STATE OF THE U 2023: 2021 recruiting class analysis

Over the last two days, CaneSport broke down a 2019 Miami recruiting class and a 2020 class that each failed on numerous levels.

That 2019 class saw 17 of the 24 players in the class never have much of an impact. And all seven of the players that either didn’t transfer out or depart early for reasons other than the NFL were either JUCO arrivals or transfers. The Class of 2020? That class, ranked No. 17 in the nation, was another abject failure. Of the 24 players in this class, there were few difference-makers. Three were transfers that were only here a year – PK Jose Borregales, QB D’Eriq King and DL Quincy Roche. Of 12 players that transferred out, Jaylan Knighton and Key’Shawn Smith had good one-year contributions, and Corey Flagg was a two-year starter who was okay and is now likely a backup. Then there are returners QB Tyler Van Dyke, WR Xavier Restrepo and OL Jalen Rivers, who all weren’t big impacts last year but have plenty of potential (including Van Dyke winning ACC Offensive Rookie of the Year honors two years ago). So as you add up the above, there’s not consistency of excellence for more than one year, and that’s not a way to build a program.

It’s why a program finishes 7-6, 6-7, 8-3, 7-5 and then 5-7. 19 years, one 10-win season.

So can the Class of 2021 that ranked No. 10 in the nation help be a turning point class for Cristobal and this program?

Let’s take a closer look:

Charleston Rambo with Key’Shawn Smith (Photo by Doug Murray/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

GRADUATED MIAMI / LEFT FOR NFL EARLY (3)

* DE Deandre Johnson was a transfer addition from Tennessee, and he played linebacker there but UM used him at end in his one year of eligibility in 2021. Johnson started the final 10 games and finished with 26 tackles, eight for losses, and 4.5 sacks with five QB hurries. Johnson signed with the Miami Dolphins, was cut, and last season caught on with the XFL’s Houston Roughnecks. He had 15 tackles in nine games off the bench … playing linebacker.

* Charleston Rambo transferred from Oklahoma to UM, and he had a record-breaking season in 2021 before heading to the NFL where he went undrafted and landed with the Eagles. Rambo formed a great connection with QB Tyler Van Dyke, ending with 79 catches for 1,172 yards and seven TDs. Rambo never played for the Eagles but was a first round pick of the XFL’s Orlando Guardians and in 10 games had 35 catches for 430 yards (on 490 targets) with three TDs with a long of 81 yards. Then in May he signed with the Eagles and hopes to make it this season in the NFL.

* This was the class that saw CB Tyrique Stevenson added out of the transfer portal from Georgia. In 2021 he was solid with 43 tackles, 2.5 for loss, an interception and four pass breakups. Then last season he had 25 tackles with nine pass breakups and two interceptions. He was a second round pick of the Chicago Bears.

STATE OF THE U 2023: 2019 recruiting class analysis … 2020 analysis

TRANSFERS OUT FROM MIAMI / DEPARTED (NOT FOR NFL) WITH ELIGIBILITY REMAINING (9)

* TE Kahlil Brantley never made movement up a stacked tight ends depth chart and transferred to FAU after this past season.

* WR Romello Brinson had one major highlight at Miami: His one-handed TD grab vs. Central Connecticut State in 2021. Otherwise he was mired down the depth chart and after last season transferred to SMU to join former Miami coordinator Rhett Lashlee.

* RB Cody Brown signed with Tennessee in the class of 2021 but was released from his letter of intent there after the coaching staff change and chose Miami. He was buried down the depth chart at UM and entered the transfer portal in April of 2021. He landed at Virginia and appeared in three games last season with two rushing attempts for four yards.

* Thomas Davis was sort of a tweener at Miami who at different points worked at linebacker or defensive end. He never worked his way up the depth chart and transferred in April to App State.

* RB Thaddius Franklin was supposed to be that power back with speed Miami was missing, but he never put it all together and transferred to Louisiana-Monroe after last season. He had 23 carries for 174 yards and two TDs in 2021, then last year ran for 213 yards on 50 attempts with five TDs.

