As you’re well aware by now, we’re in peak Crootin’ season. I wrote earlier this week about where we are in general, and where we’re going, so you should definitely check that out:

Now, as far as today’s piece.....

WR Jeremiah Holloman picks Georgia over Miami, others

One of the top targets at WR, 4-star Jeremiah Holloman committed to Georgia on Thursday.

This cam just a day after Holloman and his family canceled an in-home visit with Mark Richt and Miami coaches. Miami was at or near the top of Holloman’s recruitment for a while — he had a reportedly amazing Official Visit back in October, and Canes commit ATH DeeJay Dallas played 7-on-7 ball with Holloman and was acting as a peer-level recruiter for the talented WR — but that obviously changed. The home school Georgia had been trending up HEAVILY in recent weeks, as evidenced by Holloman’s commitment.

Holloman’s mother was reportedly the deciding factor in this recruitment. She wanted her son close to home, and that’s why UGA won out. Mrs. Holloman went on to say that other schools recruiting her son “had a senior QB” and “ran the ball” often, and those were factors that impacted the decision as well. With Georgia QB Jacob Eason being entrenched as the starter for the next 2-3 years, it makes sense that a young WR would want to attach their career to his seemingly upward performance trajectory.

Plenty of Options Still on the Board for Miami

While losing Holloman to UGA isn’t a good thing, it isn’t a crippling loss. Miami has several top tier options still on the board at WR, so, depending on who they close with, the loss of Holloman can be overcome.

First off, Miami has 2 WRs committed: 3-stars Kevaughn Dingle and Evidence Njoku. Having a base of those 2 guys committed in the class gives Miami the freedom to look for a WR1 type in this class. WR1 is your typical “alpha dog”, top target, game breaker. Like Ahmmon Richards, for example. He was the WR1 guy in 2016’s recruiting class.

One of the top options at WR is 5-star Devonta Smith. An Amite, LA native has been heavily linked with Alabama, but was previously committed to Mark Richt when he was at Georgia so there’s a connection to Miami as well. He’s a smooth, smooth player and definitely fits the bill at WR1. See the highlights to judge for yourself.

Another top target at WR is 5-star Jerry Jeudy. A local player from Deerfield Beach, FL, Jeudy is currently committed to Alabama. He once played at Monarch HS with Calvin Ridley and Shawn Burgess-Becker, 2 highly ranked players the committed to Alabama previously. Jeudy would be the 3rd WR from SoFLA in recent years to pick Alabama for his collegiate destination, following the footsteps of the aforementioned Ridley and Amari Cooper (Miami Northwestern). In a bit of personal tragedy, Jeudy’s younger sister recently passed away. That may impact his decision, but that is yet to be seen.

As far as on-field talent, Jeudy has that in spades. See for yourself:

Moving on to other WR targets, Ft. Lauderdale (FL) St. Thomas Aquinas WR Mike Harley is a good option. The 5’9” speedster is a U.S. Army All-American and currently committed to West Virginia. But as I’ve written previously, I fully expect him to flip to Miami and end up in this class.

Los Angeles (CA) Cathedral 4-star Jamire Calvin doesn’t hold a Canes offer, but he may be looking to visit with his cousin and teammate DE Hunter Echols. Echols is currently committed to USC, but Miami may be looking to bring him in for an OV. Calvin is a U.S. Army All-American, but is very similar to Mike Harley in build, skill, and on-field play. For me, with all things being equal, stick with the local kid. Calvin may get a look as part of a potential package to get his cousin Echols, but I’d let that pass and stick with Mike Harley at this slot/return/speed spot in this class.

Miami will look to evaluate other prospects at WR to see if any may be a fit for the Canes. While that is the case, Smith, Jeudy, and Harley are unquestionably the top targets at WR as of today.

Staying Solid?

Missing out on Holloman now means that keeping both Dingle and Njoku solid is imperative. There has been talk that Miami has cooled on Carol City (FL) product Dingle, but it will be interesting to see what happens now that Holloman has picked Georgia.

Njoku is the brother of star TE David, and a New Jersey native. He is a player with a great combination of size and speed, and would be a nice addition to the WR corps. And, it would be an added bonus for both Evidence and David to be able to play together next year at Miami, should David decide to return to school.

Also, 4-star ATH DeeJay Dallas could see time on offense in college, but he profiles better on the defensive side to me. Still, I wanted to mention him as someone who could potentially play on offense, depending on how things shake out with others in this class.

Outlook

Miami has reportedly told recruits they’re looking to bring in “4 to 5” WRs in this class. With 2 (Dingle and Njoku) and a possible (Dallas) committed, that means Miami is looking to bring in 2 to 3 other WRs this cycle.

A perfect close would be getting everybody. I mean, duh.

A top-end, realistic close would be keep both Dingle and Njoku committed, get a commitment from one of Smith/Jeudy, flip Harley from WVU, and add another player, yet to be determined.

A low-end, realistic close would keep Dingle and Njoku, add Harley, and fill the group with another 3 star player yet to be determined.

A worst-case scenario close would be drop Dingle, Njoku flip elsewhere when brother David decides to go to the NFL draft, miss on Smith/Jeudy/Harley, and get scraps at WR this year.

Miami has plenty of positives to sell recruits, and the staff is working hard to get more talent onto this roster. Wide Receiver is a crucial position in this class due to lack of numbers, and with plenty of playing time available.

Miami has work to do still, but with a good close, they should be able to get a sufficient influx of talent at a position of need for 2017.

Go Canes