Miami Hurricanes enter picture for 2024 DL with October visit expected: “I’m highly interested”

Miami continues its pursuit of remaining uncommitted blue-chip defensive line recruits like Mainland (Fla.) Daytona Beach five-star LJ McCray and Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei four-star Aydin Breland, but a new name has emerged following a Hurricanes offer in mid-September.

Miami has started recruiting Grayson (Ga.) 2024 three-star defensive lineman Nasir Smith, a popular SEC recruiting target with more than two dozen offers including Georgia, Auburn, Tennessee and Florida. He’s heard from the Hurricanes “every day” and no fewer than three times per week since the staff extended an offer Sept. 19 and has heard from co-defensive line coaches Jason Taylor and Joe Salave’a, linebackers coach Derek Nicholson and head coach Mario Cristobal.

Smith plans to take a game day visit to Miami “this month for sure” but is still working to lock in his schedule. He said he was initially supposed to visit Hard Rock this weekend for the Hurricanes’ Saturday night game against Georgia Tech but was forced to reschedule due to a conflict. He said he isn’t sure which other programs he may visit this fall in addition to Miami.

Miami is recruiting Smith, a 6-foot-4, 290-pound prospect, at nose tackle, where the Hurricanes have struggled to sign prospects in Cristobal’s two full recruiting cycles. The Hurricanes landed one true defensive tackle last season in Joshua Horton and have one defensive tackle in the 2024 class with four-star Artavius Jones.

“I’m highly interested,” Smith said. “They’re doing a good job recruiting me. They’ve got some great coaches. Most of them have lived through (college football and had NFL careers) already, so that really interests me.”

Miami’s staff has told Smith they love his hand talent and explosiveness off the line of scrimmage and want to see him continue to develop this fall. Smith sees his recruitment continuing into December before inking his name on his National Letter of Intent during the Early Signing Period.

“Miami, they’re trying to build a bond, that’s what we talk about mostly,” Smith said. “We’ll talk about stuff football-wise, but they want to build that connection.”

Smith said he’s continued to hear from Georgia, Kentucky and Tennessee as well.

CaneSport’s Take

The clock is starting to tick on Miami’s window to land interior defensive line prospects with McCray taking an official visit to Florida State this weekend and Breland scheduled to make an announcement Oct. 14, but the Hurricanes are still well in the mix for both. However, the importance of landing an interior lineman is growing by the minute.

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