The Recruiting Guidelines Recap to the Miami Hurricanes’ 2025 class

Final week was Nationwide Signing Day so it’s time to recap the 2025 recruiting class!

Or, relatively, the ghost of Nationwide Signing Day was final week. In years passed by, the primary Wednesday in February was THE day for recruiting. Gamers from across the nation would maintain their signing day ceremonies, and people recruiting battles that had been ongoing for a lot of months got here to a conclusion.

After the implementation of the Early Signing Interval, a time that got here to the forefront with the standardization of gamers enrolling early, the main target has shifted from February to December. There are only some gamers who haven’t signed by the point February comes round, so today, one which was once the head of the recruiting 12 months, has turn into nothing greater than a nostalgic afterthought.

However, we are able to take this time to place a pin within the 2025 recruiting class, and consider how Miami did constructing the roster of the longer term utilizing a template it’s best to all know by now: The Recruiting Guidelines!

A characteristic I wrote again in 2018, The Recruiting Guidelines define what I consider is the construction groups have to observe to construct championship rosters. I point out the date of publishing as a result of this was earlier than the introduction of the Switch Portal. However, the Portal is simply one other technique to plug in expertise on the prime of the roster to plug holes. See: Cam Ward transferring to Miami final 12 months. Nonetheless, I believe trying on the class by the lens of The Recruiting Guidelines can present the place Miami hit, and missed, within the 2025 recruiting class.

Miami not solely obtained a QB on this class, they obtained a REALLY GOOD QB on this class.

A 2-time State Champion who ended his HSFB profession on a 25 recreation successful streak, Milton (GA) QB Luke Nickel has the form of expertise Miami has sorely wanted on the QB place. Earlier recruits at this place have been extra roster filler than potential stars, however Nickel is a category above.

Nickel has racked up the awards for his unbelievable profession. Gatorade Georgia HSFB Participant of the 12 months. MaxPreps 1st group All-American. Landing Membership of Atlanta Georgia prime 50. 1st group All-State. And, lastly, after enduring as a 3-star recruit for two years, Nickel was FINALLY bumped as much as 4-star standing within the last rankings by the key recruiting websites.

Miami closely pursued Nickel and obtained him to commit earlier than his JUNIOR 12 months, when he was an unknown participant who hadn’t even began a recreation for Milton. However, he shined in an on-campus exercise and OC Shannon Dawson jumped to supply Nickel a scholarship and obtained him to commit. Together with his overdue rankings bump and the unbelievable assortment of accolades, awards, and CHAMPIONSHIPS, getting Nickel on this class is an enormous win for Miami.

Insofar as this Recruiting Rule, Miami did what they wanted to do. The usual is to get a QB yearly, with out fail, and Miami did simply that. Miami didn’t simply get “a heat physique” for the roster, they obtained an extremely proficient participant with championship pedigree, unbelievable particular person efficiency, and a ton of accolades to his credit score. Nickel is the form of participant Miami has seldom recruited from HS at this integral place lately, and represents a BIG step ahead for Miami’s recruiting course of total. Effectively carried out.

This rule isn’t as lower and dry as the primary rule, nevertheless it nonetheless issues.

While you take a look at recruits like Westlake Village (CA) Oaks Christian 5-star EDGE Hayden Lowe, Pembroke Pines (FL) West Broward 4-star WR Joshua Moore, New Iberia (LA) Westgate 4-star CB Jaboree Antoine, Hollywood (FL) Chaminade-Madonna 4-star CB Chris Ewald Jr., and others, there’s a clear sample of constant, and efficient, communication from Miami.

Within the circumstances of Lowe and Moore, they had been initially dedicated to USC and Florida, respectively. Miami, nonetheless, continued to work on these elite gamers and flipped them away from their earlier commitments. These forms of strikes don’t occur with out communication.

Antoine is a star participant from the center of SEC nation. The form of participant that doesn’t get away from LSU. And but, he’s enrolled at Miami. Ewald Jr. was being closely pursued by Georgia, however dedicated to Miami, and caught with that dedication. Once more, issues like that don’t occur with out clear and constant communication.

