Recruiting Radar: Class Breakdown

Tomorrow is the day college football recruiting fans have been waiting for.

National Signing Day 2016.

I mean, what more is there to say? Let's get into the class breakdown

Quarterback

Need: 1

Committed: 1 (enrolled)

One recruiting axiom I wholeheartedly believe is that you have to have a quarterback in every class. Miami, it seems, believes that too, and got a good one at this spot in 2016.

Running Back

Need: 1+

Committed: 1

4-star RB Travis Homer is the only commit at this position. UM coaches are reportedly coming to a place where they feel comfortable with Homer as the only RB in this class. Obviously, the returning depth on the roster at this position (Gus Edwards, Joseph Yearby, Mark Walton, and Trayone Gray) is cause for  comfort.

Looking ahead, however, Miami will need to bring in multiple RBs in 2017. Richt has previously been able to bring in dual RB classes of Todd Gurley and Richard Marshall in 2012 AND Nick Chubb and Sony Michel in 2014 at Georgia. Those are all 4-star or better recruits, 2 each in those classes. Reasonable to project a similar type haul for Miami at this position in 2017, when it will be needed.

Wide Receiver

Need: 4+

Committed: 3

Top rated commit Sam Bruce reaffirmed his commitment to Miami this week, spurning a late charge from Ohio State. Speedster Latrell Williams is committed, but Miami is in a tight battle with Tennessee for his NLI. Dionte Mullins has been solid since the moment he committed, and that hasn't changed.

The top target on the board at WR is 4-star Ahmmon Richards. The one-time Miami commit has a final 3 of Alabama, Auburn, and Miami. Several recruiting writers have said as recently as today that they feel like Richards recommitting to Miami is going to happen. We'll see if those statements are proven true.

4-star WR Tyler Simmons, an Alabama commit, visited Miami last weekend. He's a supremely talented player and would be a great addition to this class. As far as Miami is concerned, he's a far 2nd on the list behind Ahmmon Richards as a target. Simmons is said to be deciding between Alabama and Georgia, with Miami on the outside.

3-star WR Randrecous Davis recently decommitted from Georgia, citing a lack of communication with the new staff. He's reportedly down to Miami and South Carolina. And, for the 3rd week in a row, I'm STILL shocked he hasn't committed to Miami yet. But, now, with Sam Bruce's recommitment, there may not be a spot for Davis, as his skills in the slot are redundant to Bruce's, but not as explosive. I'm expecting South Carolina as Davis' pick.

3-star Dredrick Snelson has Miami in his final list of schools. But, to be honest, I'm not sure he's a take for Miami at this point, regardless of how the Canes close with other players at this position.

Other players that have been mentioned in this group previously such as Javon Wims, Nate Johnson, and Kelvin Harmon, elected to commit to Georgia, Michigan, and NC State, respectively.

Tight End

Need: 1

Committed: 2

Legacy recruit Michael Irvin II has been committed to Miami for quite a while. He projects as an H-Back type at the collegiate level.

After going through most of the latter part of this cycle as a WVU lean, 3-star Jovani Haskins committed to Miami last week. Haskins, a high school QB, is an athletic player who could be a matchup problem in the passing game in future years.

While neither player figures to impact the team this year due to the wealth of upperclassman depth and talent ahead of them, Irvin II and Haskins should be able to develop into solid performers for the Canes in years to come. Miami is now done recruiting at this position.

Offensive Line

Need: 1

Committed: 1

Miami was looking for a developmental OT prospect for this class and found their man when 3-star Tre Johnson committed to the Canes on Monday.

At 6'8" 285, Johnson has the size few possess at the OL position. And, with 10 players returning in front of him, Johnson will be able to take a redshirt year to continue to develop physically and technically before competing for game action.

With this commitment, absent a miracle flip from a top notch OL talent, Miami is done at this position in this class.

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.

Miami was able to add a DT to this group when 3-star Tyreic Martin committed to the Canes on Monday. He's a talented player who was recruited by Coach Kool when he was at Mizzou, and also courted by Will Muschamp at South Carolina. Martin needs time to develop, sure, but being recruited by Kool and Muschamp as a defensive lineman is high praise if ever I've seen it.

Miami has other targets still on the board along the DL. 3-star DT Marcel Southall and 4-star DT Kobe Jones look to be the remaining players on the board for Miami. Neither one seems to be strongly considering a commitment to Miami, unfortunately. I'd be surprised if Miami lands either player, let alone both.

With that being the case, it's likely that the trio of Bethel, Jackson, and Martin will be the DL class in 2016 for Miami.

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+

Committed: 3

Miami has commitments from 3-star S Cedrick Wright, 3-star CB Malek Young, and 4-star CB Tyler Byrd. Wright and Young are 100% solid to Miami. Byrd, though, is another story.

UPDATE: Matt Porter of the Palm Beach Post is reporting that Jeff James, nephew of Canes legend Edgerrin James, is committed and will be a member of this recruiting class. James previously announced his commitment to Miami after an official visit, but it was unclear until now if Miami had accepted it. After Porter's report, we'll operate on the assumption that the younger James will, in fact, be part of this recruiting class.

If you've been reading this, or any, recruiting coverage on this site or elsewhere, you know that Tennessee has made a late push to flip Tyler Byrd's commitment away from Miami. Armed with former UM coach Larry Scott (Byrd's lead recruiter when he worked for The U) and RB commit Carlin Fils-Aime (basically Byrd's brother as the 2 have lived together since 8th grade), Tennessee has put the full court press on the uber-talented Byrd. Even with that being the case, I predicted Byrd would stick with Miami in the end, and I'm staying with that. Byrd should make an announcement on Twitter sometime between now and NSD, so we'll know this result soon.

As for the targets, there are plenty. 4-star S Romeo Finley has a final 3 of Clemson, Georgia Tech, and Miami. All 3 are tied and could be Finley's landing spot. He's set to announce a commitment at 7pm tonight via twitter.

Fellow 4-star CB Shyheim Carter has Alabama and Miami among the teams at the top of his recruitment at the moment. Most, including myself, are expecting Alabama as the pick.

3-star CB Christopher "CJ" McWilliams, a Florida commit, is a player that Miami has tried to flip after getting engaged in his recruitment late.

3-star CB Henry Miller, a Pittsburgh commit, is reportedly 50-50 between Pitt and Miami. He's set to announce on National Signing Day.

3-star S James Pierre, a one-time Miami commit and current UNC commit, has popped back up on the radar for Miami. He's reportedly said there's a "good chance" for Miami to flip him from his UNC commitment, so this could be a NSD surprise.

--------------------------------------------------

And that, my friends and fellow Canes, is the end of the Class Breakdown series for 2016. We'll revisit the class, give grades, and plenty more once all is said and done on National Signing Day 2016.

You have thoughts and feelings. You should join the conversation in the comments section below. There's PLENTY to talk about, for sure.

Go Canes