The CaneSport On3: Why JoJo Trader Could Be the Miami Hurricanes Next Big-Play Receiver in 2025

At this time last year we projected our biggest surprise offensive player for the 2024 season as WR Isaiah Horton, who had been an afterthought with 168 yards in 2023. Horton, of course, wound up a solid playmaker for the Canes, ending last season with the second-most catches on the team behind 1,000-yard slot Xavier Restrepo – Horton had 56 receptions for 616 yards and five TDs.

This year our biggest surprise offensive player heading into spring ball is again a guy who was a bit of an afterthought this past season at the receiver position. That would be former highly touted recruit JoJo Trader, who came off the bench to play 99 reps and ended with six catches for 91 yards. That included a highlight 40-yard TD in the bowl loss to Iowa State (see that clip here). It didn’t help Trader that he had a lingering high school injury that set him back early in the year.

With Restrepo and Horton gone along with the departures of Jacolby George (752 yards) and Sam Brown (509 yards), the receiver position needs new playmakers to step up. So far the team’s added one portal addition, LSU’s CJ Daniels, but he had only 480 yards and no TDs this past season after previously starring at lower-level Liberty. Otherwise it’s all new names on the spring roster looking to step up with guys like Trader, Ny Carr and slot Ray Ray Joseph leading the way.

Why Trader?

So why do we single out Trader?

Well, because we think he has the best combination of speed, physicality and athleticism to earn a starting job and be a great option for Georgia transfer QB Carson Beck. Beck, of course, will miss spring ball coming off UCL surgery but is expected to be cleared by late spring or early summer. We also fully expect another receiver or two to be added in the second portal window, perhaps even a WR1 type. But that shouldn’t undercut the potential of Trader, who we think will see plenty of time regardless.

Trader’s background

Two years ago he was rated a 5-star by ESPN and 4-star by On3 (No. 56 overall in the On3 Industry Rankings. A sign of his ability is he chose Miami over offers from the likes of Alabama, Georgia, LSU, Michigan, Ohio State, Oregon and Texas, among others.

Yes, there’s a reason his former Hollywood (Fla.) Chaminade-Madonna High coach Dameon Jones called him “one of the most freakish athletes you’ll ever see … he’s electric, a game-changer.”

We think Trader will showcase that a lot this year.

The opportunity is there.

The talent is there.

And opportunity plus talent can equal a lot of playmaking.

That begins with standing out on the practice field when spring drills kick off March 3.

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