OPINION: Miami offered 10 of 32 projected 1st rounders in 2024 NFL Draft, with no success … something that needs to change on both fronts

With the NFL Draft around the corner, the Miami Hurricanes are expected to – for the fifth time in seven years – not have anyone drafted in the first two rounds. It’s a sign of the monumental recruiting / roster failures of prior staffs, and it’s something coach Mario Cristobal is looking to turn around through recruiting and development … with assists from the transfer portal here and there.

As it pertains to this year’s draft?

Perhaps this is a good chance to look at the projected first-rounders (per ESPN’s Mel Kiper’s most recent mock draft) and see what happened with Miami and those players. Were they offered by Miami? Were they recruited hard throughout the process? Were they interested in the Canes?

Because, ultimately, Cristobal and Miami need to reverse exactly what we will be seeing in a little over 24 hours. Top draft picks are guys that can help lead teams to championships. It’s a reflection of their production and talent level.

And there’s been too little of both in recent years at Miami. Here’s a closer look at this year’s projected first rounders and how their Cane recruitment went, with Manny Diaz the head coach spanning the years 2019-2021 (keep in mind that some of the below were top recruits and Miami didn’t pursue/offer because they were never interested in UM):

1. USC QB Caleb Williams: Wasn’t offered. 5-star in Class of 2021, had no interest in Miami.

2. LSU QB Jayden Daniels: Miami offered but never gained any traction. 4-star in Class of 2019.

3. Ohio State WR Marvin Harrison, Jr.: Was offered in Sept. of 2019 and recruited by WR coach Taylor Stubblefield but was an Ohio State lock. 4-star in Class of 2021.

4. Washington WR Rome Odunze: Miami offered in July of 2019 and was among his early favorites but ultimately didn’t make his top 5. 4-star in Class of 2020.

5. LSU WR Malik Nabers: Offered Jan. 25, 2020 on a campus visit with his 7 on 7 team and at one point Miami was in a good spot. But the Canes faded down the stretch. 4-star in Class of 2021.

6. North Carolina QB Drake Maye: Wasn’t offered. 4-star in Class of 2021.

7. Georgia TE Brock Bowers: Wasn’t offered. 4-star in Class of 2021.

8. Notre Dame OT Joe Alt: Wasn’t offered. 4-star in Class of 2021.

9. Alabama OLB Dallas Turner: Miami didn’t make him a priority until later in his recruitment compared to other programs coming out of Ft. Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas, a clear mistake. By the time the Canes really showed they wanted him, it was too late. 5-star in Class of 2021.

10. Washington OG Troy Fautanu: Wasn’t offered. 4-star in Class of 2019.

11. Alabama OT JC Latham: Miami offered him early but never gained much traction. 5-star in Class of 2021.

12. UCLA OL Laiatu Latu: Wasn’t offered. 4-star in Class of 2019.

13. Penn State OT Olumuyiwa Fashanu: Wasn’t offered. 3-star in Class of 2020.

14. Iowa CB Cooper DeJean: Wasn’t offered. 4-star in Class of 2021.

15. Michigan QB JJ McCarthy: Was offered the March before his senior year but Miami never gained much traction. 4-star in Class of 2021.

16. Oregon State OT Taliese Fuaga: Wasn’t offered. 3-star in Class of 2020.

17. LSU WR Brian Thomas, Jr.: Offered the April before his senior year but was always considered a longshot and never gave Miami much of a look. 4-star in Class of 2021.

18. Texas WR Xavier Worthy: Wasn’t offered. 4-star in class of 2021.

19. Duke C Graham Barton: Wasn’t offered. 3-star in Class of 2020.

20. Toledo CB Quinyon Mitchell: Wasn’t offered. 3-star in Class of 2020.

21. Alabama CB Terrion Arnold: Miami offered him more than a year before signing day and pursued him hard and Ephraim Banda had the Canes in a good spot early-on. But at the end of his recruitment UM wasn’t in his final five. 4-star in Class of 2021.

22. FSU DE Jared Verse: Miami recruited him under Cristobal as a transfer to FSU in Nov., 2021 out of Albany but was not able to sway him from FSU. No stars in Class of 2019.

23. Georgia OT Amarius Mims: Wasn’t offered. 5-star in Class of 2021.

24. Washington QB Michael Penix, Jr.: Wasn’t offered.  3-star in Class of 2018.

25. Clemson CB Nate Wiggins: Wasn’t offered. 4-star in Class of 2021.

26. Texas A&M ILB Edgerrin Cooper: He grew up a Miami fan, his parents were Cane fans and he had family in the area. Miami offered in Oct., 2019, but he never wound up seriously considering the Canes down the stretch. 4-star in Class of 2020.

27. Texas DT Byron Murphy II: Wasn’t offered. 4-star in Class of 2021.

28. Missouri DL Darius Robinson: Wasn’t offered. 3-star in Class of 2019.

29. Penn State OLB Demeioun “Chop” Robinson: Wasn’t offered. 4-star in Class of 2021.

30. Oklahoma OT Tyler Guyton: Wasn’t offered. 3-star in Class of 2020.

31. Oregon QB Bo Nix: Wasn’t offered. 5-star in Class of 2019.

32. South Carolina WR Xavier Legette: Wasn’t offered. 3-star in Class of 2019.

Of the above, there were five 5-stars, and Miami offered two (Turner and Latham).

There were 18 4-stars, and Miami offered eight.

The 3-stars or less? There were nine, and Miami offered none of them.

Of course, there are cases Miami does its homework, a player isn’t interested at all and therefore there’s no offer forthcoming.

Regardless, though, of all 32 projected first-rounders this year the Canes offered 10 and landed none. And of the 32 players on the above list, none had Miami as a finalist heading into their announcement or signing day.

That has to change moving forward for Cristobal to take Miami where he wants it to go.

The post OPINION: Miami offered 10 of 32 projected 1st rounders in 2024 NFL Draft, with no success … something that needs to change on both fronts appeared first on On3.