Welcome to the third 2019 edition of the column I like to call “The Freshman 15”. If you’re a first time reader, this will be a focus on the rankings and the order of the top 15 uncommitted (to Miami) recruits the coaching staff is pursuing. At this time, players without offers will not be considered for the board.
The order will be based mainly on:
From last month’s board, UM landed commitments from #12 S Keontra Smith and #14 LB Avery Huff. Miami’s priorities continue to be in the trenches and at DB, as well as trying to secure their QB in this class.
1. Evan Neal, OT/OG, Bradenton, FL (IMG Academy) (Last Month: 1)
Ht 6-7 | Wt 375 | 247 Composite: 4-Star, #41 Overall
Behind The Ranking: Neal is the prototypical top player on this board, thanks to his combination of talent, Miami’s need on the line, and the fact that he has family ties to the program. At 6’7” 375 pounds, I just call him “The Wall”. Neal has gone up against numerous top defensive linemen at various events and they were all hopelessly outmatched against him. He’s too big to get around and can overwhelm power rushers that try and go through him, while he is also quick enough to stone speed rushers.
In The Mix: In his most recent chat with us, Neal named Miami, FSU, Oklahoma, and Georgia as some schools chasing him hard.
Latest: Neal has been quiet lately and nothing has really changed with him in the past month. He took an unofficial visit to Miami for Junior Day in March and furthered his bond with the coaches. Neal also visited UF the very next week with the rest of his IMG team, as well as making a trip to FSU. Neal is the nephew of Miami great Cleveland Gary, was a born Hurricane, and has visited UM multiple times in the past year. He seems like a Miami lean right now, and our sources continue to feel strong on him ending up at Miami, despite him wanting to do his due diligence and take a lot of visits. While another team could always make a big push in the coming months, if he had to sign today, Miami would be the choice.
2. Michael Johnson Jr., QB, Eugene, Oregon (Sheldon) (Last Month: 2)
Ht 6-4 | Wt 190 | 247 Composite: 4-Star, #199 Overall
Behind The Ranking: Point blank, QB is the most important position in every class and the coaches have identified Johnson Jr. as their top target at gun-slinger. A true dual-threat, Johnson Jr. is electric on the ground by any usage of the word and can leave any defender in the dust. Through the air, he possesses a live arm that can make any throw on the field.
In The Mix: Johnson Jr.’s top 8 is Miami, FSU, Texas A&M, Arizona State, Penn State, Nebraska, LSU, and NC State.
Latest: Jon Richt recently flew across the country to visit Johnson Jr. for the second time in the last few months and the younger Richt has made quite an impression on the talented Oregon product. The most shocking development here is that presumed leader Oregon has taken themselves out of the race for Johnson Jr., whose dad is on the Ducks’ staff, after deciding to take a commitment from QB Cale Millen instead. UM feels like the new leader here right now thanks to Johnson Jr.’s long-standing relationship with the Richts, but the school that is really starting to build momentum is Nebraska. Johnson Jr. is a perfect fit in new head coach Scott Frost’s offense, so this process will come down to fit vs. relationships for Johnson Jr.
3. Mark-Antony Richards, RB/DB, West Palm Beach, FL (Wellington) (Last Month: 3)
Ht 6-1 | Wt 190 | 247 Composite: 4-Star, #79 Overall
Behind The Ranking: Running back, safety, receiver, quarterback, kicker, don’t matter. The book on Richards is simple: get him on the roster, figure out his position later. He’s that good. His speed and football instincts will play anywhere, and he loves offense, but Richards looks like an impact safety to me.
In The Mix: Miami, Auburn, Florida, Alabama, Ohio State, and others are making Richards think.
Latest: While the general belief is that Richards prefers offense, Miami has always seen Richards more on defense, but the Canes are actually starting to shift away from safety and are starting to see him more at corner. Richards is trying to play his recruitment very openly and make sure he takes a hard look at all his options before coming to a decision. Coaches from all of Richards’ favorites (Miami, Auburn, Florida, Alabama, Ohio State) came to Wellington to watch him practice this month and the Canes will have a battle on their hands to be sure before he decides in December at the earliest.
