After previously releasing a spring update, 247Sports unveiled their summer Top247 ranking for the 2021 cycle today.
How did Miami and the class of 2021 do? The Canes kept their total in the Top247 the same at two total commits, with Majory Stoneman Douglas (FL) OT Michael McLaughlin remaining UM's highest ranked commit at #211 overall. Chaminade-Madonna (FL) RB Thad Franklin joined McLaughlin as Miami’s only other commit in the new rankings at #239 overall.
There were also plenty of Hurricanes' targets that made an appearance in the new Top247, reflecting another deep pool of talent locally.
Without further delay, here's a list of the Miami commits and targets in the new 2021 Top247, with added thoughts about the update.
Miami Commits (New Rank/Old Rank/Change)
OT Michael McLaughlin: 211 <-- 206 (-5)
RB Thad Franklin: 239 <-- 232 (-7)
Miami Targets (New Rank/Old Rank/Change)
DT Leonard Taylor: 4 <-- 5 (+1)
CB Ga’Quincy McKinstry: 17 <-- 16 (-1)
CB Nyland Green: 24 <-- 27 (+3)
OT Tristan Leigh: 28 <-- 30 (+2)
DE Dallas Turner: 33 <-- 34 (+1)
DT Maason Smith: 35 <-- 36 (+1)
OT Savion Byrd: 36 <-- 37 (+1)
S Terrion Arnold: 85 <-- 84 (-1)
QB Jalen Milroe: 97 <-- 95 (-2)
WR Christian Leary: 122 <-- 128 (+6)
WR Malcolm Johnson: 125 <-- 133 (+8)
WR Malik Nabers: 143 <-- 149 (+6)
DE Keanu Koht: 146 <-- 151 (+5)
S Jardin Gilbert: 164 <-- NR (N/A)
DE Nathan Rawlins-Kibonge: 165 <-- 160 (-5)
WR Marcus Burke: 171 <-- 166 (-5)
S Corey Collier: 180 <-- 116 (-64)
WR Romello Brinson: 181 <-- 177 (-4)
OT Rayshaun Benny: 198 <-- 192 (-6)
LB Ian Jackson: 201 <-- NR (N/A)
OT Logan Taylor: 236 <-- 229 (-7)
DE Shambre Jackson: 243 <-- 236 (-7)
OT Terry Wells: 245 <-- 238 (-7)
CB Dreyden Norwood: 247 <-- 240 (-7)
Thoughts
**This was a pretty conservative update in terms of rankings changes, which makes sense seeing that there were less opportunities to evaluate this class this spring due to the coronavirus quarantines. A notable trend that continued, though, was that Miami Palmetto (FL) S Corey Collier had his stock fall again. Once thought of as a borderline 5-star prospect in the industry early on in the evaluation process, this time Collier fell 64 spots in the Top247 to #180 overall in a slide that began last February due to poor testing numbers at the Opening Miami Regional (4.83 40-yard dash).
While we've talked about the issues with putting too much stock in sophomore testing numbers plenty of times, even taking them at face value, Collier is a prospect that actually might become underrated by the end of the process. He has a very underdeveloped frame at the moment and a college strength and conditioning program could easily add more explosion to his game, not to mention teach him how to properly run a 40-yard dash, which we've seen many Hurricanes improve on by the time they leave Coral Gables. While he won't develop into a no-doubt, 5-star stud, there's still value to be had with players like Collier who have performed well over multiple years in the South Florida environment. Collier just put UM in his top 6 today, along with FSU, UF, Clemson, UGA, and LSU.
**Sticking with the safeties, the UM target that saw the most upward movement was University Lab (LA) S Jardin Gilbert, who went from outside the Top247 all the way to #164 overall. In many ways, Gilbert was the anti-Collier as a prospect that was largely overlooked in the beginnings of the evaluation process and has seen his profile slowly rise since his junior film started circulating this spring. Gilbert shows a ton of upside on tape with smooth athleticism, plenty of length, and great ball skills at his disposal. UM was only one of two P5 programs (Baylor) to identify Gilbert and offer him early on before his junior season, and that was part of the reason Gilbert put the Hurricanes in his top 13 earlier this month. While it wasn't much of a cut, Gilbert told CIS that he's noticed the amount of safeties UM and coach Banda has put into the league recently, and that has UM still in consideration.
**While the Canes have yet to land a receiver in the 2021 class, a few of their targets saw minor bumps in the midrange of this update, including Edgewater (FL) WR Christian Leary (6 spots, #122 overall), St. Stephen's & St. Anges (VA) WR Malcolm Johnson (8 spots, #125 overall), and Comeaux (LA) WR Malik Nabers (6 spots, #143 overall). The Canes are likely in the best spot for Nabers, who some see as a Miami-lean right now, but UM will have to hold on for a few months as Nabers told CIS that he isn't planning to make a decision until during his senior season. Leary's interest in Miami has bounced back and forth, as he left the Canes out of his top group multiple times before saying he plans to make a visit to UM after the quarantines are over, while Johnson is a recent offeree that has already expressed interest in visiting Miami. Miami Northwestern (FL) WR Romello Brinson (4 spot drop, #181 overall) and Monarch (FL) WR Jaden Alexis (unranked in Top247) continue to remain Miami's top targets at the position, and Brinson recently put the Canes in his top 5.