Within the inverse, former Miami commit Jacksonville (FL) Mandarin 4-star S Hylton Stubbs defected from Miami’s class and ended up signing with Florida. That’s to not say that Miami’s communication was absent from this recruitment, however clearly there was one other connection and communication that led the proficient defender to finish up elsewhere.

Miami has been a prime recruiting group below Mario Cristobal, and relationships and communication are the the explanation why that’s been true. The Canes have flipped Mark Fletcher, Jordan Lyle, and Justin Scott from Ohio State within the final 3 years, Lowe and Moore on this class, in addition to others. Communication and connection within the recruiting division have been going sturdy, and I count on that to proceed as we transfer ahead to the 2026 recruiting class and past.

This has been an space of energy for Miami over the previous few years, and that continued within the 2025 recruiting class.

The stats to assist this are sturdy, however not as overwhelming as in some earlier courses. Of Miami’s 21 HS signees, 13 are from Florida, 2 from Georgia, and 1 from every of the next: Alabama, California, Indiana, Louisiana, Nevada, and Ohio. Which means 62% of the signees on this class are Florida natives.

While you additional take into account gamers that Miami missed on or didn’t extremely prioritize (however nonetheless recruited) — guys like D.J. Pickett, Hylton Stubbs, Ben Hanks, Vernell Brown, Gavin Nix, Elijah Menendez, Dallas Wilson, Jamie Ffrench (sure, that’s the right spelling), Solomon Thomas, Javion Hilson, Jarquez Carter, Tarvos Alford — there was a transparent concentrate on recruiting native (or native Floridian) expertise on this class for Miami.

The 8 out of State signees for Miami crammed in areas of want and added unbelievable expertise. 5-star EDGE Hayden Lowe has been favorably in comparison with former Oregon star and prime 5 NFL draft choose Kayvon Thibodeaux, who as soon as starred on the similar HS as Lowe and was beforehand coached by Cristobal. He’ll compete for enjoying time as a freshman, most probably.

4-star OL SJ Alofaituli is the newest star from nationwide powerhouse Las Vegas (NV) Bishop Gorman to make his approach all the way down to Coral Gables. Many thought him to be the very best Heart prospect within the 2025 class, and Miami will push for him to start out there in 2026 after a 12 months behind a switch on the place.

Miami discovered 2 nice TE prospects in 6’7” Luka Gilbert (Ohio) and 2-way standout Brock Schott (Indiana). Each have the bodily construct and potential on the place that wasn’t current in any Florida recruit this 12 months, in order that’s why Miami went elsewhere to get what they wanted.

My solely grievance relative to this Recruiting Rule is the truth that I might have most popular to have closed on extra of the native gamers we missed on. However, by way of focusing domestically first and nationally second, I believe this class matches that invoice.

The addendum right here is the truth that Miami did yeoman’s work bringing South Florida natives house within the switch portal. Guys like Charles Brantley, Zaccariah Poyser, and Xavier Lucas, amongst others. So, whereas the share of native HS signees was good, however not as sturdy as in earlier years (like 2021 which had 91% native signees), that proportion improves when you think about the portal additions which have native roots as nicely.

Good however not elite on this one. Gotta lock down extra of the gamers from the highest of the listing domestically, however that’s a battle Miami’s been preventing for a lot of, a few years. That battle continues.

On the numbers, Miami did okay on Recruiting Rule #4. The Canes had been in a position to pull in 4 DL, 4 OL, and a pair of Tight Ends. That’s not the best variety of gamers alongside the road, nevertheless it’s not dangerous. Nonetheless, this group is a bunch of “huge dudes near the ball”, which is foundational roster constructing in Mario Cristobal’s estimation.

As talked about int he earlier rule, Gilbert is 6’7” and a former basketball participant and Schott is a well-built 6’4” at Tight Finish. That’s nice measurement for that place, although each can get a bit stronger in time.

