It’s been a long and winding road for 2020 Columbus (FL) 3-star DL Elijah Roberts, but, in the end, he ended up right back where he started.
About a year after he committed to Miami as a rising junior, and 8 months after decommitting from the program, Roberts found himself pledging to Manny Diaz once again over the weekend, but this time Diaz was the head coach.
“It felt right, feels like I made the best decision,” Roberts said. “The coaches were excited to find out I was recommitting.”
The 6-3 265 pounder committed at Miami’s annual Paradise Camp event last Friday surrounded by his family and Roberts talked with some close to him beforehand about possibly committing on the visit. What was it about the atmosphere at Paradise that made him feel comfortable pulling the trigger for the Canes again?
“Just being around the coaches and the players, current and future,” Roberts said. “It felt right.”
During the actual competition portion of Paradise on Saturday, Roberts felt that UM stepped up it’s game in throwing such an amazing event, something he’s attended multiple times now.
“It was more exciting and fun than last year, and I feel like I did great at camp,” Roberts said. “I loved meeting Michael Irvin.”
Speaking with Roberts’ mother at Paradise Camp, the family was worried when former DL coach Jess Simpson left in March, as the family had built a strong connection with him. But new DL coach Todd Stroud has eased all her concerns and was a key reason for the commitment. Roberts agreed with that sentiment and says Stroud made him feel wanted at Miami.
“He’s been a huge impact,” Roberts said of Stroud. “We speak every day and he’s made me a priority.”
The original reason for Elijah’s decommitment was because he felt he committed too early and wanted to see other schools to be 100% sure of his decision; Roberts and his family felt it would be disrespectful to the Miami coaching staff to take other visits while committed to Miami.
Now that he’s taken visits to Florida State, Georgia Tech, North Carolina, South Carolina and others, Roberts is content that he’s seen all he needed to see and has shut his recruitment down from here on out. He has cancelled planned visits to UF and FSU in late July after the dead period ends.
The only question now is if Roberts will play on the outside or the inside of the defensive line at Miami. According to Roberts, the Canes see him being able to play both, and would have packages where he moves inside at times.
“Coach Stroud said I can play off the edge for him,” Roberts said. “I would prefer defensive end in college, but I’ll play whatever they ask for me to play.”
At the Opening Miami Regional in February, Roberts recorded a 5.01 40, a 4.81 shuttle time, and a 28.60 inch vertical.
About a year after he committed to Miami as a rising junior, and 8 months after decommitting from the program, Roberts found himself pledging to Manny Diaz once again over the weekend, but this time Diaz was the head coach.
“It felt right, feels like I made the best decision,” Roberts said. “The coaches were excited to find out I was recommitting.”
The 6-3 265 pounder committed at Miami’s annual Paradise Camp event last Friday surrounded by his family and Roberts talked with some close to him beforehand about possibly committing on the visit. What was it about the atmosphere at Paradise that made him feel comfortable pulling the trigger for the Canes again?
“Just being around the coaches and the players, current and future,” Roberts said. “It felt right.”
During the actual competition portion of Paradise on Saturday, Roberts felt that UM stepped up it’s game in throwing such an amazing event, something he’s attended multiple times now.
“It was more exciting and fun than last year, and I feel like I did great at camp,” Roberts said. “I loved meeting Michael Irvin.”
Speaking with Roberts’ mother at Paradise Camp, the family was worried when former DL coach Jess Simpson left in March, as the family had built a strong connection with him. But new DL coach Todd Stroud has eased all her concerns and was a key reason for the commitment. Roberts agreed with that sentiment and says Stroud made him feel wanted at Miami.
“He’s been a huge impact,” Roberts said of Stroud. “We speak every day and he’s made me a priority.”
The original reason for Elijah’s decommitment was because he felt he committed too early and wanted to see other schools to be 100% sure of his decision; Roberts and his family felt it would be disrespectful to the Miami coaching staff to take other visits while committed to Miami.
Now that he’s taken visits to Florida State, Georgia Tech, North Carolina, South Carolina and others, Roberts is content that he’s seen all he needed to see and has shut his recruitment down from here on out. He has cancelled planned visits to UF and FSU in late July after the dead period ends.
The only question now is if Roberts will play on the outside or the inside of the defensive line at Miami. According to Roberts, the Canes see him being able to play both, and would have packages where he moves inside at times.
“Coach Stroud said I can play off the edge for him,” Roberts said. “I would prefer defensive end in college, but I’ll play whatever they ask for me to play.”
At the Opening Miami Regional in February, Roberts recorded a 5.01 40, a 4.81 shuttle time, and a 28.60 inch vertical.
