2019 Mount Dora (FL) LB Jesiah Pierre decommitted from Miami on Friday night.
The 6-2, 220-pounder is a 3-star ranked #607 overall nationally, the #41 OLB, and #85 in the Sunshine State in the 247Sports Composite. His decommitment moves Miami’s 2019 class down to #6 overall in 247Sports’ team rankings, while moving UM down to #8 overall on Rivals.
The Background
Pierre had been Miami’s longest tenured commit, hopping on board all the way back in June of 2016 almost three years before his signing day. However, he had been wavering from his UM commitment for a while now, and, more specifically, ever since he received a UF offer in January 2018. The writing was on the wall when he decided to go to UF’s spring game over Miami’s last month, but Pierre also went to the Gators’ Junior Day in February.
A common knock on Pierre was the poor competition he played at Mount Dora; while the Canes would have preferred Pierre in this class, they’ll now have the chance to upgrade that aspect of the equation. The biggest issue in losing Pierre is that he was a well-built 6’2” 220, and none of the other LB commits are solidly above 200 pounds right now. With no true inside ‘backer-type in this class, it will be interesting to see how the Canes proceed from here.
Future of the Class
Pierre's decommitment brings the total class numbers to 12, but the Canes are well stocked at LB in Surge19. St. Thomas Aquinas 4-star Avery Huff picked Miami a few weeks back and can possibly play both inside and outside ‘backer. Huff’s STA teammate at the second level of the Raiders’ defense, 4-star Anthony Solomon, also pledged to Miami last month and is exactly the type of rangy, sideline-to-sideline player Manny Diaz wants at OLB. Complementing both is a pass-rushing specialist, Miami Northwestern 3-star Samuel Brooks, a pure OLB all the way.
The Canes were light on LB in the 2018 class, taking only Patrick Joyner, likely knowing they were expecting to take a large crop in the deep 2019 class at LB. While the target number in this class for LB was always 4 and Miami has plenty of other needs to address, the Canes are still evaluating prospects at the position and would potentially be fine taking a fifth if there is room and it’s the right guy.
First up for Pierre’s vacated spot will be STA 3-star Jahmar Brown, who Manny Diaz has been pushing Mark Richt to take all cycle. Brown decided to bump up his original commitment timeline 2 days after the Pierre news broke and will make his decision this Thursday; reading between the lines, that places Miami in a favorable position. He should be viewed as a Miami-lean until proven otherwise, with other finalists including Stanford and South Carolina.
If Brown goes elsewhere or Miami decides they do want a fifth guy, Wekiva (FL) 4-star DE/OLB Rian Davis is someone who just put the Canes in his top 12 and is a hybrid-type that Miami is looking at as a LB for now. He could become a swingman take at LB that could eventually be moved to DE down the road. Diaz is also kicking the tires on Deerfield Beach (FL) 4-star Ge’mon Eaford, as the UM defensive coordinator took in the Deerfield Beach spring game on Saturday to watch him play in person.
The 6-2, 220-pounder is a 3-star ranked #607 overall nationally, the #41 OLB, and #85 in the Sunshine State in the 247Sports Composite. His decommitment moves Miami’s 2019 class down to #6 overall in 247Sports’ team rankings, while moving UM down to #8 overall on Rivals.
The Background
Pierre had been Miami’s longest tenured commit, hopping on board all the way back in June of 2016 almost three years before his signing day. However, he had been wavering from his UM commitment for a while now, and, more specifically, ever since he received a UF offer in January 2018. The writing was on the wall when he decided to go to UF’s spring game over Miami’s last month, but Pierre also went to the Gators’ Junior Day in February.
A common knock on Pierre was the poor competition he played at Mount Dora; while the Canes would have preferred Pierre in this class, they’ll now have the chance to upgrade that aspect of the equation. The biggest issue in losing Pierre is that he was a well-built 6’2” 220, and none of the other LB commits are solidly above 200 pounds right now. With no true inside ‘backer-type in this class, it will be interesting to see how the Canes proceed from here.
Future of the Class
Pierre's decommitment brings the total class numbers to 12, but the Canes are well stocked at LB in Surge19. St. Thomas Aquinas 4-star Avery Huff picked Miami a few weeks back and can possibly play both inside and outside ‘backer. Huff’s STA teammate at the second level of the Raiders’ defense, 4-star Anthony Solomon, also pledged to Miami last month and is exactly the type of rangy, sideline-to-sideline player Manny Diaz wants at OLB. Complementing both is a pass-rushing specialist, Miami Northwestern 3-star Samuel Brooks, a pure OLB all the way.
The Canes were light on LB in the 2018 class, taking only Patrick Joyner, likely knowing they were expecting to take a large crop in the deep 2019 class at LB. While the target number in this class for LB was always 4 and Miami has plenty of other needs to address, the Canes are still evaluating prospects at the position and would potentially be fine taking a fifth if there is room and it’s the right guy.
First up for Pierre’s vacated spot will be STA 3-star Jahmar Brown, who Manny Diaz has been pushing Mark Richt to take all cycle. Brown decided to bump up his original commitment timeline 2 days after the Pierre news broke and will make his decision this Thursday; reading between the lines, that places Miami in a favorable position. He should be viewed as a Miami-lean until proven otherwise, with other finalists including Stanford and South Carolina.
If Brown goes elsewhere or Miami decides they do want a fifth guy, Wekiva (FL) 4-star DE/OLB Rian Davis is someone who just put the Canes in his top 12 and is a hybrid-type that Miami is looking at as a LB for now. He could become a swingman take at LB that could eventually be moved to DE down the road. Diaz is also kicking the tires on Deerfield Beach (FL) 4-star Ge’mon Eaford, as the UM defensive coordinator took in the Deerfield Beach spring game on Saturday to watch him play in person.