Mario Cristobal: Hurricanes ‘not done’ in days leading up to Early Signing Period
The Hurricanes had a busy weekend recruiting, hosting numerous prospects for visits and securing commitments from transfers C.J. Clark and Savion Riley as well as 2025 linebacker Elijah Melendez.
But Miami coach Mario Cristobal said there is still plenty of work to be done in the next couple of days before the Early Signing Period starts on Wednesday.
“It’s not done,” Cristobal said in a radio interview on WQAM Monday morning. “You’ve seen it over the years. There’s always a surprise you don’t want to happen and then a surprise that you do want to happen as you get closer to signing day.
“It’s kind of neat. Our first full cycle class, they were freshmen this year and they were awesome. They did a great, great job, and now we have a chance to get our second full class. If you can knock out consecutive and multiple top-10 classes, that’s always the goal. … This class is going to be off the charts.”
Miami’s class is currently ranked seventh in the nation and includes five-star defensive lineman Justin Scott and local stars like St. Thomas Aquinas four-star wide receiver Chance Robinson and Chaminade-Madonna four-star receiver Joshisa “JoJo” Trader and safety Zaquan Patterson, among other talented players.
But the Hurricanes are hoping to add more talented players this week, most of whom are committed to other programs.
Miami Central five-star defensive lineman Armondo Blount (Florida State), St. Thomas Aquinas four-star running back Jordan Lyle (Ohio State) and Largo four-star linebacker Adarius Hayes (Florida) all visited Miami over the weekend to hear Cristobal and the the UM staff’s final pitch before the signing period.
One prospect who was not on campus was the No. 1 player in the nation: Chaminade-Madonna wide receiver Jeremiah Smith. Smith has been committed to Ohio State since Dec. 14, 2022, but he has remained open to hearing from the hometown program, as well as other Florida schools. If the Hurricanes poach him from the Buckeyes, it would send shockwaves through the recruiting world on Wednesday.
Two players who had been committed to Miami for months, linebacker Vincent Shavers and offensive lineman Kavion Broussard, will not be a part of the class on Wednesday. Broussard flipped to Ole Miss on Sunday. Shavers has not publicly decommitted, but 247Sports reported that he is not expected to be part of the class. Miami has also lost nine players to the transfer portal since the season ended, though Cristobal hinted that those were not unexpected.
“Miami was at an ungodly rate, in previous years, of decommitments. I think almost 75 in a seven-, eight-year span. You’d like to always limit that to a couple a year,” Cristobal said. “You usually know what’s up. That’s the thing: defections, when you lose guys in the transfer portal, a guy decommits, you can’t comment on it, but let’s call it what it is, man. A lot of times, you’re moving on, too, and you’re trying to fish for bigger ones. That’s the nature of the beast.”
The Hurricanes are also busy recruiting players who are transferring from other schools. They landed Clark on Friday night, poaching him from ACC rival N.C. State, before picking up a commitment from Riley on Saturday.
“When this portal thing and all this other stuff started a few years back, I think it was frightening for everybody,” Cristobal said. “Now it’s more of an exciting time, quite honestly, just because of opportunity. You have an opportunity to enhance yourself everywhere.”
The Hurricanes are still recruiting their most important portal addition: a quarterback. Washington State transfer Cam Ward visited Miami and FSU last week and is thinking over his decision. Miami also hosted Kansas State transfer Will Howard, who also visited USC.
“We’re hitting the right spots in the areas we feel we need veteran players that have experience,” Cristobal said. “It’s going really, really well. I can’t comment on the rest, and it will continue to go well. We’re on the hunt relentlessly.”