Jake Garcia (photo by Neil Gershman)

* QB Jake Garcia was a highly touted recruit who never emerged. In his freshman year 2021 he was 11-14 for 147 yards with two TDs last year in his lone appearance against Central Connecticut State. But he suffered a season-ending injury in that game. He got opportunities to start last year when Tyler Van Dyke was injured but struggled with decision-making and accuracy. In eight games he was 68-of-115 passing for 803 yards with five touchdowns and four interceptions. He’s now moved on to Missouri.

* DT Allan Haye was buried down the depth chart in his time at Miami and transferred to Temple after the season … meaning he will be playing against the Canes this season.

* DE Jabari Ishmael, whose father is a longtime Miami weight room assistant, never panned out during his time at UM in part because he struggled to add weight and also due to injury. He will play for Marshall this coming season.

* LB Deshawn Troutman had legal issues after serving as a backup in 2021 (5 tackles) and wound up entering the transfer portal. His current playing situation is unclear.

ANTICIPATED STARTERS (5)

* TE Elijah Arroyo has a lot of untapped potential and is likely to fulfill it this season after missing most of last year injured. In 2021 behind Will Mallory he had five catches for 86 yards and a TD, then last season in five games had five catches for 66 yards. He has a good combination of size, strength and receiving ability and is the anticipated starter … Oregon transfer Cam McCormick is bigger and stronger but doesn’t have the same pass catching ability. We expect Arroyo to start over McCormick, Jaleel Skinner and the freshmen TEs.

* PK Andres Borregales took over for big brother Jose in 2021, and in Year 1 he made 17 of 21 attempts with a long of 55 yards. His kickoffs were an issue, with only 37 of 82 going for touchbacks. But then this past season he showed a stronger leg with 37 touchbacks on 57 kickoffs, and he made 17 of 20 kicks. He says he’s gained more strength this off-season, so he’s in line for a solid 2023.

All-American Kam Kinchens (Icon Sportswire / Contributor PhotoG/Getty)

* Kam Kinchens is a returning All-American safety after his breakout 2022 season in which he had a team-high 59 tackles and six interceptions. He first started to emerge in 2021 after Bubba Bolden went down with injury, showing great instincts and tackling ability. He started the final five games that year and ended with 44 tackles and four pass breakups. He’s considered a high NFL draft pick heading into this season.

* DT Leonard Taylor had some All-American moments last season … but he lacked consistency. Overall Taylor had 24 tackles with 10.5 TFL and three sacks. In 2021 Taylor played in the final nine games and started to show how disruptive he can be with 21 tackles, 7.5 for losses and two sacks. If he puts it all together many feel he can be a first round NFL Draft pick.

* Safety James Williams is a former five-star signee who has shown glimpses of his tremendous potential. He started seven games in 2021 and ended with 31 tackles and two interceptions (he missed the final two games with injury). Then last year he played through some injury issues and had 58 tackles with 6 PBU and an interception. He teams with Kinchens to give Miami arguably the nation’s best safety duo.

BATTLING TO START (1)

* WR Jacolby George is looking to make this his breakout season, and he was with the ones in the spring but will have to continue to step up this fall after the team added second portal window additions Tyler Harrell and Shemar Kirk. Last season George missed five games and had 13 catches for 130 yards; in 2021 he had 183 yards and a TD.

ANTICIPATED BACKUPS (6)

* With Miami adding four transfer portal players this year CB Malik Curtis has a long climb up the depth chart if he’s going to be on the two-deep.

* OT Michael McLaughlin is a bit of a project and it remains unlikely that he has much of a role this season.

* Ryan Rodriguez will work behind transfer center Matt Lee but has a long way to go to be a dominant player.

* OG/C Laurence Seymore got some reps due to injuries to starters last season but struggled, and he’s in line for a backup guard role this year.

