While Francis Mauigoa and Samson Okunlola received most of the attention in the ‘23 OL class, several inside the building felt the most talented signee was 6’6, 333-pound OT Tommy Kinsler from Ocala. Kinsler met with the CanesInSight Podcast to discuss spring football and more:
On his progress this spring: It's been going good. I've been starting to get better with the playbook. I’m moving quicker than I ever have before and just moving guys. Looking great. Technique got better. Everything got better with footwork, hand placements, just moving guys off the ball more easily now than last year.
On his overall development: I’ve improved a lot since last year. They'll tell you, too. Just working. That's all I've been doing. I’ve got a chip on my shoulder that I want to be great and make it to that starting position.
On his athletic background: Growing up, my mom had all my brothers and sisters play everything. Me and my brother, we started out from flag football, to baseball, to basketball. She even put us in soccer just to try it out. Once we grew up, she taught us football. Basketball helped me with my footwork and balance.
My first position playing football was center. Once I got older, they moved me all around. They put me at wide receiver at one point. You know I was scoring touchdowns. My favorite play, fade ball. Throw it to me. I’ll go grab it. They also put me at running back. I scored every time.
On choosing Miami: The reason I chose Miami was because of Coach Cristobal and Mirabal. Having a head coach in the offensive line room, we had that bond. I watched Coach Mirabal's stats coming up. He kept on me to say they really, really love the way I play. Florida was doing the same thing, but me and Cristobal and Mirabal, we had that really tight bond. They even checked up on my family and my godfather, Rondo Fernandez. Shout out to him. He's been through my journey.
On his interests outside of football: Just helping the kids. Giving back to the community. Rondo Fernandez inspired me to open my own business. He got arrested for drugs, but after he turned his life around to God, he opened up five businesses. He just sold two of them and he's sitting in a good spot right now.
On the OL playing pickup hoops: Matt McCoy, me and Cici (Mauigoa), we always talk about getting in the gym and going to that hoop. In the summer, we had four days off. So we took the whole team and went to the basketball court to play pick up basketball with each other. Everybody was having fun.
Matt McCoy is flashy. He’ll dunk on you. [Anez Cooper], he’ll just sit in the corner and shoot the ball. He thinks he’s LeBron. Really, he's Shaq. He needs to stick to the paint. He does have a nice shot.
Cici, just pass it to him in the paint and he’ll go to work. Me, I'm the point guard.
On growing up in Ocala: We really didn't have much to do but horse riding. I wanted to go horseback riding, but then I was like, “No, I ain't gonna do it.” They need a big horse.
We had a few spots in Gainesville, like Dave and Buster's, or in Orlando. In Ocala, it was really nothing. We just had to make something out of nothing. Down here, it's a lot. Everywhere you go, it's parties. You’ve got to stay focused down here.
On his pregame playlist: Rod Wave, number one, Lil Baby, and Kodak. I don't know why people say Rod Wave is always sad. They just need to listen to what he's talking about.
On his brother, 2026 prospect Jermaine Kinsler: He's going to be a dude. He shot past me already. He's just just growing, getting bigger and stronger (currently listed at 6’7, 260). He plays basketball, too, so if he can play both in college, that'd be awesome for him. But I still lock him up in basketball.
On the event he did at Sylvester Cancer Center with Canes Connection: It just made me feel better inside, to teach them things we learned in college and from coaches. I don't know if I’ll ever get to have these moments again. I'm just grateful for it.