Alongside the offensive line, tackles Demetrius Campbell and Jaden Wilkerson are 6’6” or taller and 300lbs or larger. That’s fairly the pair of bookends on this class, particularly when you think about each gamers have optimistic wingspans for his or her measurement. Guard Max Buchanan is 6’4” 275lbs with room to develop. He’s the primary blue chip of this group, and was a giant recruiting win over different Large 3 groups in-state. Heart S.J. Alofaituli was the prize of this group. The All-American from Bishop Gorman has elite expertise and nice potential, and at 6’3” 280lbs has good measurement and an incredible construct for that place shifting ahead.

On protection, 5-star EDGE Hayden Lowe stands 6’5” 250lbs. He’s tall with lengthy arms, however isn’t the largest/heaviest participant on the planet. That’s wonderful; his abilities are usually not tied to his bulk. Nonetheless, EDGE gamers have an effect on each the move recreation and run recreation, so Lowe counts. 4-star EDGE Herbert Scroggins III is 6’2” 235lbs and led the State of Georgia in Sacks. One other participant who will have an effect on the sport in a number of methods, with nice energy on the level of assault.

Micah Newton and Donta Simpson are each defensive tackles with stable frames. Newton is round 260lbs and Simpson is round 280lbs. Each can add some measurement and energy to resist the soiled work and bodily play on the inside of the line of defense. They won’t possible be requested to step into the fray as freshmen, however that’s typical. Gamers like Ahmad Moten had been in the identical boat as recruits, and finally developed into valued prime of the rotation gamers at this key place. Getting Newton and Simpson to hopefully do the identical sooner or later is a giant win for Miami.

There may be further measurement embedded at different positions on this recruiting class. Blue chip WR Joshua Moore is 6’4”-6’5” relying on which measurement you belief. Blue chip LB Kellen Wiley is a chiseled 6’4” 225lbs and appears the a part of a giant time linebacker the second he will get off the bus. DBs Chris Ewald Jr and Jaboree Antoine are each 6’1” with lengthy arms, a key bodily trait for his or her place.

Is there a 6’9” sort out a la Markel Bell on this class? No. Nonetheless, Miami did nicely in each amount and high quality of including measurement to the roster.

Right here’s one other rule that Miami executed nicely, however not flawlessly.

On offense, Malachi Toney and Girard Pringle Jr. are among the many quickest gamers within the nation, no matter place. Pringle Jr. specifically has clocked occasions within the 10.5 vary for the 100M sprint. Each are a menace to take any play of the sport the space, and that velocity can be a weapon in a number of areas of the sport.

Moreover, receivers Joshua Moore and Daylyn Upshaw have good velocity, however won’t be among the many quickest gamers on the planet. Defensive again Jaboree Antoine is one other participant who additionally participated in monitor in HS, and was a standout 400M hurdler together with lengthy leap and excessive leap. Fellow DB Bryce Fitzgerald additionally has expertise within the Excessive Bounce from HS, and routinely made huge, explosive performs on offense, protection, and particular groups as nicely, so his velocity is well-known.

DB Amari Wallace could be very athletic, however after sustaining a serious leg damage that stored him off the sphere for the fully of his senior 12 months, it stays to be seen how he recovers shifting ahead.

LB Kellen Wiley certified for Regionals on Triple Bounce as nicely, a testomony to his loopy athleticism at 6’4” 225lbs. Not essentially “velocity”, however Wiley showcases that talent on the gridiron usually.

In all, I’d say Miami did an enough, if unspectacular, job at including velocity to the roster on this class.

This Recruiting Rule is the payoff for Rule #2 about communication. Discuss is what builds relationships between coaches and gamers, however the visits are the tangible proof of actual connection between participant and program.

Each participant within the 2025 recruiting class took a number of visits to Coral Gables to go to Miami’s campus and athletic amenities. For many, the visits had been unfold over a number of years, going all the way in which again to January 2023, when prime 7v7 groups attending the primary main event of the 12 months, the Battle Miami 7v7 event, make their solution to campus for visits.

The draw back of this rule, nonetheless, is when dedicated or goal gamers go to different locations…or refuse to go to Miami. Such was the case with Hylton Stubbs earlier than he flipped to Florida, and DJ Pickett, who famously canceled a number of visits to Miami because the Canes pushed to flip him from LSU.