4. Tyrique Stevenson, CB/S, Miami, FL (Miami Southridge) (Last Month: 6)
Ht 6-2 | Wt 185 | 247 Composite: 4-Star, #68 Overall
Behind The Ranking: Stevenson just smothers receivers in the passing game and has that rare ability to take half the field away from an opposing offense. The South Dade star runs well for his size and features elite closing speed, while also showing potential as a rangy safety prospect.
In The Mix: Miami, Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, UF, and others are all fighting for Stevenson’s signature.
Latest: UM has put the full-court press on Stevenson lately, sending coach Ephraim Banda and a host of Hurricane players out to Southridge’s spring game to watch Stevenson play last week. The Canes are in good standing for Stevenson and he has been on campus about a million times at Miami, so the visits aren’t what it’s about anymore. It’s going to come down to how receptive Stevenson is to other schools, and he’s also made multiple visits to UGA, including one two weeks back. Bama, Auburn, and UF are also pushing for Stevenson, but a decision won’t come until September at the earliest.
5. Khris Bogle, DE, Fort Lauderdale, FL (Cardinal Gibbons) (Last Month: 4)
Ht 6-4 | Wt 210 | 247 Composite: 4-Star, #74 Overall
Behind The Ranking: Bogle makes his living in the opponent backfield and it’s tough for offensive linemen to square up on him with his speed off the edge. While he needs to add weight for the next level, Bogle’s first step is devastating and he has the potential to be a dynamic pass rusher for whichever team lands his services.
In The Mix: Here I go - Miami, FSU, Florida, Clemson, Alabama, LSU, Tennessee, Oregon, USC, Oklahoma, Penn State, Ohio State, Texas A&M, and Georgia (whew) make up Bogle’s Final Four…teen.
Latest: The Canes remain in a good place with Bogle, who is planning on taking his recruitment until the very end in February. While some thought other in-state schools like FSU or Florida would be the biggest hurdle for Miami to overcome, we’re hearing it is actually Tennessee that is the program that has made a real move with Bogle and will challenge UM. Bogle is coming off an official to Rocky Top and had huge praise for the program. Bogle also recently visited Miami and UF in the past few weeks unofficially. The gameplan has always been the same with Bogle: stay in his ear for as much as possible to survive and outlast the other contenders.
6. Braylen Ingraham, DT, Fort Lauderdale, FL (St. Thomas Aquinas) (Last Month: 10)
Ht 6-4 | Wt 260 | 247 Composite: 4-Star, #230 Overall
Behind The Ranking: Ingraham is the type of hybrid prospect the Canes love, with the ability to play both inside and outside on the D-Line. The Hurricanes would likely move him to DT as he continues to grow to allow his speed and athleticism to become a mismatch against slower offensive guards.
In The Mix: Miami is Ingraham’s leader, with Alabama, Oklahoma, Florida, Oregon, and Kentucky in the game.
Latest: Ingraham continues to publicly list Miami as his leader. Ingraham visited Miami for Junior Day in March, saw Oklahoma in April for his first official visit, and has a second official set up to Kentucky in June. He also saw Alabama unofficially this spring. Now that he’s gone on some trips and seen some sights, Ingraham has something to compare to Miami. We’d feel better if he just pulled the trigger for UM sooner rather than later instead of dragging it out, but this is Miami’s one to lose for now.
7. Josh Sanguinetti, CB, Fort Lauderdale, FL (University School) (Last Month: 8)
Ht 6-2 | Wt 170 | 247 Composite: 4-Star, #114 Overall
Behind The Ranking: Sanguinetti has next-level instincts at DB and displays great hip-flip when running with receivers. He’d make an outstanding corner at the next level.
In The Mix: In his most recent talk with us, Sanguinetti named Miami, Stanford, Oklahoma, Michigan, Florida, and Oregon as his favorites.
Latest: Sanguinetti is planning on making a top 10 group before his senior season starts, which jives with his timeline of playing the process out all the way until the end in February. He lists Miami, Stanford, Oklahoma, Michigan, Florida, and Oregon as the schools he knows will make that top group when it is announced. However, at this time, we see this as a Miami-Stanford battle until proven otherwise, with the main hurdle being Sanguinetti getting admitted to Stanford. Sanguinetti has also been adamant that he will play with his long-time friend and teammate Kenny McIntosh in college; if McIntosh, who is a Miami-lean, pulls the trigger for Miami soon, that puts a lot of pressure on Sanguinetti. If that happens, it’d likely be only a matter of time before Sanguinetti announces for UM.
