2020 3-star CB Justin Hodges was a virtual unknown heading into his junior season for Western High and had zero offers from college programs. However, after a standout year that saw Hodges record 34 tackles, 4 INT’s, and help lead the Wildcats to an upset victory over Atlantic in the playoffs, the 6’1” 170 pound corner has seen a flurry of recent recruiting attention.
“I felt like I opened a lot of eyes and I did amazing my junior season, but you can never do enough, so next season I’m trying to push the bar,” Hodges said.
In the past 3 months, Hodges has landed 9 D-I offers, with one of them coming from the Miami Hurricanes. He got the news while on vacation last week and Hodges feels an offer from the Canes means something special.
“It was awesome, my coach called me while I was on a trip to Vegas and told me that I got it,” Hodges said. “It was a dream come true you could say.”
Listed by some sites as an athlete, the Canes see Hodges as a corner at the next level and cornerbacks coach Mike Rumph will be heading up this recruitment. Hodges grew up dreaming about wearing “The U” on his helmet from a young age and it seems UM is already in a very good position to land the talented defensive back.
“They like me at my primary position, which is cornerback,” Hodges said. “But whatever they want me to play, I will. Miami will always be at the top of my list no matter what. That’s my dream school, always will be.”
So does Hodges consider the Canes his leader right now?
“Absolutely,” he says.
When asked what draws him to Miami, Hodges points to the tradition at UM, as well as having some interesting family ties to the program: he is a cousin of the Blades family.
“I love everything about it and the history as well,” Hodges said on UM. “Also because my cousins went there, the Blades’.”
Soon after Hodges received his offer, current Miami corner Al Blades Jr. got in touch with Hodges and let him know that he was ready to team up in Coral Gables.
“He congratulated me and stuff like that,” Hodges said of Blades Jr. “He tells me a lot about Miami, but it’s mostly stuff I already know.”
It won’t be long until Hodges gets his first taste of campus: he already has a set date and plans to see UM before the end of the March.
“I will be there on the 23rd of this month,” Hodges said. “I want to see if Miami is the school I always dreamt about.”
While the Canes are in the pole position early on for Hodges, the Western star’s offer sheet is growing by the day, and he now has Power 5 offers from the likes of Kentucky, Georgia Tech, and Minnesota, along with Group of 5 upstart UCF. In addition to making the trip to UM, Hodges will see what UCF has to offer in the near future as well.
“As of right now, the only other visit I got planned so far is UCF,” Hodges said. “All of my schools are coming at me hard to be honest.”
When choosing one factor that will be most likely to sway him to a certain school, Hodges feels the environment will be key.
“Wherever feels more like home,” Hodges said.
When could we see a decision from Hodges?
“Soon,” he said simply.
“I felt like I opened a lot of eyes and I did amazing my junior season, but you can never do enough, so next season I’m trying to push the bar,” Hodges said.
In the past 3 months, Hodges has landed 9 D-I offers, with one of them coming from the Miami Hurricanes. He got the news while on vacation last week and Hodges feels an offer from the Canes means something special.
“It was awesome, my coach called me while I was on a trip to Vegas and told me that I got it,” Hodges said. “It was a dream come true you could say.”
Listed by some sites as an athlete, the Canes see Hodges as a corner at the next level and cornerbacks coach Mike Rumph will be heading up this recruitment. Hodges grew up dreaming about wearing “The U” on his helmet from a young age and it seems UM is already in a very good position to land the talented defensive back.
“They like me at my primary position, which is cornerback,” Hodges said. “But whatever they want me to play, I will. Miami will always be at the top of my list no matter what. That’s my dream school, always will be.”
So does Hodges consider the Canes his leader right now?
“Absolutely,” he says.
When asked what draws him to Miami, Hodges points to the tradition at UM, as well as having some interesting family ties to the program: he is a cousin of the Blades family.
“I love everything about it and the history as well,” Hodges said on UM. “Also because my cousins went there, the Blades’.”
Soon after Hodges received his offer, current Miami corner Al Blades Jr. got in touch with Hodges and let him know that he was ready to team up in Coral Gables.
“He congratulated me and stuff like that,” Hodges said of Blades Jr. “He tells me a lot about Miami, but it’s mostly stuff I already know.”
It won’t be long until Hodges gets his first taste of campus: he already has a set date and plans to see UM before the end of the March.
“I will be there on the 23rd of this month,” Hodges said. “I want to see if Miami is the school I always dreamt about.”
While the Canes are in the pole position early on for Hodges, the Western star’s offer sheet is growing by the day, and he now has Power 5 offers from the likes of Kentucky, Georgia Tech, and Minnesota, along with Group of 5 upstart UCF. In addition to making the trip to UM, Hodges will see what UCF has to offer in the near future as well.
“As of right now, the only other visit I got planned so far is UCF,” Hodges said. “All of my schools are coming at me hard to be honest.”
When choosing one factor that will be most likely to sway him to a certain school, Hodges feels the environment will be key.
“Wherever feels more like home,” Hodges said.
When could we see a decision from Hodges?
“Soon,” he said simply.
