2024 Miami Recruiting Storylines
Article photo: Jeremiah Smith from Chaminade-Madonna; photo credit All Hurricanes.
Here are a few of the key topics to consider as the Miami Hurricanes begin to start building their 2024 recruiting class. This recruiting class has some uniqueness to it, and some intriguing overall topics within that should be mentioned.
Continuing to Win Back South Florida
For the class of 2023, the Canes rallied to do a pretty good job in the greater Miami-Fort Lauderdale area to sign eight players. Could Miami reach 10 in the class of 2024? What about signing one or two more of the truly elite players?
That of course means trying to land players like Jeremiah Smith and Joshisa Trader, among others, from prominent programs like Chaminade-Madonna, as well as Miami (Central), St. Thomas Aquinas, etc.
How Miami does at the powerhouse programs is part of the story, but not all of it. The Hurricanes also need to still find a few of those diamonds in the rough that develop later in their high school careers and possess a high upside. One key point regardless of where a South Florida recruit is being placed in the recruiting rankings.
It’s a long, long, way to National Signing Day. There will be South Florida prospects that commit to other programs and the Canes must still go after them, and they will.
Remember, this is a marathon and not a sprint.
In-State Recruiting Versus Rivals
It’s Year 2 for Mario Cristobal at Miami and Billy Napier at Florida, plus Year 3 for Gus Malzahn at UCF (heading into the B12 this year), and Year 4 for Mike Norvell at Florida State.
In short, all of these head coaches have a much better understanding of where their programs were even a year ago. That also makes it more likely for more recruiting battles inside the Sunshine State.
Each staff has already begun recruiting numerous 2024 prospects and everyone, Cristobal and Napier included, now have gone through at least a year of recruiting underclassmen.
It’s just hard to imagine that there will not be more down-to-the-wire recruiting battles between any number of these programs.
How do the Canes Come Out With National Recruiting Battles?
Cristobal and his staff also have ties to states across the country. Look for them to still go after some elite talent outside of sunny Florida. That’s also when the Canes have to go into areas like Atlanta, New Orleans, Houston, and Los Angeles to win battles on another team’s turf.
These situations can provide a better look at Miami’s recruiting mojo. The Canes did really well this past year. Doing it again could also help produce another top five recruiting class.
Hitting Areas of Need
The Canes need at least one big-bodied receiver that can truly make a difference. Not a long-term project, but an impact receiver with size. There’s also a need for defensive tackle talent after signing only Joshua Horton in the class of 2023. He's good, but Miami needs more numbers at defensive tackle, and on the same level of talent as Horton, if not even higher.
After that, it’s about high-end talent across the board. If Miami does that to combine the 2024 recruits with the class of 2023, the Canes can change the direction of the football program in a hurry.
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