Miami locking in on 4-star TE Roger Saleapaga as Cody Woodiel makes evaluation visit

Orem (Utah) four-star tight end Roger Saleapaga is continuing to emerge as one of Miami’s priority targets in the 2024 recruiting class after tight ends coach Cody Woodiel took an evaluation visit to Utah at the end of last week.

The No. 375 overall prospect and No. 23 tight end in the On3 Industry Ranking wants to take an official visit to Miami during the fall football season and has been heavily recruited by the Hurricanes since picking up his offer earlier this year. The 6-foot-4, 195-pound target visited Coral Gables for the first time March 4 and said the staff communicates with him daily.

“My level of interest in them is pretty high,” Saleapaga said. “(The Hurricanes) are pretty good. My relationship with them is pretty great. … They text me and my parents in a group chat every day. It’s not a regular day if the Canes don’t text. They’ve been doing great in terms of showing effort and checking in on me, how I’m doing in school, how I’m doing outside of school, what I’m doing outside out of sports, all of that.”

The Hurricanes are battling Tennessee, Auburn, Oregon, Washington and Utah. He said he feels the schools have matched up well in his recruitment but was reluctant to name clear frontrunners.

Woodiel watched Saleapaga’s in-school workout, and he said Woodiel “made it clear” the Hurricanes view him as a priority.

Saleapaga wants to visit Miami ‘closer to my decision’

Saleapaga wants to take some official visits during the summer and the rest during the fall, he said.

He’ll take an official visit to Baylor June 23 and wants to take official visits to Auburn, Oregon, Tennessee and Utah, in addition to Miami. Saleapaga hasn’t worked out visit dates with programs other than Baylor.

“I want to do it closer to my decision,” Saleapaga said. “I don’t want to take a visit in the summer, then go all the way through the season and then make my decision. I feel like if I take my officials closer to my decision, then things will be still fresh. It’s still new. It’ll put everyone on an even playing field.”

Saleapaga plans to announce his top 10 schools at the end of the summer and wants to commit shortly after his senior season ends.

CaneSport’s Take

Saleapaga’s experience is at receiver, but Miami seems confident it can bulk him up enough to play tight end like most programs. He’s one of Miami’s top tight end targets along with No. 69 overall prospect Caleb Odom, No. 215 overall prospect Kylan Fox and No. 320 overall prospect Elija Lofton, all four-star recruits.

All four plan to take official visits to Coral Gables.

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