How did Miami and the class of 2021 do? The Canes kept their total in the Top247 the same at two total commits, with Majory Stoneman Douglas (FL) OT Michael McLaughlin remaining UM's highest ranked commit at #211 overall. Chaminade-Madonna (FL) RB Thad Franklin joined McLaughlin as Miami’s only other commit in the new rankings at #239 overall.
There were also plenty of Hurricanes' targets that made an appearance in the new Top247, reflecting another deep pool of talent locally.
Without further delay, here's a list of the Miami commits and targets in the new 2021 Top247, with added thoughts about the update.
Miami Commits (New Rank/Old Rank/Change)
OT Michael McLaughlin: 211 <-- 206 (-5)
RB Thad Franklin: 239 <-- 232 (-7)
Miami Targets (New Rank/Old Rank/Change)
DT Leonard Taylor: 4 <-- 5 (+1)
CB Ga’Quincy McKinstry: 17 <-- 16 (-1)
CB Nyland Green: 24 <-- 27 (+3)
OT Tristan Leigh: 28 <-- 30 (+2)
DE Dallas Turner: 33 <-- 34 (+1)
DT Maason Smith: 35 <-- 36 (+1)
OT Savion Byrd: 36 <-- 37 (+1)
S Terrion Arnold: 85 <-- 84 (-1)
QB Jalen Milroe: 97 <-- 95 (-2)
WR Christian Leary: 122 <-- 128 (+6)
WR Malcolm Johnson: 125 <-- 133 (+8)
WR Malik Nabers: 143 <-- 149 (+6)
DE Keanu Koht: 146 <-- 151 (+5)
S Jardin Gilbert: 164 <-- NR (N/A)
DE Nathan Rawlins-Kibonge: 165 <-- 160 (-5)
WR Marcus Burke: 171 <-- 166 (-5)
S Corey Collier: 180 <-- 116 (-64)
WR Romello Brinson: 181 <-- 177 (-4)
OT Rayshaun Benny: 198 <-- 192 (-6)
LB Ian Jackson: 201 <-- NR (N/A)
OT Logan Taylor: 236 <-- 229 (-7)
DE Shambre Jackson: 243 <-- 236 (-7)
OT Terry Wells: 245 <-- 238 (-7)
CB Dreyden Norwood: 247 <-- 240 (-7)
Thoughts
**This was a pretty conservative update in terms of rankings changes, which makes sense seeing that there were less opportunities to evaluate this class this spring due to the coronavirus quarantines. A notable trend that continued, though, was that Miami Palmetto (FL) S Corey Collier had his stock fall again. Once thought of as a borderline 5-star prospect in the industry early on in the evaluation process, this time Collier fell 64 spots in the Top247 to #180 overall in a slide that began last February due to poor testing numbers at the Opening Miami Regional (4.83 40-yard dash).
While we've talked about the issues with putting too much stock in sophomore testing numbers plenty of times, even taking them at face value, Collier is a prospect that actually might become underrated by the end of the process. He has a very underdeveloped frame at the moment and a college strength and conditioning program could easily add more explosion to his game, not to mention teach him how to properly run a 40-yard dash, which we've seen many Hurricanes improve on by the time they leave Coral Gables. While he won't develop into a no-doubt, 5-star stud, there's still value to be had with players like Collier who have performed well over multiple years in the South Florida environment. Collier just put UM in his top 6 today, along with FSU, UF, Clemson, UGA, and LSU.
**Sticking with the safeties, the UM target that saw the most upward movement was University Lab (LA) S Jardin Gilbert, who went from outside the Top247 all the way to #164 overall. In many ways, Gilbert was the anti-Collier as a prospect that was largely overlooked in the beginnings of the evaluation process and has seen his profile slowly rise since his junior film started circulating this spring. Gilbert shows a ton of upside on tape with smooth athleticism, plenty of length, and great ball skills at his disposal. UM was only one of two P5 programs (Baylor) to identify Gilbert and offer him early on before his junior season, and that was part of the reason Gilbert put the Hurricanes in his top 13 earlier this month. While it wasn't much of a cut, Gilbert told CIS that he's noticed the amount of safeties UM and coach Banda has put into the league recently, and that has UM still in consideration.
**While the Canes have yet to land a receiver in the 2021 class, a few of their targets saw minor bumps in the midrange of this update, including Edgewater (FL) WR Christian Leary (6 spots, #122 overall), St. Stephen's & St. Anges (VA) WR Malcolm Johnson (8 spots, #125 overall), and Comeaux (LA) WR Malik Nabers (6 spots, #143 overall). The Canes are likely in the best spot for Nabers, who some see as a Miami-lean right now, but UM will have to hold on for a few months as Nabers told CIS that he isn't planning to make a decision until during his senior season. Leary's interest in Miami has bounced back and forth, as he left the Canes out of his top group multiple times before saying he plans to make a visit to UM after the quarantines are over, while Johnson is a recent offeree that has already expressed interest in visiting Miami. Miami Northwestern (FL) WR Romello Brinson (4 spot drop, #181 overall) and Monarch (FL) WR Jaden Alexis (unranked in Top247) continue to remain Miami's top targets at the position, and Brinson recently put the Canes in his top 5.
