I’ve told you secret visits happen all the time in recruiting. And, for the Miami Hurricanes, one such visit paid off when Sumter (SC) 2-star OL Zion Nelson flipped his commitment from Appalachian State to The U on Thursday.

Nelson was a secret/under-the-radar/unlisted visitor last weekend, and that visit led directly to the commitment of the South Carolinian to Miami.

A tall and lean player at 6’6” 245lbs according to the above-linked article, Nelson has the height and length you look for in an OL. But, he desperately needs to add both size and strength to compete at this level moving forward.

Obviously, the allure of Miami, a National Brand and P5 school, was intriguing to Nelson. “That was one of the major reasons I switched,” Nelson said in the linked interview with The Item. Additionally, with Appalachian State HC Scott Satterfield moving on to Louisville and taking many staff members with him, the lack of continuity in Boone, NC played a role in Nelson’s flip, as well.

As far as Miami is concerned, Nelson is a developmental tackle prospect. He’s likely 2 or even 3 years away from being a contributor here, but he has height and length, and performed well as a HS senior. According to the The Item article, Nelson graded out a 84 percent as a blocker and had 33 knockdown blocks for Sumter, which went 11-1 on the season.

Nelson is the 2nd OL commit in Miami’s 2019 class. He joins Loganville (GA) Grayson 3-star C Jakai Clark at this position in this class.

For a look at Nelson as a player, check out the HUDL highlights below.

Welcome to the U, Zion!