Excellent job overall, I give the class top to bottom an A- and I love the way we are stacking classes and hitting position groups over a 2 year HS haul. I would have like to do a little better locally (was a complex year and not a ton of high end), maybe one more big time DL, as we were involved with so many (inside or out)…To a lesser extent RB 2 or another pure safety, but those are a little nitpicking and can be taken care of with the portal. The portal means things are different nowadays, but now we only have 1 portal timeframe, so that could change approach as well. We are also at a 105 scholly limit and it’s clear the positions we are throwing numbers at are DL (specifically DT) and Corners (specifically some corners with size, as we don’t appear to be overly concerned with experience playing the safety position for instance, as we just what rangy kids that can run and are aggressive and we’ll find whether they fit best at outside corner, nickle or safety)
Overall I’d say our needs in terms of HS recruiting (often overlap with the portal, but not quite 100% the same) fell like this coming into Signing Day
Very important: DT/S/OL/LB
Important/Stack Talent: QB(Only this low bc of portal)/WR/CB/DE
Doing Well/Moderate Need: RB/TE
Can be very picky: None
Note: Kicker would be on the top line, but I’m confident we will grab one of the best from the portal.
As of now I believe we are done, but that’ s not a guarantee…For instance we were extremely high on Vallejo the DT committed to Michigan, so you never know what may happen in January. RB/S/DT/DE are the positions I could see them adding the right HS kid, although there are no names being mentioned at this time
QB: B I like Coleman and his 24-0 TD/INT is eye popping and he’s led his team to its second straight state championship game. I’m no QB expert, but there is definite arm talent here. The release is lightning, the arm strength is clearly there for most throws…But overall I must say, I liked the junior tape a little better than the senior. His deep ball is hanging/fluttering on him, and I don’t like the way he stands flat footed in the pocket. When you couple that with size concerns, I like Coleman but don’t love him. Portal Need: DEFINITE just a matter of whether you need a starter (most likely) OR if you think Nickle is ready then you need a backup/compeition …I don’t expect to see Coleman starting for a while but the arm talent is definitely there.
RB: B+. Lot to like with Mallory, excellent feet for a big back and seldom goes down on first contact. Slashes and finds the hole while also showing patience. Would have loved one more. Portal Need:- Moderate. I think this staff knows all 5 kids won’t come back, but if 2 leave for more PT then I think we will DEFINITELY take a portal kid, but right now I think we would only take one if a star falls in our lap. No idea what happened with Amari Latimer towards the end, he may have been someone we wanted, but mores on the cheap? and the Derrick Cooper saga was long and drawn out by sept/Oct. There is also the possibility of Elijah Lofton who had a so/so season at TE moving into the rotation and he and Latimer are similar.
WR: A Lot to like here and Wingo’s stock soared through a monster senior season. He is now ranked a top 8 WR on almost every list. I personally would have liked to see Jasen Lopez in this class as a pure slot, but it sounds like FSU was more serious about the hoops side of things for the kid. Vance Spafford projects to either slot or outside as there is serious speed there. Parris and Evans are similar, but Parris seems to be just a little more physical and half a step faster, Evans missed a large chunk of senior year but is a tall, smooth long-strider. Portal Need: MODERATE, alot is going to depend on who stays and goes…If Trader is gone, I think we make a play for a true #1 6’0 or taller WR, and we may do that regardless…OR we may spend somewhere else because we definitely have young talent here. I think we lose at least 1 more besides Ray Ray Joseph, so this need level is still up in the air, will know more in a few weeks.
