ANALYSIS: Miami among biggest On3 Recruiting Rankings risers of summer
Plenty of teams saw their recruiting rankings rise over the summer, but few climbed as much as Miami.
Miami’s 2024 recruiting class made the fifth-largest jump in the On3 Recruiting Rankings this summer following commitments from a whopping 14 of its 22 pledges this cycle, which included commitments from four top-70 prospects, one top-35 recruit and four additional four-star prospects. Miami jumped eight spots from from No. 26 to No. 18 in the On3 Recruiting Rankings as the Canes hope to build on their No. 8 recruiting class last season.
Texas (32 spots), UCF (15 spots), Texas A&M (11 spots) and Oklahoma (9 spots) were the only programs to make larger jumps in the On3 Recruiting rankings.
That was highlighted by a tremendous July which included landing four-star receiver Joshisa Trader, the No. 34 prospect in the On3 Industry Ranking, four-star EDGE Marquise Lightfoot, the No. 43 prospect in the On300, and three-star offensive lineman Deryc Plazz, who decommitted from Penn State roughly a month earlier. Miami also added four-star defensive tackle Artavius Jones, who is currently only the second true defensive tackle head coach Mario Cristobal has landed in his two full recruiting cycles in Coral Gables.
The Hurricanes also added prospects in June during and after official visits like four-star running back Kevin Riley and three-star linebacker Cam Pruitt, both of whom were major Miami recruiting targets and took official visits in June, and Ryan Mack, who committed to Miami without taking an official visit.
Miami then added four-star Michigan EDGE flip Elias Rudolph in mid-August and No. 68 overall prospect and four-star safety Zaquan Patterson later that month following an intense recruiting battle with Michigan and Florida State, generating momentum that spilled over into the 2025 class, when the Canes landed pledges from Five-Star Plus+ defensive lineman Armondo Blount and four-star receiver Waden Charles.
However, the Hurricanes’ jump still came as Miami initially missed out on commitments from Five-Star Plus+ defensive linemen David Stone and Justin Scott and four-star defensive lineman Kamarion Franklin, although there are still two months left until December’s Early Signing Period. Miami is still far from finished adding uncommitted prospects in this year’s cycle.
The Hurricanes are still in aggressive recruiting battles for top-30 safety Zay Mincey and five-star defensive lineman LJ McCray out of Daytona Beach (Fla.) Mainland, two of the highest-ranked uncommitted Florida prospects. Mincey told CaneSport in early September he planned to silently commit to either Miami, Florida, Florida State or Alabama in the middle of the month and publicly announce his commitment in January at his postseason All-American game. Miami is continuing to fight Florida, Florida State and Georgia for McCray, who is still working through the recruiting process.
Miami also hopes to add Aydin Breland, the No. 36 overall prospect and second highest-rated remaining uncommitted defensive lineman, when he announced his decision Oct. 14 as he chooses between the Hurricanes, Georgia and Oregon.
The bottom line?
The Canes hope to jump even higher in the next two months.
CaneSport’s Take
Miami’s recruiting summer didn’t have the same explosive, high-flying feeling last year’s did when the Hurricanes seemingly landed blue-chip prospect after blue-chip prospect, but the Canes still quietly put together a solid 2024 recruiting class with two months left before signing day. Four-star tight end Elija Lofton, a June pledge, has been tremendous for Las Vegas (Nev.) Bishop Gorman this season, and four-star receiver Chance Robinson, one of Miami’s first commits this spring, has taken significant strides forward this fall. Combined with star performances from the majority of Miami’s other prospects, the Canes seem to have put together an already solid class with plenty of time left in the cycle.
The post ANALYSIS: Miami among biggest On3 Recruiting Rankings risers of summer appeared first on On3.
