Recruiting: Projecting the Miami Hurricanes 2021 Class after a Big Season

The hype machine is moving hard for the Canes right now. Multiple outlets are projecting Miami to the Orange Bowl for the second time in 4 years. The ESPN, Pro Football Focus, Sports Illustrated and many more are ultra high on new Quarterback Transfer D’eriq King and his potential in a Rhett Lashlee led offense. The defensive combination of Greg Rousseau and Quincy Roche are both projected first rounders at the most important defensive position in football. As a team, the Hurricanes are seen as a team on the rise and are expected to see a huge Sophomore Bump in Manny Diaz’s second season as El’ Jefe in Coral Gables.

Despite the annual preseason hype level always being high in South Florida, the above mentioned items are tangible, truthful and proven reasons to have high expectations for the coming Miami Hurricanes season.

I wrote previously about How Miami Hurricanes has done in South Florida over the past 6 seasons. The biggest take away from the piece was the following morsels of info:

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1. Miami’s recruiting is LARGELY dependent on winning. Following an 8 win or less season, occurring 4 times, Miami has only secured 7 of the top EIGHTY South Florida Recruits, for a paultry .09% commit rate.
2. But when Miami Wins? Following 9 win or more seasons, Miami has cleaned UP, snagging FIFTEEN of 40 possible South Florida recruits, a staggering 38% clip.
3. A consistent Miami team that could stay above 9 wins would quickly eclipse 60%, possible 70% blue chip ratios in 2-3 years and start cracking those Top 3 player lists each year.

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That’s MAJOR. A successful Miami squad is profusely better at recruiting, especially in the Florida and South Florida areas. Don’t forget that the offensive staff, after a 7 loss season, has ALREADY recruited solidly, notably on the offensive line and skill positions. A winning, top ten ranking season would explode the market for the coaches.

After the Canes won ten games, and hit the ACC Championship Game and the Orange Bowl during the 2017 season, Miami got 4 of SoFL top ten, 7 of the top 20, 7 of Florida’s top 30 and 20% of the top 50 in the state.

And thats after getting blown out by Clemson and losing a home game in the Orange Bowl.

So if every win nets a top 247 player (projecting 12 wins including bowl), a bowl win, nets two more, and a double digit win column nets a top 10 player, what would a class look like for Miami?

James Williams - ATH-S-DE - 6’5, 218 - Nat Rk, 10th, State of Miami Rk, 1st

James Williams came as advertised. A roller coaster to end all roller coasters. The 6’5 athlete was formerly committed to Miami, but decommited and has been chasing, consistent, winning programs ever since. His primary recruiter, Ephraim Banda has shown to be relentless (Avantae Williams) if nothing else. With a major winning season in hand, Banda could wrap up the recruitment in similar fashion to Avantae’s last season. This would be the first time Miami secured the top recruit in South Florida since securing the top two from 2012 in Duke Johnson and Tracy Howard.

Leonard Taylor DT - 6’4, 255 - Nat Rk, 27th - State of Miami Rk, 2nd

The biggest name of the Palmetto Five, Leonard Taylor is another recruitment that will go down to the wire. Miami has seen good signs from his camp recently, and a proving season could seal the deal for the country’s top DT, similar to snagging Nesta Silvera after the 2017 season.

Jake Garcia - QB - 6’3, 188 - Nat Rk, 33rd

Jake Garcia was the darling of Miami’s recruiting prior to the 2019 season. However, Dan Enos dropped the bag and Garcia committed to USC over the summer. Fast forward to last week and USC accepted a commitment from another high profile QB recruit in Miller Moss. Many believe if Garcia flips anywhere because of it, it would be to Rhett Lashlee and the U.

Dallas Turner - DE - 6’4, 235 - Nat Rk, 46th - State of Miami Rk, 5th

A season rife with domination from the defensive line, highlighted by the three headed defensive end monster of Rousseau, Roche and Jaelan Phillips is being projected nationally. When recruits see, again, the possibilities at defensive end in Manny Diaz’s system in a winning season, a player like Dallas Turner becomes very interested and very obtainable.

Tyreak Sapp - DT - 6’2.5, 255 - Nat Rk, 95th - State of Miami Rk, 7th

The St. Thomas Aquinas product was the talk of the town as a possible flip during last years Paradise Camp. This should tell you that Miami has a long standing relationship with the athlete and are surely still keeping tabs on the tackle. If Miami had smoke without a successful season, what could happen with one?

Romello Brinson - WR - 6’2, 180 - Nat Rk, 132nd - State of Miami Rk, 10th

The former Canes recruit is set to announce his commitment to the school of his choice on June 13th. There is ALOT of smoke coming in for Miami. If he does pull the trigger for UM next week, a successful season will go a long way to deter a second decommitment.

Jabari Ishmael - DE - 6’5, 210 - Nat Rk, 217th - State of Miami Rk, 14th

It is well documented that Ismael’s father is on Miami’s strength and conditioning staff, but that relationship doesn’t secure much if you follow recruiting in South Florida. What would go much farther? 11 wins and a bowl victory.

Kamren Kinchens - S - 5’11, 190 - Nat Rk, 298th - State of Miami Rk, 19th

The Miami Northwestern safety is another name connected to Miami. The hard nosed player fits the mold of what the Canes like at the position, and Miami fits the mold of how Kinchens likes to play. A fight between Auburn and Miami, this would be a lock for Miami.

Markevious Brown - CB - 6’0, 170 - Nat Rk, 282nd

I played with the idea of a Jason Marshall or an Isaiah Johnson here, but cornerback is the least projectable position for Miami recruiting. Mike Rumph’s pension for late commits serves him here as he uses the long standing relationship with Brown to swoop him in before National Signing Day.

Brashard Smith - WR - 5’8, 190 - Nat Rk, 350th - State of Miami Rk, 21st

Another Palmetto Five member, Smith recently left the Florida Gators 2021 class. He is receiving plenty of love from the Hurricanes staff and would be hard pressed to join the Canes class if things break the right way. Yulkeith Brown and Christian Leary could also be substituted here.

Current Commits

Laurence Seymore(OG), Jacolby George(WR), Thad Franklin(RB), Savion Collins(DT), Elijah Roberts(TE), Michael McGlaughlin(OT), Ryan Rodriguez(C), Tyler Johnson(LB), Ja’Corey Hammett(DE), Khalil Brantley(TE), Tim Burns Jr.(CB), Allan Haye(DT), Deshawn Troutman(LB), Malik Curtis(CB) and Andres Borregales(K).

This groups numbers would turnout as such:

• 5 of South Florida Top Ten (50%)
• 12 of South Florida Top 20 (60%)
• 13 of Florida Top 50 (26%)
• The State’s Number One Player
• 4 Players in their positions Top 3

Give me all of this, please!

Since 2016 every winner of the Orange Bowl other than Wisconsin finished no worse than 9th in recruiting, 3 of which finished in the top 5. Stack those chips together and a few possible upgrades and the Canes hit that mark.

Winning is the back bone of recruiting. Florida is the hot bed of recruiting. If Miami does former, they can set the recruiting world on fire.