COLLEGE RECRUITING
As Signing Day approaches, UM, FIU faring well
BY WALTER VILLA Special to the Miami Herald
When it comes to recruiting, the scariest sentence for Miami Hurricanes fans is: Nesta Silvera is visiting Ohio State and Florida.
Silvera, a five-star defensive tackle from American Heritage, has committed to Miami but decided not to sign in December, preferring to wait for National Signing Day on Feb. 7.
The Hurricanes are in dire need of defensive linemen after defensive tackles RJ McIntosh and Kendrick Norton bolted early for the NFL. Silvera will visit Miami on Jan. 26, which is after the aforementioned trips.
Miami’s effort to keep Silvera committed is one of many recruiting battles going on throughout the state. Here’s a look at how recruiting is shaping up for the state’s top programs.
MIAMI
With 19 signed recruits, the Canes so far have the No. 1 class in the ACC and No. 6 in the nation, according to 247 Sports. The Canes have one five-star player (running back Lorenzo Lingard) and 12 four-star athletes.
The Canes would love to get at least three of the big four Heritage athletes who are still unsigned: Silvera, defensive end Andrew Chatfield and superstar cornerbacks Patrick Surtain Jr. and Tyson Campbell.
Surtain just visited LSU and is also strongly considering national champion Alabama, which will host him this weekend. But Surtain also took an unofficial visit to Miami, and the Canes still have an outside chance. Campbell just came back from a Georgia trip.
Also on Miami’s wish list: defensive end Malcolm Lamar, defensive tackle Dennis Briggs, offensive tackles William Barnes and Jalen Goss; offensive guard Ed Montilus and wide receiver Marquez Ezzard.
FIU
The Panthers signed 21 players in December, including three four-star recruits. The class is ranked No. 1 in Conference USA by 247 Sports.
Coach Butch Davis has four scholarships available but might hold onto some to see if a coveted transfer becomes available over the summer.
FLORIDA
The Gators coaching change cost them a dozen recruits who backed out of their pledges, including seven four-star athletes.
Florida lost four-star passer Matt Corral to Ole Miss. However, new coach Dan Mullen signed Georgia’s Emory Jones, a former Ohio State recruit and the No. 4 dual-threat QB in the nation.
Overall, the Gators have 13 players signed and two more committed, but it’s not abalanced class. The Gators loaded up at safety (four recruits), offensive tackle (three) and tight end (two).
The Gators have a lot of recruiting holes to fill, including defensive linemen, interior offensive linemen, linebacker and wide receiver.
FLORIDA STATE
The Seminoles have had 15 players back out of their pledges to FSU, including 11 since late November, when the drama unfolded that led to coach Jimbo Fisher bolting for Texas A&M.
Eight of those recruits are four-star recruits, including running back James Cook, the former Miami Central star who abandoned his brother Dalvin’s alma mater in favor of Georgia.
New FSU coach Willie Taggart has signed just seven players so far, although six of them are four- or five-star recruits. That list includes four-star cornerback Asante Samuel Jr. of St. Thomas Aquinas.
CENTRAL FLORIDA
The Knights, coming off a13-0 season, have 15 players signed or committed, and there’s a clear emphasis on offensive linemen (seven) and tight ends (two).
There are no five- or four-star players, but UCF did land several South Florida recruits: Southridge defensive end Randy Charlton, Northwestern linebacker Demetreius Mayes, Booker T. Washington safety Jermaine McMillan, Miami High cornerback Derek Gainous and Dillard offensive tackle Devin Jordan.
SOUTH FLORIDA
The Bulls signed an impressive 24 recruits in December and have four more players committed. However, the Bulls have zero five- or four-star recruits.
Perhaps USF’s most-exciting recruit is Miami High all-purpose back Johnny Ford, who scored 25 touchdowns this past season: 13 rushing, nine receiving, two on kickoffs and one on a punt.
FLORIDA ATLANTIC
The Owls signed just five players in December — two junior-college wide receivers, two high school defensive ends and one junior college defensive tackle.
FOOTBALL
Monsignor Pace football coach Joe Zaccheo warned whoever wanted to listen before the start of last season that his freshman safety James Williams “might just be the next Sean Taylor.”
Evidently, University of Miami defensive coordinator Manny Diaz agrees. That’s because he was in Zaccheo’s office on Wednesday morning with Williams and “offered” him on the spot to eventually be a Miami Hurricane and Williams said yes.
Williams was one of Pace’s top defensive players on a very good defense as the Spartans made the postseason for the first time in seven years, advancing to the regional finals.“Canes fans will have to wait until 2021 to see him but they’re going to be getting a very special young man,” said Zaccheo.
