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Since athletic department facilities were upgraded in recent years, the Miami Hurricanes always have felt that getting players on campus was one of their great strengths in selling recruits, along with the program’s rich history, NFL pipeline and the modest class sizes.
Beginning on June 1, the Canes will finally get recruits back on their campus, something that has not been permitted officially (with coaches alongside) at the FCS level since COVID-19 changed everything 14 months ago.
Dozens of 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025 players will attend barbecues on campus next week, and a slew of players are expected to take official visits to UM in the weeks ahead. Sixth-, seventh- eight- and ninth-graders will visit UM for a handful of camps run by Canes coaches and staffers.
UM then will hold a Paradise Camp — a popular annual event that was canceled last year because of COVID-19 — before another dead period begins July 1.
“We’re excited,” UM director of recruiting David Cooney told WQAM’s Joe Zagacki and Don Bailey Jr. on Hurricane Hotline last week. “[June 1], it’s going to be Christmas Day for us. We’re ready, chomping at the bit, ready to get [recruits] this Cane experience.
“Not being able to have contact, be connected with any of the recruits in any of the classes the last year has been tough for us. Trying to live within the realm of Zoom, it wasn’t ideal. But we made things work, and we’re looking forward to getting guys on campus, being able to spend time with the kids and their families, connect with those kids.”
UM so far has only one commitment (four-star quarterback Jacurri Brown), but Cooney said: “I think we are in a great place. We only have one kid committed but are in a great place because once we get those kids on campus, we’ll start to see our numbers increase. Our main goal is to build on the success we’ve had the last two classes.”
A look of some of the Class of 2022 players expected to visit during the first two weekends in June, according to several recruiting-oriented web sites:
WEEKEND OF JUNE 4
▪ Anthony Jones: The three-star prospect from Henderson, Nevada, is rated by Rivals as the No. 24 weak-side defensive end. But UM is recruiting him as a tight end, a position that Jones wants to play. He also plans to visit Texas, Oregon and Southern California.
UM hopes Jones becomes its second highly regarded tight end from Las Vegas, following in the footsteps of Brevin Jordan, who’s now with the Houston Texans. Jordan has spoken with Jones about the Canes.
“I know they’re Tight End U,” Jones told Canesport. “I know they really produce a lot of tight ends every year to go to the league.”
▪ Omar Graham Jr.: The three-star prospect from Fort Lauderdale Stranahan — rated by Rivals as the 32nd-best outside linebacker in the 2022 class — also plans to visit FSU, Penn State and Auburn. Miami is thought to have a good chance to land him.
▪ Chris Graves: The three-star prospect from Fort Myers — rated the 58th-best cornerback by Rivals — also will visit South Carolina and LSU. UM has a chance, but more than two dozen schools are pursuing him.
▪ Malik Agbo: The four-star prospect from Washington state is rated by Rivals as the No. 28 offensive tackle and 193rd-best prospect and also plans to visit LSU and Oklahoma. UM is considered an underdog because of the geographic distance, but Agbo has developed a good relationship with UM offensive coach Garin Justice.
▪ Jordan Allen: The three-star prospect from Lafayette, Louisiana — rated by Rivals as the No. 36 cornerback — previously announced a top six of Louisville, Penn State, Miami, Georgia, Ole Miss and Tennessee. Allen has maintained frequent contact with UM cornerbacks coach DeMarcus Van Dyke.
▪ Quentel Jones: The three-star defensive tackle from Fort Valley, Georgia, recently set a visit with Miami, according to 247Sports.com. The 6-2, 280-pound defensive tackle is also set to officially visit Wisconsin and Tennessee in June. Rivals rates him the 60th-best 2022 recruit in Georgia.
WEEKEND OF JUNE 11
▪ Jacurri Brown: The four-star Valdosta, Georgia-based quarterback is not only UM’s only non-binding 2022 commitment to this point, but he’s also trying to help the Canes land other players as a psuedo program ambassador.
Brown — rated by Rivals as the No. 6 dual-threat quarterback and 213th-best overall player in 2022 — will make his first visit to UM’s campus on June 11 and hasn’t ruled out taking other visits, with North Carolina and Texas A&M among his most aggressive suitors.
Brown, in a conversation with Canesport, predicted the Canes will get a bunch of commitments in the weeks ahead and said: “I feel Miami as a whole is just a couple of plays and big decisions away from being the No. 1 team in the ACC and running the board,” he says. “I want to help bring back the Miami swagger.”
▪ Cameron Williams: The four-star prospect from Duncanville, Texas — rated by Rivals as the No. 26 offensive tackle and 188th-best prospect overall — also plans to visit Oregon, Texas and Oklahoma, which is considered the team to beat for the 6-6, 370-pounder who could end up at guard.
▪ Isaiah Horton: The four-star wide receiver from Murfreesboro, Tennessee, is rated by Rivals as the 24th-best receiver and 216th-best player in the 2022 class.
The Gators are considered the favorite — Horton has said he always has wanted to attend UF — and Alabama, Tennessee, LSU, Mississippi and Georgia also are in the mix.
▪ Justin Medlock: The three-star prospect from Manville, Texas — rated by Rivals as the 10th best inside linebacker in the 2022 class — has more than two dozen other offers (including Oklahoma and Ohio State) and hasn’t named a favorite. He has been in close contact with UM assistant coach Jonathan Patke, and the Canes were the first official visit he set up.
▪ Isaiah Bond: The three-star receiver from Buford, Georgia, committed to the Gators on May 9 but hasn’t closed the door on UM, at least not publicly.
▪ Kaden Helms: The three-star prospect from Nebraska is rated by Rivals as the 19th-best tight end in the 2022 class. FSU, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Arizona State and Michigan State are among the other serious challengers.
▪ Leyton Nelson: The three-star prospect from Orlando, rated by Rivals as the No. 46 offensive tackle in this class, has visits set up to Pittsburgh, UM and Tennessee — in that order - and has developed a good relationship with UM offensive line coach Justice. This will be his first visit to South Florida. Louisville, South Carolina, Oregon, Penn State and FSU are among others in pursuit.
▪ Quan Lee: The three-star receiver from Gainesville also has visits scheduled to West Virginia and Pittsburgh. But he’s announcing the school he will attend Wednesday and isn’t sure he will go though with his visits.
The finalists: Penn State, Virginia Tech, Nebraska, Miami, Georgia Tech, South Carolina, Coastal Carolina and West Virginia.
He caught 44 passes for 916 yards and 11 touchdowns last season and scored another TD on a kickoff return.
Lee played on the same 7-on-7 team as UM quarterback commit Brown when the two were freshmen.
“I just like Miami,” Lee told Canesport. “Miami was one of my dream schools growing up. I always loved the NFL greats from there. Sean Taylor, I loved him even though he was a defensive guy.”
▪ Jayden Gibson: The three-star receiver from Winter Garden also plans to visit UF, Baylor and Tennessee. He has a good combination of size (6-6) and speed. He’s familiar with South Florida; his grandfather lives in Fort Lauderdale.
▪ Jacolby Spells: The three-star prospect from Plantation American Heritage — who has played receiver in high school but is being recruited as a defensive back — also is visiting Indiana and West Virginia and has interest in Penn State and Syracuse. The Canes have a decent chance.
▪ Ja’Cory Thomas: The three-star athlete from Boone High in Orlando also plans to take June visits to Iowa State, Nebraska and FSU, plus an unofficial visit to UCF.
The Canes would use him at striker. He’s also attending the June 1 barbecue.
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