Hello again, recruiting fans.

Yesterday, we took a look at the numbers for Miami in the 2019 recruiting class. If you missed that piece, be sure you click the link below.

As of today, Miami has the #2 class in America for the 2019 class and the #1 class in the ACC, according to the 247sports composite rankings. This is VERY EARLY, but having a highly ranked class is always a good thing. But, don’t get married to or caught up in the number. If Miami gets the kind of players that they need, the ranking shouldn’t.

Now, it’s time we meet the players who have already committed to Mark Richt and the Hurricanes for 2019. And here we go: (quick sidenote, don’t obsess over the rankings, many of these players will get bumps in the near future)

4-star WR Breion Fuller (6’1” 170lbs), Doral (FL) Academy

A steady player with explosive ability, Brieon Fuller is the latest top-tier WR to commit to Miami. He has good height and length, and should fill out his frame a bit a he progresses. Fuller plays multiple WR positions (as you see in his highlight film), so he’s not a one-trick pony.

Whether in camps or games, Fuller is a tough cover for opposing defenses. Great get for the WR corps, which continues to evolve into the most talented position group on the Canes’ team.

3-star DT Denzel Daxon (6’3” 305lbs), Miami (FL) Norland

Daxon is a player who will surely see his ranking rise throughout the course of the 2019 recruiting cycle. Daxon has prototypical size for DT, and he should continue to get bigger and stronger through the course of his senior year.

The first thing that you notice about Daxon is his quickness. To be a big man and move that quickly is rare, which is a good thing. Also, Daxon displays good functional strength, and has all the tools to be a very good player at the collegiate level. This early eval seems similar to Miami’s early eval of Nesta Silvera, and I think it could pay off in a similar way for the Canes.

3-star OT/DT Renato Brown (6’5” 310lbs), West Palm Beach (FL) Palm Beach Central

Brown is yet another big body in this Canes recruiting class. He has the size to add weight and strength as he moves through his senior year and into college, and should end up being a 20+ offer player by the time this cycle closes.

The question with Brown is which side of the ball he’ll end up playing. Miami offered and accepted his commitment as a DT, but Brown has talked about wanting to play offense instead. Luckily, Brown is a high caliber athlete who could be a very good player on either line in the future. For now, just get him on campus and then work it out from there.

3-star OT Brandon Cunningham (6’5” 270lbs), Ocean Springs (MS) St. Martin

The only non-Florida player committed to Miami so far in this class, Cunningham is a big OT prospect with plenty of talent and potential. Ocean Springs isn’t a recruiting hotbed, but Cunningham has size and skill and that caught Miami’s attention.

Cunningham participated at Miami’s Paradise Camp last year, and offensive line coach Stacy Searels quickly pulled the trigger on an offer. Cunningham committed on the spot. Ole Miss has recently offered him, and other schools around the Southeast will likely follow suit.

3-star S Diamante Howard (6’2” 178lbs), Miami (FL) Southridge

A tall and thin athlete, Howard played the last couple of seasons with 2018 signees Mark Pope, Dee Wiggins, and Delone Scaife at Southridge. Howard has played LB the past couple of years, but will transition to S for his senior season and into the college level.

Howard is a cousin of the late Sean Taylor, and wears #26. He has height and length and a good pedigree. He will need to develop at S quickly, but given his athletic ability that shouldn’t be too tall a task. Howard is one of the longest tenured Canes commits, having given his pledge to The U back in September of 2016.

3-star RB Marcus Crowley (6’1” 200lbs), Jacksonville (FL) Trinity Christian Academy

Another good early get, and another player from Duval county that ace recruiter Todd Hartley locked down, Crowley is a player with good size and skill at RB. He, like so many others on this list, is sure to get a ratings bump before too much longer this cycle.

As the starting RB for TCA, Crowley had 1200 yards as a HS junior. He is a strong runner, with good instincts and great size. He’s a very good prospect for Miami to have as one of the 2 RBs they plan on taking in the 2019 class. Crowley is more quick than he is fast, but he has great instincts, balance, and power. Nice player. Surefire 4-star.

3-star DE Cameron Williams (6’5” 215lbs), Hollywood (FL) Chaminade-Madonna

First of all: great name. Beyond that, Williams is a player with a world of talent, and that’s a good thing for Miami. Previously committed to Florida, Williams recently flipped his commitment from the Gators to the Canes, so that’s a double win for Miami.

Like so many others on this list, Williams will undoubtedly get a ratings boost throughout this cycle. He recently dominated the Rivals Miami camp, and his athletic ability is elite. Williams has great height and length for DE, but could stand to add weight and strength as he continues to develop.

3-star TE Larry Hodges (6’1.5” 234lbs), Tampa (FL) Jesuit

A slightly underized TE, Hodges has the ability to move around the formation to make plays from multiple positions. He is similar to 2018 signee Brevin Jordan in that regard (although Jordan is 6’3”).

Hodges has great athleticism and skill, as evidenced by the 1-handed catch that’s the first play of his highlight film. Hodges is all over the place on his HL film. TE. H-Back. Slot WR. Outside WR. Running back. Wildcat. Traditional QB (and he dropped a DIME on that play). KICK RETURNER. He won’t be that kind of slash player at Miami, but he’s got the skills and athleticism to be a very nice addition to the Canes’ loaded skill position group.

3-star LB Jesiah Pierre (6’2” 220lbs), Mount Dora (FL) Christian Home and Bible School

You longest tenured 2019 commit — he committed to Miami in June of 2016 — Pierre is a player with great size and strength. Pierre could end up inside or outside at LB as he moves into the college ranks.

Pierre plays for a small school in Central Florida, and some have questioned whether or not Miami wants him in this class. Miami’s coaches visited Pierre’s area multiple times during the contact period, posting about the visits on social media. You don’t visit players you don’t want in the class, so it appears at this time that Miami is planning on Pierre being a member of the 2019 recruiting class.

3-star OL Kingsley Eguakun (6’3” 293lbs), Jacksonville (FL) Atlantic Coast

The last player on the list is the most recent commit for the Canes. Another Jacksonville-area player, so shoutout again to TE coach Todd Hartley for locking him down, Eguakun is a classic interior lineman prospect with size and strength. While some players may bounce around for a while to find their future home, Eguakun isn’t one of them. Put him at guard and let him grind.

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Now that you’ve met Miami’s talented and diverse group of early 2019 commits, who are the targets and names to know for the rest of the class? We’ll tackle that next week.

Have a great weekend. WAKANDA FOREVER!!

Go Canes