* WR Brashard Smith is a versatile offensive weapon who can create excitement every time he touches the ball … and he also will get some handoffs here and there. We see him getting some reps this year, but he’ll work behind Xavier Restrepo in the slot and will also have to hold off true freshman speed demon Ray Ray Joseph. Smith’s struggled to hold onto the ball in the past, so that’s an issue that is holding him back. In 2021 he had 14 catches for 199 yards and two scores, adding six rushes for 23 yards. This past season he caught 33 balls for 308 yards and added three carries for 22 yards.

Brashard Smith (Icon Sportswire / Contributor PhotoG/Getty)

* Chase Smith looks the part of a dominant linebacker, but he’s suffered injuries every season and it just doesn’t look like it’s going to happen for him after the team brought in Francisco Mauigoa from the transfer portal and has Wesley Bissainthe looking like a solid future OLB.

SOUTH FLORIDA TOP-RATED PLAYERS THAT GOT AWAY (6)

* Dallas Turner, signed with Alabama. UM had a hot-and-cold recruitment with this talented linebacker and were never high in his picture. In his first year at Bama he started three games and earned Freshman All-American honors. He had 30 tackles, including 10 for losses and 8.5 sacks. Then this past season he started 10 games and had 37 tackles and four sacks.

* Jason Marshall, signed with Florida. It was a tough pill losing teammates Marshall and Corey Collier to UF. At one point it looked like the Canes would land Marshall, but then the Gators took the lead and never relinquished it. He played in every game at DB for UF in 2021, starting six, and had 23 tackles, two for losses, with an interception. Then this past season he started every game and had 29 tackles, 8 PBU, 1 TFL with an interception.

* Jacorey Brooks, signed with Alabama. UM would have loved to get Brooks on board but he was solid with ‘Bama down the stretch run of his recruitment. While he went to IMG as a senior, he’s from Miami and played for Booker T. Washington prior to that. In his freshman year at Alabama he played in every game and got a bigger role late in the season. He ended with 15 catches for 192 yards and two touchdowns (including a game-tying score with seconds remaining vs. Auburn). Then this past season he caught 39 passes for 674 yards with eight TDs. He added 7 KOR for 106 yards and blocked a punt, so he’s fared well on special teams also.

* Terrence Lewis, signed with Maryland. Lewis had some personal problems coming out of high school and it was a hot and cold Cane recruitment for him. It didn’t work out for him with the Terrapins and he transferred to UCF, was arrested in Miami-Dade for domestic battery but had the charges dropped. Then he announced his transfer from UCF last September. It’s unclear where he will wind up this season.

* Corey Collier, signed with Florida. UM tried to get him out of Miami Palmetto, but fell short. He played in two games as a freshman, then three last season and now has transferred to Nebraska.

* Tyreak Sapp, signed with Florida. Miami just was never high in his picture but did recruit him hard. He redshirted in 2021, then last season came off the bench and had 20 tackles with 2 QB hurries.

ANALYSIS

In the “what could have been category,” imagine if UM had landed Dallas Turner, Jacorey Brooks and Jason Marshall? to go with guys like Kam Kinchens, Leonard Taylor and James Williams? That’s a pretty good foundation for a program. But it is what it is, and those three got away.

Of the 24 players listed in this 2021 class, nine transferred out already, three were transfers in that have since departed, and we have six listed as anticipated backups. So when you point to the depth issues facing Mario Cristobal at numerous positions this season, look no further than this class. For the 2023 season, just two years removed from this class, only five are expected to play a big role … maybe six if Jacolby George emerges.

That’s not a real good success rate.

But the good news is there are stars in this class and the kind of NFL potential you want to build from … Tyrique Stevenson was a second-round pick this year and potential first rounders are Leonard Taylor, Kam Kinchens and maybe James Williams. Those first-round picks can also help lure future talent, since recruits want to see a program putting guys in that kind of position.

As we reflect on this group, by the way, it’s pretty much what could be called Miami’s COVID class since this was what Manny Diaz brought in during that pandemic year when no visits were allowed. So that helped Miami with local guys.

When you combine the depth issues this class brought to the program in conjunction with the issues of the classes of 2019 and 2020 we already pointed out … well, that’s what Mario Cristobal is battling as he works to reshape this roster.

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