The order will be based mainly on:
- How likely a recruit is to commit to Miami at the time
- Skill level
- Miami's need at their position
From last month’s board, UM landed commitments from #12 S Keontra Smith and #14 LB Avery Huff. Miami’s priorities continue to be in the trenches and at DB, as well as trying to secure their QB in this class.
1. Evan Neal, OT/OG, Bradenton, FL (IMG Academy) (Last Month: 1)
Ht 6-7 | Wt 375 | 247 Composite: 4-Star, #41 Overall
Behind The Ranking: Neal is the prototypical top player on this board, thanks to his combination of talent, Miami’s need on the line, and the fact that he has family ties to the program. At 6’7” 375 pounds, I just call him “The Wall”. Neal has gone up against numerous top defensive linemen at various events and they were all hopelessly outmatched against him. He’s too big to get around and can overwhelm power rushers that try and go through him, while he is also quick enough to stone speed rushers.
In The Mix: In his most recent chat with us, Neal named Miami, FSU, Oklahoma, and Georgia as some schools chasing him hard.
Latest: Neal has been quiet lately and nothing has really changed with him in the past month. He took an unofficial visit to Miami for Junior Day in March and furthered his bond with the coaches. Neal also visited UF the very next week with the rest of his IMG team, as well as making a trip to FSU. Neal is the nephew of Miami great Cleveland Gary, was a born Hurricane, and has visited UM multiple times in the past year. He seems like a Miami lean right now, and our sources continue to feel strong on him ending up at Miami, despite him wanting to do his due diligence and take a lot of visits. While another team could always make a big push in the coming months, if he had to sign today, Miami would be the choice.
2. Michael Johnson Jr., QB, Eugene, Oregon (Sheldon) (Last Month: 2)
Ht 6-4 | Wt 190 | 247 Composite: 4-Star, #199 Overall
Behind The Ranking: Point blank, QB is the most important position in every class and the coaches have identified Johnson Jr. as their top target at gun-slinger. A true dual-threat, Johnson Jr. is electric on the ground by any usage of the word and can leave any defender in the dust. Through the air, he possesses a live arm that can make any throw on the field.
In The Mix: Johnson Jr.’s top 8 is Miami, FSU, Texas A&M, Arizona State, Penn State, Nebraska, LSU, and NC State.
Latest: Jon Richt recently flew across the country to visit Johnson Jr. for the second time in the last few months and the younger Richt has made quite an impression on the talented Oregon product. The most shocking development here is that presumed leader Oregon has taken themselves out of the race for Johnson Jr., whose dad is on the Ducks’ staff, after deciding to take a commitment from QB Cale Millen instead. UM feels like the new leader here right now thanks to Johnson Jr.’s long-standing relationship with the Richts, but the school that is really starting to build momentum is Nebraska. Johnson Jr. is a perfect fit in new head coach Scott Frost’s offense, so this process will come down to fit vs. relationships for Johnson Jr.
3. Mark-Antony Richards, RB/DB, West Palm Beach, FL (Wellington) (Last Month: 3)
Ht 6-1 | Wt 190 | 247 Composite: 4-Star, #79 Overall
Behind The Ranking: Running back, safety, receiver, quarterback, kicker, don’t matter. The book on Richards is simple: get him on the roster, figure out his position later. He’s that good. His speed and football instincts will play anywhere, and he loves offense, but Richards looks like an impact safety to me.
In The Mix: Miami, Auburn, Florida, Alabama, Ohio State, and others are making Richards think.
Latest: While the general belief is that Richards prefers offense, Miami has always seen Richards more on defense, but the Canes are actually starting to shift away from safety and are starting to see him more at corner. Richards is trying to play his recruitment very openly and make sure he takes a hard look at all his options before coming to a decision. Coaches from all of Richards’ favorites (Miami, Auburn, Florida, Alabama, Ohio State) came to Wellington to watch him practice this month and the Canes will have a battle on their hands to be sure before he decides in December at the earliest.
4. Tyrique Stevenson, CB/S, Miami, FL (Miami Southridge) (Last Month: 6)
Ht 6-2 | Wt 185 | 247 Composite: 4-Star, #68 Overall
Behind The Ranking: Stevenson just smothers receivers in the passing game and has that rare ability to take half the field away from an opposing offense. The South Dade star runs well for his size and features elite closing speed, while also showing potential as a rangy safety prospect.