OL: A Not much to say. CMC/Mirabal know what they are looking for. If Cantwell and one of the interior guys hit it’s an A+. Cantwell appears to not only have the upside but is so country strong and also intelligent that I think he has a very high floor to be ready by year 2 at the latest. I think Ervin is seriously underrated with NFL upside and *Woodrow *s underrated as well (recent glowing comments from a Hecht staffer in 247 interview). Sparks is from a good program and has good size to at least get in the mix at either interior position before his career is over. Pickett has to come back from injury and Congdon just keeps growing, both were in the bag by late spring while others were knocking on the door so they were all Plan A. But anyway I defer to these guys. Portal Need: NOT SURE just yet. I have a feeling we take 1, but is Bell coming back?, can Rodriguez be a starting center or do we need to go back for our yearly senior center? , is Cantwell ready?…So yeah I think we grab one starter but I just don’t know yet. Oku appears to ready to start at 1 position whether that is inside or can he bump outside where he was thought to be recruited at and listed as the backup to Mauigao at.
TE: A The two year haul here is incredible even if our top 2 players at the position were so/so. Cody Woodiel really quietly recruits his ass off. This is a telltale offseason for Lofton, as his stock fell somewhat. But we ain’t hurting with the talent behind him. Mueller’s stock absolutely took off as the season progressed and Briggs needs weight but has excellent upside. Portal Need: Moderate, but if Lofton is moving, or if we just the position to be more dynamic in this offense, or I’m overestimating what they see in the sophomores then sure we could go after one.
K: Incomplete. Didn’t take one…This will probably be a yearly portal thing for us. We may find a 4 year guy at one of the two spots every couple years.
DT: A- Love that we flooded this…Would have loved to keep James Johnson (who was supposedly so/so senior year after transferrer got MNW) around or sneak one of these whales, but they basically can name their price dealing with the usual SEC big boys that we ended up finishing second to 3rd to. And with the DL we are running out there right now, there is no reason for anyone to be complaining. Stancil is a legit 4* top 150-200 player, and is up in the 270-280 range right now. Clemson is a top 5-6 school recruiting these big DL boys and they had him locked up for months. Sainteus is raw but man can he move for a 300 lb. kid…He will be our 1 tech type, and has only played football for 2 years after coming from Haiti. Tyson Bacon was injured senior year, but has played up and down the line for a good program. I don’t see star potential in him, but he and Nagle are motor guys that continue to put on weight. Of the two I like Nagle better. Both have played outside, but will play DT here. Chukuwrah is a kid that may be able to play the bigger DE role or at least give us reps at both positions early in his career. AgaIn he was a long-time commit from a school that really has trotted out some nasty DL lately**. Portal Need:** We will definitely take 1…whether we go all out for a starter or just a rotational piece depends on whether Blount continues to play more DT or kicks outside full-time.
De: B+ Maybe not the home run class with a whale onboard (Lightfoot, Lowe) of the last two seasons for JT here, and like DT we flirted with a few (A.Jones) but it’s hard to doubt JT here, as he seems to really be evaluating and coaching these kids up. If Lowe lives up to his summer and fall pre-injury type it is ok to miss out a year on a top 50 type, and it’s worth noting that Deanthony Lafayette was coveted by JT and Hetherman back in spring before the LSU commit. He doesn’t have the prototype build but the arm length is ridiculous and every now and then one of these shorter pass rush kids becomes James Harrison. He is doing whatever he wants in his senior HS tae. And there is always the chance if the height disadvantage is too much to overcome you try him at LB and he becomes a Spencer Adkins who was a + player by the time he left UM. Ashari Charles is a little taller in the 6’2 range as well but is in everyone’s top 20 in state list, and if nothing else I believe there is a really high floor there. Uncanny strength for a 235 kid and he’s from a good program. Portal Need: Definite I would love to see us hit a home run and nab one of the top pass rushers available, mixing in with the youngsters here. But alot depends on where Blount is going to play and how quickly
LB B: Karsten Busch stock rose senior year and he kinda saved this class, as we continue to see what Hetherman is looking for at the position. His senior tape showed a nice step up, I just wonder about his change of direction. They weren’t going to drop Campbell despite tweener concerns and flirting with other programs as he’s made plays in Dade for 4 years. There are rumors he moves to edge where he played this year, but he’s only in the 215-220 range at the moment and played his junior year right around 200. Has played 5 or 6 positions on both sides of the ball in his 4 year HS career, I think they give him every chance to be a backer. Edwards shows good instincts and closing speed, but size is the question, I still think he was worth the take. Tough position to evaluate nowadays. Portal Need: One of biggest on the team. Alot is expected of Wiley. We are going to lose 1-2 kids to portal here, along with our starters, and maybe even more. There is a chance we even take more than 1 from portal.
