Five 2024 recruits whose interest in Miami rose in March
With a loaded March recruiting period officially behind us, CaneSport took a look at some 2024 recruits Miami made the most progress with as winter turned to spring.
Here are five 2024 recruits Miami made serious progress with last month as the Hurricanes continue their quest for their first position commitment of this year’s cycle. All player rankings are from the On300.
Dylan Stephenson, 4-star EDGE, Miami (Fla.) Christopher Columbus | No. 214 national recruit, No. 18 EDGE, No. 27 Fla. recruit
+++ Stephenson has too many Miami connections to name, but the Canes staff is taking full advantage of their opportunities with the elite four-star talent. He’s received handwritten letters, in-person visits from Miami offensive line coach Alex Mirabal and been brought to campus, and Stephenson has previously said he feels “a genuine connection” with the coaching staff. His mother, a 15-year employee of the University of Miami Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine, also likes Miami but admitted her bias and said she will support her son’s decision wherever he ends up. The Hurricanes are currently the frontrunner according to the On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine, but Stephenson himself has been reluctant to name an outright pack leader. Still, it’s safe to say Miami took serious steps in the right direction during March.
KingJoseph Edwards, 4-star EDGE, Hoschton (Ga.) Mill Creek | No. 222 national recruit, No. 20 EDGE, No. 28 Ga. recruit
+++ Edwards’ recruitment picked up in a big way during March with RPMs entered for Miami, Georgia and USC, but the Canes took a real step forward after blowing away the four-star on his unofficial visit. He’ll take an official visit to Miami over the summer and said co-defensive line coach Jason Taylor and head coach Mario Cristobal are big reasons why he’s interested in the Canes. Miami is also winning over his mother, who Edwards said is “a big Cristobal fan” and will play a substantial role in his recruitment as well. When asked about the RPMs entered this month in favor of Edwards to land at Miami or USC, Edwards told On3 “Those two are pretty high on my board. They were both good predictions.” He’s still continuing to receive substantial interest from other major programs like Florida, USC, Texas, Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, Florida State, Michigan and Pitt, and he already has an official visit locked in for Ohio State this summer, but Miami has emerged as a serious player in his recruitment.
Zaquan Patterson, 4-star S, Hollywood (Fla.) Chaminade-Madonna Prep | No. 295 national recruit, No. 29 S, No. 34 Fla. recruit
+++ Patterson has always been high on Miami, but he told CaneSport Coral Gables “feels like home” after his visit March 23. His relationship with new defensive coordinator Lance Guidry is continuing to improve and he’ll take an official visit to Miami this summer, but he’s also emphasized that he’s never felt uncomfortable in Coral Gables. His interest in Miami held firm after he took an unofficial visit to Florida State early in the month, and the Canes are the favorite for Patterson according to the RPM with an estimated 90.9% chance to land the four-star. He isn’t planning on committing before fall at the earliest. He could also see himself committing as late as after his senior season if he feels he needs more time to decide. But the Canes are continuing to impress.
Joseph Ionata, 3-star IOL, Clearwater (Fla.) Cavalry Christian | No. 71 IOL, No. 121 Fla. recruit
+++ Miami has stayed high on Ionata in 2023, and he’s reciprocated every bit of love he’s received from the Canes’ staff. He locked in an official visit to Coral Gables after a phenomenal visit March 25 and said Miami is leading the pack among his group of top schools of Florida, Ole Miss and Georgia Tech. CaneSport logged an RPM for Ionata to land at Miami in late March after he expressed tremendous enthusiasm about the idea of being coached by Mirabal and Cristobal, and he’s been sold on the idea of playing center for the Canes. There’s still plenty of time left in his recruitment, but Miami feels like the clear frontrunner at the moment.
Chris Wheatley-Humphrey, RB, Hollywood (Fla.) Dillard | Unranked prospect
+++ The Canes think they’ve found an under-the-radar gem in Wheatley-Humphrey, who has steadily begun to draw interest from programs like Louisville and Ole Miss. Much like Patterson, Wheatley-Humphrey has said he feels like he’s home in Coral Gables, and he took two unofficial visits to Miami in three weeks during March. CaneSport entered an On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine prediction earlier this month for Wheatley-Humphrey to land at Miami, and his second March unofficial visit only solidified his stance on the Canes. He likes Miami’s campus, the coaching staff, the team and the vibe he feels in Coral Gables.
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