Defensive line, both inside and outside, is a huge position of need for Miami in the 2019 recruiting class. South Florida is not usually known for their defensive line talent, but there are some pretty good players down here this year. It is hard to talk about this South Florida defensive line class without mentioning Braylen Ingraham. Ingraham is possibly Miami’s top target on the defensive line right now and I had a chance to talk with the 6’4’’ 270-pound defensive lineman.
Ingraham is feeling good about his weight right now and likely won’t add or drop too much weight before the start of the season.
“I want to stay where I am at right now, I’m not trying to put on too much weight.”
It is easy to see why he wants to stay at his current weight. Just turn on the film and immediately you see how dominate of a player he can be. Also, college coaches are recommending that he stays at his current weight.
“They love my weight right now,” Ingraham said speaking of college coaches.
Braylen Ingraham was at Dillard before transferring to Saint Thomas at the start of this semester.
“I transferred for better coaching. I felt like coach Jason Taylor can get me prepared for the next level,” Ingraham said of his decision to transfer to Aquinas.
Let’s be real, who wouldn’t want to be coached by Jason Taylor. Ingraham realizes how rare this opportunity is and is taking advantage of every moment.
“I listen to everything he tells me about the game. He’s a pretty cool coach. He’s a nice person.”
Although he loves the coaches and his teammates at Saint Thomas, it is never easy to switch schools halfway through the year.
“It’s been pretty good and challenging at some times. The work is more. School wise they are more serious.”
Ingraham is a very versatile player with the size and talent to play both defensive end and defensive tackle.
“Most college coaches say I can play mostly everything on the D-Line. Rotate around. He (Coach Harriot) sees me playing outside.”
Saint Thomas has the expectation of winning every time they step on the field. After only a few short months, Ingraham has already bought into this winning expectation.
“I want to win all of our games, possibly go undefeated and go to states.”
As for his personal goals next season, Ingraham has the bar set very high.
“I want to lead the county in sacks and I want to make first-team all state. Defensive player of the year.”
Saint Thomas will play Miami Central week five next season. The hype for this must see game is already building.
“We are really hype to put them (Miami Central) on our schedule.”
Now to what everyone wants to talk about, recruiting. So what will be a deciding factor in his recruitment?
“Being able to play and where I feel comfortable. Do I feel like it’s home? I want to be able to be comfortable there.”
Ingraham has had a busy spring having already visited Miami, Florida, and Oklahoma. He will be in Alabama next week for an official visit.
While Coach Kuligowski is no longer at Miami, he is still keeping the recruiting ties he made while down here.
“That’s the only reason I’m going up to Alabama this week,” Ingraham said when talking about Coach Kuligowski.
As for Coach Kuligowski’s replacement, Coach Simpson has made an early impression with Ingraham.
“Yes I got on the phone with him. He’s a pretty cool coach. I like him a lot. He teaches me a lot about the game. He said I could play everything on the line, mostly inside.”
Ingraham also said he talks to Coach Diaz every time he is down in Coral Gables visiting Miami. The last time Ingraham was down visiting Miami was for the Hurricanes Junior day back in March.
“It was a great experience being over there. They treat you like family. And the practice was cool I got to see how the coaches coach. It was a great experience overall they taught me a lot of stuff.”
After watching practice, the visit consisted of some one-on-one time with the coaches as well as watching film.
“Sometimes we will have one-on-one time with Coach Richt or Coach Simpson. We will watch film and go over stuff. We’ll talk over the defensive schemes.”
Ingraham is friends with Greg Rousseau as well as former Dillard defensive tackle Jon Ford. Ford is working on getting Ingraham to commit.
“We talk sometimes. He's telling me to come (to Miami).”
While Ingraham did not want to name a public leader or set a timetable for his commitment, his top group consists of: Miami, Oklahoma, Alabama, Florida, and Oregon. Ingraham is not sure where he will take his official visits once the season rolls around, but it seems that he is interested in visiting all the schools in his top group.
Ingraham is feeling good about his weight right now and likely won’t add or drop too much weight before the start of the season.
“I want to stay where I am at right now, I’m not trying to put on too much weight.”
It is easy to see why he wants to stay at his current weight. Just turn on the film and immediately you see how dominate of a player he can be. Also, college coaches are recommending that he stays at his current weight.
“They love my weight right now,” Ingraham said speaking of college coaches.
Braylen Ingraham was at Dillard before transferring to Saint Thomas at the start of this semester.
“I transferred for better coaching. I felt like coach Jason Taylor can get me prepared for the next level,” Ingraham said of his decision to transfer to Aquinas.
Let’s be real, who wouldn’t want to be coached by Jason Taylor. Ingraham realizes how rare this opportunity is and is taking advantage of every moment.
“I listen to everything he tells me about the game. He’s a pretty cool coach. He’s a nice person.”
Although he loves the coaches and his teammates at Saint Thomas, it is never easy to switch schools halfway through the year.
“It’s been pretty good and challenging at some times. The work is more. School wise they are more serious.”
Ingraham is a very versatile player with the size and talent to play both defensive end and defensive tackle.
“Most college coaches say I can play mostly everything on the D-Line. Rotate around. He (Coach Harriot) sees me playing outside.”
Saint Thomas has the expectation of winning every time they step on the field. After only a few short months, Ingraham has already bought into this winning expectation.
“I want to win all of our games, possibly go undefeated and go to states.”
As for his personal goals next season, Ingraham has the bar set very high.
“I want to lead the county in sacks and I want to make first-team all state. Defensive player of the year.”
Saint Thomas will play Miami Central week five next season. The hype for this must see game is already building.
“We are really hype to put them (Miami Central) on our schedule.”
Now to what everyone wants to talk about, recruiting. So what will be a deciding factor in his recruitment?
“Being able to play and where I feel comfortable. Do I feel like it’s home? I want to be able to be comfortable there.”
Ingraham has had a busy spring having already visited Miami, Florida, and Oklahoma. He will be in Alabama next week for an official visit.
While Coach Kuligowski is no longer at Miami, he is still keeping the recruiting ties he made while down here.
“That’s the only reason I’m going up to Alabama this week,” Ingraham said when talking about Coach Kuligowski.
As for Coach Kuligowski’s replacement, Coach Simpson has made an early impression with Ingraham.
“Yes I got on the phone with him. He’s a pretty cool coach. I like him a lot. He teaches me a lot about the game. He said I could play everything on the line, mostly inside.”
Ingraham also said he talks to Coach Diaz every time he is down in Coral Gables visiting Miami. The last time Ingraham was down visiting Miami was for the Hurricanes Junior day back in March.
“It was a great experience being over there. They treat you like family. And the practice was cool I got to see how the coaches coach. It was a great experience overall they taught me a lot of stuff.”
After watching practice, the visit consisted of some one-on-one time with the coaches as well as watching film.
“Sometimes we will have one-on-one time with Coach Richt or Coach Simpson. We will watch film and go over stuff. We’ll talk over the defensive schemes.”
Ingraham is friends with Greg Rousseau as well as former Dillard defensive tackle Jon Ford. Ford is working on getting Ingraham to commit.
“We talk sometimes. He's telling me to come (to Miami).”
While Ingraham did not want to name a public leader or set a timetable for his commitment, his top group consists of: Miami, Oklahoma, Alabama, Florida, and Oregon. Ingraham is not sure where he will take his official visits once the season rolls around, but it seems that he is interested in visiting all the schools in his top group.
