In case you haven’t been around SOTU for a while, you may have missed some recruiting pieces. We have 2 new contributors (Blain Bradley and Shane Kinnee — he’s also contributing over at Hustle Belt) who are adding great, GREAT stuff for recruiting, and you should definitely check their stuff out. Really top notch.

As for little old me? I’m still here. And I’m bringing back one of your favorite pieces: the Recruiting Mailbag. You ask questions, I give answers. Simple, really. Let’s get to it.

Answer: This question is referencing 3-star WR Mike Harley, a West Virginia commit. The standout speedster plays for St. Thomas Aquinas in Ft. Lauderdale, FL, one of the most prolific HS programs in the country.

To this point, Miami has not offered Harley a scholarship. But, he’s high on the list. Harley dominated camps all over the country this summer, and had a very good showing at Paradise Camp in July. He’s on record saying that he will take an official visit to Miami, and an offer could very well happen. There’s multiple moving parts in recruiting, obviously, but this is a name to know.

Answer: That’s what has been reported recently, so that seems to be the current lay of the land. HOWEVER, with Alabama and Miami in the running, I find it hard to believe that DJ Durkin and Co. have that big of a lead for McFarland. And, even if they do have the lead over Bama and Miami, it’s not by much. All 3 teams will be involved in this recruitment until the end.

Answer: This kind of gets at the “do you think Miami will have a top 5 class in 2017?” question. Short answer: No.

Here’s why: recruiting top guys, your 4-stars and higher, takes time. Not a day. Not a week. Not a month. Usually years. So, even with a strong on-field season this year, Miami would be hard pressed to make moves with multiple top guys.

The other thing: if you’re going to “drop” a kid — tell a committed 3-star player to kick rocks and go somewhere else — you better be DAMN CERTAIN you have that 4-star coming in. Not a chance, not maybe, 100% sure. The fickle nature of HS kids makes this very hard to gauge, especially considering the short recruiting time I previously mentioned.

I think that Miami will have a strong season, and will see gains in recruiting because of it. I just don’t think that wholesale changes in the current commitment group — 20 players who by and large fit the mold for what a Miami Hurricane should be — is on the horizon.

Answer: #WellActually, Miami has already dipped into the Lone Star State: TE commit Brian Polendey plays at Denton Guyer HS.

I think that Texas will be a State to which Miami looks intermittently for talent — The Canes were involved with WRs Tyrell Shavers and Camron Buckley earlier this cycle before they committed elsewhere. I wouldn’t expect Miami to be after too many Texans on the recruiting trail, but they won’t ignore the State of Texas, by any means.

Answer: Can it happen? Yes. Do I think it’s going to happen? No.

Answer: Robert Burns and Anthony McFarland, about whom I previously spoke.

Answer: I think you mean Devonta Smith, the 5-star WR from Amite, LA. It’s been widely reported that he’s pretty much a lock to commit to Alabama at his announcement ceremony, which is scheduled for Monday afternoon. Anything other than that commitment would be a shock.

That’s it for this installment of the Recruiting Mailbag.

Stay classy, my friends.

Go Canes!