In The Mix: Miami, Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, UF, and others are all fighting for Stevenson’s signature.
Latest: UM has put the full-court press on Stevenson lately, sending coach Ephraim Banda and a host of Hurricane players out to Southridge’s spring game to watch Stevenson play last week. The Canes are in good standing for Stevenson and he has been on campus about a million times at Miami, so the visits aren’t what it’s about anymore. It’s going to come down to how receptive Stevenson is to other schools, and he’s also made multiple visits to UGA, including one two weeks back. Bama, Auburn, and UF are also pushing for Stevenson, but a decision won’t come until September at the earliest.
5. Khris Bogle, DE, Fort Lauderdale, FL (Cardinal Gibbons) (Last Month: 4)
Ht 6-4 | Wt 210 | 247 Composite: 4-Star, #74 Overall
Behind The Ranking: Bogle makes his living in the opponent backfield and it’s tough for offensive linemen to square up on him with his speed off the edge. While he needs to add weight for the next level, Bogle’s first step is devastating and he has the potential to be a dynamic pass rusher for whichever team lands his services.
In The Mix: Here I go - Miami, FSU, Florida, Clemson, Alabama, LSU, Tennessee, Oregon, USC, Oklahoma, Penn State, Ohio State, Texas A&M, and Georgia (whew) make up Bogle’s Final Four…teen.
Latest: The Canes remain in a good place with Bogle, who is planning on taking his recruitment until the very end in February. While some thought other in-state schools like FSU or Florida would be the biggest hurdle for Miami to overcome, we’re hearing it is actually Tennessee that is the program that has made a real move with Bogle and will challenge UM. Bogle is coming off an official to Rocky Top and had huge praise for the program. Bogle also recently visited Miami and UF in the past few weeks unofficially. The gameplan has always been the same with Bogle: stay in his ear for as much as possible to survive and outlast the other contenders.
6. Braylen Ingraham, DT, Fort Lauderdale, FL (St. Thomas Aquinas) (Last Month: 10)
Ht 6-4 | Wt 260 | 247 Composite: 4-Star, #230 Overall
Behind The Ranking: Ingraham is the type of hybrid prospect the Canes love, with the ability to play both inside and outside on the D-Line. The Hurricanes would likely move him to DT as he continues to grow to allow his speed and athleticism to become a mismatch against slower offensive guards.
In The Mix: Miami is Ingraham’s leader, with Alabama, Oklahoma, Florida, Oregon, and Kentucky in the game.
Latest: Ingraham continues to publicly list Miami as his leader. Ingraham visited Miami for Junior Day in March, saw Oklahoma in April for his first official visit, and has a second official set up to Kentucky in June. He also saw Alabama unofficially this spring. Now that he’s gone on some trips and seen some sights, Ingraham has something to compare to Miami. We’d feel better if he just pulled the trigger for UM sooner rather than later instead of dragging it out, but this is Miami’s one to lose for now.
7. Josh Sanguinetti, CB, Fort Lauderdale, FL (University School) (Last Month: 8)
Ht 6-2 | Wt 170 | 247 Composite: 4-Star, #114 Overall
Behind The Ranking: Sanguinetti has next-level instincts at DB and displays great hip-flip when running with receivers. He’d make an outstanding corner at the next level.
In The Mix: In his most recent talk with us, Sanguinetti named Miami, Stanford, Oklahoma, Michigan, Florida, and Oregon as his favorites.
Latest: Sanguinetti is planning on making a top 10 group before his senior season starts, which jives with his timeline of playing the process out all the way until the end in February. He lists Miami, Stanford, Oklahoma, Michigan, Florida, and Oregon as the schools he knows will make that top group when it is announced. However, at this time, we see this as a Miami-Stanford battle until proven otherwise, with the main hurdle being Sanguinetti getting admitted to Stanford. Sanguinetti has also been adamant that he will play with his long-time friend and teammate Kenny McIntosh in college; if McIntosh, who is a Miami-lean, pulls the trigger for Miami soon, that puts a lot of pressure on Sanguinetti. If that happens, it’d likely be only a matter of time before Sanguinetti announces for UM.
