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Miami Palmetto High has an absolutely stacked senior class for this upcoming season. The Canes will be looking to land at least one of their top players for this recruiting class. Manny Diaz and his staff have made it a point to go after local talent in the South Florida recruiting hotbed. Here are the five players from Palmetto who can make or break Miami’s class.
DT Leonard Taylor
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Taylor is in the upper echelon of recruits In the 2021 recruiting cycle. 247 Sports has him as the third best defensive tackle and the 27th ranked overall prospect in the nation. He recorded 11 sacks, 26 tackles for loss, and 2019 for the Panthers
The 6-foot-4, 255-pound prospect recently put Miami in his Top 5 along with Florida, Tennessee, Auburn, and LSU Taylor had put out a previous Top 5 without Georgia, but adjusted it to put Miami in. He has been spotted on social media repping Miami gear since updating his list. It’s safe to say Coach Banda and Coach Stroud have made strides in his recruitment.
Taylor has been trending in Florida’s favor for a while now. If Miami were to have a successful season and win, say ten games, I feel like there could be a realistic chance of Taylor heading to Coral Gables.
He is an elite talent with the potential to have an immediate impact right away wherever he goes. Taylor looks like he is one of the best defensive line prospects to come out of South Florida in years.
CB Jason Marshall
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Marshall is one of the nation’s premier prospects. The five-star prospect is a top five cornerback prospect in the 2021 recruiting cycle. 247 Sports pegs Marshall as a top 30 overall prospect nationally and the No. 6 overall prospect in the state of Florida.
As it stands, Jason Marshall doesn’t have the Canes in his top three. Marshall is deciding between Florida, Clemson, and Alabama. Miami is a long shot to land the cornerback, but anything could happen from now to signing day. Just look at what happened with Avantae Williams in the 2020 class. The 6-2, 180 lb. prospect might consider Miami if D’Eriq King were to lead Miami to success this year.
DT Savion Collins
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Collins is a player who’s been committed to Miami since the beginning of his sophomore year. Recruiting insiders currently have Florida as the leaders to get him despite his commitment.
Collins is a four-star prospect per Rivals and 247 Sports. 247 Sports has him as the No. 15 DT in his class and the 242nd overall player in his class.
Collins said in an interview with the Miami Herald that the Canes’ early offer when he wasn’t getting looks from major schools is important to him.
S Corey Collier Jr
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The top safety in Miami-Dade for this class is Corey Collier Jr. Collier is the son of A former Seminole, Corey Collier. Last month, Collier put out his final 6 schools. Miami made the list, along with his father’s alma mater, Florida, Georgia, and LSU.
He is a four-star prospect according to 247 Sports, who ranked him as the No. 3 safety in the 2021 recruiting class and the No. 83 overall player.
The 6-2, 170 lb DB was a Miami Herald All Dade 8A-6A first-team selection. He intercepted 4 passes, collected 54 tackles (4 TFFL) and broke up 13 passes.
Slot Brashard Smith
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Brashard Smith is one of Dade County’s most versatile and underrated prospects. The three-star WR/APB has Miami as one of his final 5 options.
Smith was committed to Florida until de-committing early in May. He is the No. 2 all-purpose-back in the nation and the No. 52 overall prospect in the state of Florida. He is 5-foot-9 and 190-pounds.
Last season he totaled 36 receptions for 628 receiving yards (17.4 yards per catch) and 13 touchdowns as a junior for the Panthers. He was selected to the 2019 Miami Herald All-Dade first-team last season. Smith would be a welcome addition to Rhett Lashlee’s fast-paced spread offense.
Conclusion
Miami’s 11th ranked 2021 recruiting class currently holds 15 players. Out of those 15 recruits, 12 go to school in Miami-Dade or Broward. Manny Diaz and his staff have prioritized making sure local kids stay to “Make the Crib Great”. Landing one or more of these Palmetto recruits would be a monumental step in the right direction for the Canes. It has been reported that these players are in no way a package deal. The player I can most see coming to Coral Gables is Brashard Smith.