As Signing Day approaches, UM, FIU faring well
BY WALTER VILLA Special to the Miami Herald
When it comes to recruiting, the scariest sentence for Miami Hurricanes fans is: Nesta Silvera is visiting Ohio State and Florida.
Silvera, a five-star defensive tackle from American Heritage, has committed to Miami but decided not to sign in December, preferring to wait for National Signing Day on Feb. 7.
The Hurricanes are in dire need of defensive linemen after defensive tackles RJ McIntosh and Kendrick Norton bolted early for the NFL. Silvera will visit Miami on Jan. 26, which is after the aforementioned trips.
Miami’s effort to keep Silvera committed is one of many recruiting battles going on throughout the state. Here’s a look at how recruiting is shaping up for the state’s top programs.
MIAMI
With 19 signed recruits, the Canes so far have the No. 1 class in the ACC and No. 6 in the nation, according to 247 Sports. The Canes have one five-star player (running back Lorenzo Lingard) and 12 four-star athletes.
The Canes would love to get at least three of the big four Heritage athletes who are still unsigned: Silvera, defensive end Andrew Chatfield and superstar cornerbacks Patrick Surtain Jr. and Tyson Campbell.
Surtain just visited LSU and is also strongly considering national champion Alabama, which will host him this weekend. But Surtain also took an unofficial visit to Miami, and the Canes still have an outside chance. Campbell just came back from a Georgia trip.
Also on Miami’s wish list: defensive end Malcolm Lamar, defensive tackle Dennis Briggs, offensive tackles William Barnes and Jalen Goss; offensive guard Ed Montilus and wide receiver Marquez Ezzard.
FIU
The Panthers signed 21 players in December, including three four-star recruits. The class is ranked No. 1 in Conference USA by 247 Sports.
Coach Butch Davis has four scholarships available but might hold onto some to see if a coveted transfer becomes available over the summer.
FLORIDA
The Gators coaching change cost them a dozen recruits who backed out of their pledges, including seven four-star athletes.
Florida lost four-star passer Matt Corral to Ole Miss. However, new coach Dan Mullen signed Georgia’s Emory Jones, a former Ohio State recruit and the No. 4 dual-threat QB in the nation.
Overall, the Gators have 13 players signed and two more committed, but it’s not abalanced class. The Gators loaded up at safety (four recruits), offensive tackle (three) and tight end (two).
The Gators have a lot of recruiting holes to fill, including defensive linemen, interior offensive linemen, linebacker and wide receiver.
FLORIDA STATE
The Seminoles have had 15 players back out of their pledges to FSU, including 11 since late November, when the drama unfolded that led to coach Jimbo Fisher bolting for Texas A&M.
Eight of those recruits are four-star recruits, including running back James Cook, the former Miami Central star who abandoned his brother Dalvin’s alma mater in favor of Georgia.
New FSU coach Willie Taggart has signed just seven players so far, although six of them are four- or five-star recruits. That list includes four-star cornerback Asante Samuel Jr. of St. Thomas Aquinas.
CENTRAL FLORIDA
The Knights, coming off a13-0 season, have 15 players signed or committed, and there’s a clear emphasis on offensive linemen (seven) and tight ends (two).
There are no five- or four-star players, but UCF did land several South Florida recruits: Southridge defensive end Randy Charlton, Northwestern linebacker Demetreius Mayes, Booker T. Washington safety Jermaine McMillan, Miami High cornerback Derek Gainous and Dillard offensive tackle Devin Jordan.
SOUTH FLORIDA
The Bulls signed an impressive 24 recruits in December and have four more players committed. However, the Bulls have zero five- or four-star recruits.
Perhaps USF’s most-exciting recruit is Miami High all-purpose back Johnny Ford, who scored 25 touchdowns this past season: 13 rushing, nine receiving, two on kickoffs and one on a punt.
FLORIDA ATLANTIC
The Owls signed just five players in December — two junior-college wide receivers, two high school defensive ends and one junior college defensive tackle.
FOOTBALL
Monsignor Pace football coach Joe Zaccheo warned whoever wanted to listen before the start of last season that his freshman safety James Williams “might just be the next Sean Taylor.”
Evidently, University of Miami defensive coordinator Manny Diaz agrees. That’s because he was in Zaccheo’s office on Wednesday morning with Williams and “offered” him on the spot to eventually be a Miami Hurricane and Williams said yes.
Williams was one of Pace’s top defensive players on a very good defense as the Spartans made the postseason for the first time in seven years, advancing to the regional finals.“Canes fans will have to wait until 2021 to see him but they’re going to be getting a very special young man,” said Zaccheo.
