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Recruiting Radar: Weekend Preview 2/24

A couple events are on the horizon that recruiting fans should pay attention to.

Citadel v Georgia Southern
Potential Grad Transfer CB Dee Delaney (#4 in white on right) will be among several visitors to Coral Gables this weekend.
Photo by Todd Bennett/GettyImages

What you thought recruiting stopped?

Never. If you don’t know the motto, you’re gonna learn it now:

A.B.C. - Always. Be. Crootin’

For the Miami, the 2018 recruiting cycle is fully underway, with the Canes currently having the consensus #3 class in America. With 11 players committed — headlined by 5-star RB Lorenzo Lingard and 4-star DBs Gilbert Frierson and Josh Jobe — Miami has a wealth of momentum, which they look to continue into the weekend.

Here’s what’s on tap:

Saturday - Official and unofficial visits

Miami hosted a huge Junior Day last weekend, which drew rave reviews and netted commitments from Carol City (FL) teammates S Randy Russell and RB Camron Davis.

This weekend, Miami will host some players, but not nearly as many as last week. The visitors this weekend are invite-only players who weren’t able to make it to Junior Day last weekend, and a couple official visitors. I know that last part has you confused, so let’s start there.

Official Visitors

Miami is hosting 2 players on Official Visits. These players are both potential graduate transfers who would play their 5th year at Miami, with immediate eligibility.

RB Tyshon Dye

This former Clemson Tigers RB has been on the radar for Miami as a grad transfer since he announced he was leaving Clemson. A former 4-star recruit from Elberton, GA, Tye played sparingly for Clemson in the past 2 seasons. With star RB Wayne Gallmon and a host of others, the Tigers’ backfield was a bit too crowded, and that’s led Dye to look for greener pastures.

According to his profile on Clemson’s official Athletics website, Dye rushed for 351 yards and five touchdowns on 76 carries in 157 snaps over 17 career games.

After losing Joseph Yearby to the NFL Draft, and Gus Edwards to an announced (but yet to be requested) transfer, Miami only has 4 scholarship RBs heading into 2017 — Mark Walton, Travis Homer, Trayone Gray and Robert Burns. For a team at this level, that’s a bit too thin at a key position. Adding a player of Dye’s caliber would be a big bonus for Miami, and the Canes look to seal the deal this weekend.

Here are Dye’s HS highlights, which show the kind of talent he has


CB Dee Delaney

This is one that has gone under the radar, because Miami has tried to keep it on the low according to a 247sports report. But, this visit was previously reported by CanesInSight owner Peter Ariz, so this has been out there, in one form or another, for about a week.

While Delaney may not be a household name, he’s a top end player. This FCS All-American played for The Citadel and had the chance to go to the NFL draft. Reports are that Delaney was told a year at a high-level FBS team might help his draft stock, and that is what has led him to consider Miami.

A first team FCS All-American in 2016, Delaney has both the size (6’1” 194lbs) and skill (8 passes broken up; conference-leading 6 interceptions; 1st team All-American) to be an impact player at the University of Miami.

Miami is looking to bolster the depth and talent at CB after losing Corn Elder and Adrian Colbert from the 2016 team, and missing out on several recruits down the home stretch of the 2017 recruiting cycle. Already having added JUCO CB Jhavonte Dean via National Letter of Intent, the group would be further fortified with the addition of Delaney.

Here are some partial highlights of Delaney’s 2016 season:


Unofficial Visitors

While Miami is hosting Delaney and Dye to try and bolster the 2017 class and team, the Canes will host several HS recruits from the 2018 and further classes. Again, these are largely targets who, for one reason or another, were unable to attend last week’s Junior Day.

Expected to be on hand this Saturday for unofficial visits are:

5-star RB Lorenzo Lingard (Canes commit)

3-star DT Nesta Silvera (Canes commit; American Heritage)

4-star CB Tyson Campbell (top target; American Heritage; Silvera’s teammate)

4-star QB Artur Sitkowski (Top target; IMG Academy)

4-star WR Brian Hightower (priority target; IMG Academy)

4-star WR Joshua Moore (very good player but unknown how strong the connection to Miami is; IMG Academy)

4-star OG Cleveland Reed (Lakeland HS; Florida leads but Reed giving Florida’s big 3 a fair look)

4-star TE Will Mallory (Thin but will grow into impressive frame; Jacksonville Providence)

4-star LB David Reese (brother Stewart plays OL at Mississippi State; Plays S in HS but already 210lb and figures to transition to OLB soon. Been on my radar since 2015 Opening Regional)

4-star/5-star S Avante Williams (2020 recruit; Miami commit; cousin of Lorenzo Lingard)

UPDATE: more visitors

Per Andrew Ivins of 247sports, Miami commits Randy Russell and Gilbert Frierson will also be on hand in Coral Gables this weekend

Miami could secure a commitment from Sitkowski, whose connection to Miami has seemingly increased in recent weeks. The Canes also look to make a big impression on Campbell and Hightower, two of their highest targeted players. Obviously, positive movement with all the visiting players would be great, but those 3 — and continuing to solidify the commitments of Lingard, Silvera, and Williams — are the priority in my mind.

Sunday: Nike’s The Opening Miami Regional

One of my favorite recruiting events of the year, Nike’s The Opening Miami Regional is back in town on Sunday. This event will have combine/athletic testing, individual and position drills, 1 on 1’s, and some 7v7 time as well.

Held this year at the Miami Dolphins training facility in Davie, FL, many top recruits from South Florida and around the Southeast will be on hand, looking to earn an invite to The Opening, Nike’s premier recruiting event held in July in Beaverton, OR.

Just last week, our SOTU contributor Kev Robins was at The Opening’s Orlando Regional, and you can read his observations here:

With many top SoFLA players having made the trip to the Orlando Regional due to conflicts with a 7v7 tournament in Las Vegas, I’m interested to see who the top players at this week’s Miami Regional will be, and what the talk by the player is relative to the Hurricanes.

Last year at the Miami Regional, there was a bit of buzz for Miami, but not too much. I hope that there’s more talk of Miami at this locally hosted event, and if the trend that SBNation Recruiting Editor Bud Elliott noticed in Orlando (embedded below) will continue to be the case, as well.


So, that’s what’s on deck in this recruiting weekend for Miami. As per usual, 0.5 is my Over/Under number for commits. Argue away.

What are YOU most looking forward to this recruiting weekend? Let me know in the comments below.

Go Canes