Visits aren’t all the time the factor that sway a recruit, however following them paints the image of how issues are going fairly nicely. For Miami within the 2025 recruiting class, the visits had been each a growth and bust for the way issues ended up understanding.

After the sixth ranked class in 2023, and eighth ranked class in 2024, Miami fell a bit to the thirteenth ranked class in 2025. Even with that slight slip down the rankings, Miami nonetheless had the very best class within the ACC for the third consecutive 12 months.

When you think about prime 5 Switch Portal courses within the final 4 years operating which have augmented these recruiting courses, a superb state of affairs will get even higher.

One more Recruiting Rule Miami was in a position to fulfill this 12 months, even with a slight downturn. You recognize you’re recruiting at an elite degree when a prime 15 class and one other finest in convention class is the outlier in a foul approach from what has been added not too long ago. Loopy, however true.

I’m of two minds right here. Let me clarify:

Miami did nicely to leverage relationships and experience to get a number of prime finish gamers on this class. Hayden Lowe. SJ Alofaituli. Malachi Toney. Chris Ewald. Girard Pringle. Kellen Wiley. And so on. In every of these cases, Miami performed to their strengths — whether or not that was an NFL Corridor of Fame participant turned coach, or a longstanding relationship with the participant or HS program, or household ties, or a transparent path to enjoying time — and that was a significant component in securing the dedication of the focused participant.

However, Miami did poorly in leveraging a ten win season, with the very best offense in America, and the very best QB within the nation, to safe a really elite class. The listing of misses is lengthy: DJ Pickett. Tarvos Alford. Ben Hanks Jr. Vernell Brown III. Dallas Wilson. Jarquez Carter. Jamie Ffrench. And there’s extra the place that got here from.

It has been posited elsewhere that the true worth of Miami’s electrical 2024 season can be seen by the haul within the 2026 recruiting class. I, nonetheless, consider that view could be very, VERY favorable, bordering on ridiculous. If Miami wasn’t in a position to parlay present 12 months success into a really elite recruiting class, how am I alleged to consider they are going to be in a position to take action subsequent 12 months, when Miami will possible take a step again with out the transformational skill of Cam Ward?

Certain, an improved protection may make up the distinction for an offense that may possible fall again a bit from being THE BEST OFFENSE IN THE COUNTRY, however I merely don’t purchase into the narrative that 2024’s on-field success will bear recruiting fruit in 2026.

I’ll say this: if ever there was a time that I might don’t have any downside being incorrect, that is approach excessive up on the listing.

TL;dr: Do I believe Miami recruited to their strengths in 2025? Sure. Do I believe they did it notably nicely? No, I don’t.

There have been loads of wins on the sphere and in recruiting path for Miami this 12 months. However, on the similar time, there have been losses on each that can not be ignored.

Miami received 10 video games in the course of the 2024 season. They went into the common season finale 60 minutes from an ACC Championship Sport look, and thus a probable School Soccer Playoff berth. This was the primary 10 win season since 2017. However, like 2017, issues got here crashing down on the bitter finish of the 12 months.

Included in these 10 wins had been wins over Florida, Florida State, Louisville, and Virginia Tech, so loads of good outcomes to indicate that issues are occurring the best trajectory. I might have appreciated the wins to have yielded higher outcomes on the path this cycle, however hopefully they are often a part of the muse to construct a prime 5 class in 2026 as a substitute.

It’s well-known that Mario Cristobal is a monster in the case of recruiting. Even with that being the case, the 2025 class was nonetheless a step backwards from what had been achieved beforehand. I do know it’s the very best class within the ACC, I do know there have been extra blue chip prospects that signed with Miami than any 2 different ACC groups mixed. However, the misses on the path had been huge ones, and that’s one thing that Miami nonetheless has to handle.

The Canes did nicely to observe The Recruiting Guidelines within the 2025 class, and may proceed to take action sooner or later. The mandatory addition, nonetheless, is getting a bigger share of the gamers on the TOP of the listing, notably domestically, however that’s a battle Miami’s been preventing for 25 years. Perhaps that is the 12 months they make strides alongside that path.

On to the 2025 season and 2026 recruiting class we go!