CB: A Very nice haul here. I’ve loved Seat Belt Waters (another Armwood kid! used to be off limits for UM)( from Day 1. I think he he has NFL potential with his length and twitch. Wyman is also one of my favs and I think can also contribute in the return game. There are rumors about his lack of physicality, but there were with Bryce Fitzgerald too, and this kid is a corner not a safety so I think he’ll be fine. I think Jennings has one of the smoothest back pedals I’ve seen for a tall corner but in recent 247 interview an anonymous staffer says they think he has better potential at safety we’ll see. Either way Etheridge and Harris followed up the portal home run with an awesome HS haul Portal Need: Not really. I wouldn’t be shocked if we lose one of our big 4, I hope not, but we are just stacked there and someone may see 70 snaps and a big bag more alluring than what we are offering here. But even then I don’t think this is a need with Ja’boree Antoine, Chris Ewald, and these young in the wings.
Safety/Nickle: A- Grading Pure safety this was going to be more of a B, but with the similarities that the safety and nickle have in our defense and now the quotes that Portis will definitely be a nickle here (which I kinda predicted all along) and that Jennings could be a safety, (mild surprise because I like the kid at corner) I’m much less concerned. Portis is fast, tenacious and has plenty of highlights playing in the box. Cortez Redding is head hunter with tremendous instincts but at 175, sometimes head hunters can’t last in G5, that’s his only question mark as he is all over the field for his HS. JJ Dunnigan is a specimen with sub 11 speed, the level of comp may be safety but he was apparently an alpha in every camp and 7-7 setting. Position wise I think Dunningan’s possibilities are s/nick. Redding S/nick (he’s a natural safety with the most safety experience but again the size thing), Portis is a nickle for sure but all 3 may be in play for his career, and Jennings all 3 as well. Portal: Definite Nickle and Safety could both use help, we have starting caliber players but not much depth at either unless we move on oof our stud corners, I expect us to sign one big time starting caliber player at either safety or nickle, and maybe even an additional experienced depth piece.
I have seen it reported that either 28 or 29 of these 30 kids will be here in January, Sainteus is one that it rumored not being in Summer, but all this will be finalized in a couple weeks. The size and versatility of the DB I think alleviates some of the misses on the big safety prospects Fitzgerald, Stewart, Green that we are on…So again the only thing missing imo is landing one of the many whales at either of the DL positions. But we threw numbers at the DT position and we are obviously evaluating the portal well at that position with guys like Barrow and Blay the last two seasons. When Bain and Mesidor get drafted this year that can only continue to help our cause. D.Lewis will also have a full year under his belt and know more who he wants at DT.
The biggest challenges for the moment are Nickle/Portal QB decision and making sure Moten is on this team next year, I haven’t heard any rumors yet, but he seriously was one of the top 15 DT in college football this season, and can be the anchor of this line his senior year.
Local Grade: C-. Only think it’s a problem if this becomes a pattern, and i think it was obvious Miami wasn’t too keen on the two sport thing with Lopez and Russell. Don’t forget that Malachi Toney was a top 2-3 kid in this class last fall, he re-classified, we stuck with him and the rest his history. Dopson was the kid I wanted the most, but the re-class clouded the picture and that UNC bag is supposed to be really really big, and again… look what we bagged at CB?! There wasn’t many plan B locals at S/Nickle, DL, OL and those were our main positions of need. We had a big local haul in the '25 class and off to a great start this coming year so I don’t think this pattern continues.
Class Breakdown:
Tri-County: 2
Orlando/CFl: 4
SW Fl: 3
Jax: 3
Tampa: 2
NC: 3
Cal, Ga, Oh: 2
Al, Del, NJ, Mo, Ky, Ill, Ks: 1