-star RB Travis Homer is still fully committed, and will be in this class. He's a homerun hitter; the kid can score any time he touches the ball. So, on that front, Miami is good.

However, after taking 1 RB last year, Miami really needs to take 2 in this class. The dream would be to play one incoming player, and redshirt the other. But, the presumes Miami getting 2 guys to come in.

Miami is still making a run at 4-star Devwah Whaley, who was committed to Mark Richt and Georgia. Whaley recently committed to Arkansas, so that may be a tough pull. And, outside of Whaley, pickings are slim for available/viable RB targets. While the staff will probably make a late run to try and flip someone, this may end up as another year where Miami takes only 1 player at this position.

Wide Receiver

Need: 4+

Committed: 3

Okay. THIS is the position where the most movement will be seen. And, we've already seen some attrition at this spot, as 3-star Desmond Phillips decommitted shortly after the start of the Dead Period.

Of the 3 commits who are on the board currently (4-star Sam Bruce, 3-star Reginald Henderson, and 4-star Dionte Mullins), I only see Bruce and Mullins as viable options for this class. Bruce is exploring options but still committed to Miami, and Mullins has been all-UM from day 1. I fully expect that Miami drops Henderson (pulls his scholarship offer or tells him to seek shelter elsewhere much like they did with Hamilton and Phillips) in the near future.

Miami has several targets at this position visiting campus this weekend. Of this group, I expect 3-star Latrell Williams, a late rising player with good talent and SERIOUS speed, to commit to Miami in the coming days. On top of that, getting any of the other visitors (former commit 4-star Ahmmon Richards, UGA JUCO commit 4-star Javon Wims, or Michigan commit 4-star Nate Johnson) would be a bonus.

Other names on the board at WR are Auburn commit 4-star Eli Stove, who is scheduled to visit on January 29th, and Georgia commit 3-star Randrecous Davis, who is scheduled to visit on January 22nd.

So, in a perfect world, Miami would end up with 4-5 commits out of this group: Bruce, Mullins, Williams, Richards, Wims, Johnson, Stove, and Davis. And that's not even mentioning a couple other targets on the board. If Richt can close a 4-5 commit class out of the listed group, that's a major, MAJOR win for the Canes.

Tight End

Need: 1

Committed: 1

I'll keep this short: 3-star Michael Irvin II is committed at this spot. He's a less athletic version of David Njoku, so that will work.

Miami, however, is not done at this spot. 3-star TE Jovani Haskins will be visiting on January 22nd. He's more of a rugged blocker than Irvin II, so he may be able to find a spot in this class. Other than those players, Miami should very well be done at TE.

Offensive Line

Need: 2

Committed: 0

You saw the OL last year. Yes, there's talent on the roster, but there still needs to be additions to the OL group.

Miami is after 3-star Lucas Niang, a Connecticut native, who will visit on January 22nd. Several other OL targets have recently committed elsewhere. While Miami needs 2 OL in this class, much like RB, they may have to settle for 1.

Defensive Line

Need: 4+

Committed: 3 (1 enrolled)

4-star End Patrick Bethel has already enrolled at Miami. He's set in stone in this class. Fellow DE commit 4-star Joseph Jackson is, perhaps, the best player in this class that nobody is talking about. He'll visit campus this weekend, and that could go a long way towards making sure he ends up a Hurricane.

The other commit, 3-star DE Jaquwan Nelson, probably won't be in this class. Much like I said with Hamilton and Henderson earlier, I expect him to be dropped from this class. I really don't see any way he ends up as a Cane.

Miami has visits from 3-star DT Marcel Southall and high 3-star DE Jordan Woods on the books for the coming weeks. Additionally, they're chasing several (read: many) other 4-star DL recruits. Mark Richt, Manny Diaz, and Craig Kuligowski are going to need to work overtime to get more DL recruits to visit campus. Otherwise, Miami will likely end up with a smaller class at this crucial position than they'd like.

Linebacker

Need: 3

Committed: 3 (all enrolled)

All 3 LB recruits, 4-stars Zach McCloud, Michael Pinckney, and Shaq Quarterman, are early enrollees, and have already begun classes at Miami.

With all 3 on campus, and already on the roster, Miami is done recruiting at this spot, unless an uber elite national recruit wants in on this class at the last minute (which is highly unlikely, so don't get your hopes up).

In any event, I believe this is the best trio of LB recruits committed to any school in America for this cycle, so Miami is in a good place either way.

Defensive Back

Need: 4+

Commits: 4

This is another position where, you guessed it, there will be forthcoming attrition. Out of the 4 current commits, neither CB Deion Jackson nor James Wiggins, both 3-stars, will have a spot in this class. They'll be dropped shortly, if not already.

4-star CB Tyler Byrd. who some in recruiting circles believe is the #1 player currently committed to Miami, had a lights out performance in the Army All-American game, and looks like he could challenge for a starting spot in 2016. 3-star S Cedrick Wright had a 27 (!!!) tackle game this past year, and should develop into a nice player given time.

Miami is chasing many targets at DB, with new names popping up daily, it seems. 3-star S JJ Givens from Virginia will visit this week, and is said to be a lifelong Canes fan. He has good size at 6'2" and good talent. That could be a straight up swap with Jackson. 3-star DB Malek Young, an Army All-American, was committed to Georgia when Richt was the coach, and will visit Coral Gables on Jan. 22. He could (should?) be in this class, possibly by the end of his visit weekend. 4-star S Romeo Finley from Niceville will visit on January 29th. He has good size and nice skills and would definitely have a spot in this class.

And, while Givens, Young, and/or Finley would be great additions to this class, I have the feeling that Richt and company will continue to look for additional options in case one or more of those players decides to take their talents elsewhere.

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That's it for today.

I'm sure you have thoughts you want to share, so leave a comment below.

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