With the early signing period coming to an end, the Miami Hurricanes’ coaching staff is taking inventory of the position groups on the roster still in need of more help and evaluating prospects that did not sign anywhere. A new 2020 target in that mold that has caught the staff’s attention comes from Duncanville (TX) in the form of Ennis Rakestraw, a cornerback coming off a big senior season after helping the Panthers to a runner-up finish in the Texas 6A state playoffs.
“I did good this year, I locked up some 5-stars and some top recruits, I did my job,” Rakestraw said. “I didn’t give up 100 yards to any receiver, some I held to 0 yards.”
Rakestraw’s incredible senior campaign has coincided with a huge increase in college attention, and has led to Power 5 offers from the Canes, Georgia, Baylor, South Carolina, Arkansas, Michigan State, and Kansas in the past week alone. Rakestraw attributes the turning point in his development to an Under Armour Camp in early 2019, a camp in which he was ultimately not invited to and turned away from.
“When I didn’t get into the camp, I actually cried because I was so mad that they wouldn’t even give me a chance,” Rakestraw said. “So I put that all into my game and I put a chip on my shoulder every time I stepped on the field. I remember walking up to the gate and them not letting me in, so that just fueled me to be greater.”
As the Canes only signed one cornerback in the early signing period, corner has become an even greater position of need heading into the final month of the cycle. With UM set on taking at least one, and possibly two, corners, CB coach Mike Rumph has zeroed in on Rakestraw as a prime target he’d like to add to his room.
“Coach Rumph had followed me on Twitter, said he liked my film and how I play and that he’s been evaluating me,” Rakestraw said. “He talked to the head coach about me and then called back and told me Miami was offering me… My interest in Miami is extremely high. Everyone knows the history of the Canes, the U. They put a lot of DB’s in the NFL - a lot of NFL legends, hall of famers played with the Canes.”
The 6-0 170 pound prospect has watched a few Miami games this season and cites a recent early entrant into the NFL Draft as his favorite UM player.
“My favorite Cane was #2, (Trajan) Bandy. I know I play just like him,” Rakestraw said. “He contributed well with the Canes, so I feel like if he did well there, I could too.”
Rumph and the rest of the staff have moved quickly on Rakestraw, getting him to lock in an official visit for the weekend of January 17th right after the dead period ends. In his first trip in the Miami area, Rakestraw already has a checklist of what he is hoping to see from the UM program.
“I’m going to be looking to see if it can be a home away from home, I want to see if they have a good coaching staff, academics, and just seeing if I’ll ever have a chance to show who I really am,” he said of his upcoming UM official visit.
In terms of other schools on his radar, Rakestraw says the process has become hectic as his senior tape makes the rounds, and he is hearing from a new school every single day.
“Georgia, South Carolina, all my current offers are trying to get me to take an official visit,” Rakestraw said. “I plan to take officials to Miami, Michigan State, Missouri, and I have one more visit left. I already took one earlier this fall to Colorado State, so I have four left… It’s a lot to think about because every day someone new contacts me. Just keeping it open right now.”
When could we see a decision coming from Rakestraw?
“National signing day. It might be before if I feel like I can’t wait any more, I’ll let the coach know of the school I commit to,” he said.
With so many new schools involved in this recruitment, it’s clear the staff that will ultimately win Rakestraw over will have developed the strongest relationship with him over the next month.
“It’s all about the coaches. No matter what, you’ll have to be around those coaches for the next 3 or 4 years of your life,” Rakestraw said. “You’ll be away from your family, so the coaches are going to be like another father figure. It’s really going to come down to the coaches and that’s what’s going to decide it for me. If I can feel like they are my family, like it’s a home away from home, that’s where I’m going to go… Distance does not play a part in the school I’ll choose.”
At the Opening Dallas Regional in March, Rakestraw clocked a 4.47 short shuttle and a 35.80 inch vertical leap.
“I did good this year, I locked up some 5-stars and some top recruits, I did my job,” Rakestraw said. “I didn’t give up 100 yards to any receiver, some I held to 0 yards.”
Rakestraw’s incredible senior campaign has coincided with a huge increase in college attention, and has led to Power 5 offers from the Canes, Georgia, Baylor, South Carolina, Arkansas, Michigan State, and Kansas in the past week alone. Rakestraw attributes the turning point in his development to an Under Armour Camp in early 2019, a camp in which he was ultimately not invited to and turned away from.
“When I didn’t get into the camp, I actually cried because I was so mad that they wouldn’t even give me a chance,” Rakestraw said. “So I put that all into my game and I put a chip on my shoulder every time I stepped on the field. I remember walking up to the gate and them not letting me in, so that just fueled me to be greater.”
As the Canes only signed one cornerback in the early signing period, corner has become an even greater position of need heading into the final month of the cycle. With UM set on taking at least one, and possibly two, corners, CB coach Mike Rumph has zeroed in on Rakestraw as a prime target he’d like to add to his room.
“Coach Rumph had followed me on Twitter, said he liked my film and how I play and that he’s been evaluating me,” Rakestraw said. “He talked to the head coach about me and then called back and told me Miami was offering me… My interest in Miami is extremely high. Everyone knows the history of the Canes, the U. They put a lot of DB’s in the NFL - a lot of NFL legends, hall of famers played with the Canes.”
The 6-0 170 pound prospect has watched a few Miami games this season and cites a recent early entrant into the NFL Draft as his favorite UM player.
“My favorite Cane was #2, (Trajan) Bandy. I know I play just like him,” Rakestraw said. “He contributed well with the Canes, so I feel like if he did well there, I could too.”
Rumph and the rest of the staff have moved quickly on Rakestraw, getting him to lock in an official visit for the weekend of January 17th right after the dead period ends. In his first trip in the Miami area, Rakestraw already has a checklist of what he is hoping to see from the UM program.
“I’m going to be looking to see if it can be a home away from home, I want to see if they have a good coaching staff, academics, and just seeing if I’ll ever have a chance to show who I really am,” he said of his upcoming UM official visit.
In terms of other schools on his radar, Rakestraw says the process has become hectic as his senior tape makes the rounds, and he is hearing from a new school every single day.
“Georgia, South Carolina, all my current offers are trying to get me to take an official visit,” Rakestraw said. “I plan to take officials to Miami, Michigan State, Missouri, and I have one more visit left. I already took one earlier this fall to Colorado State, so I have four left… It’s a lot to think about because every day someone new contacts me. Just keeping it open right now.”
When could we see a decision coming from Rakestraw?
“National signing day. It might be before if I feel like I can’t wait any more, I’ll let the coach know of the school I commit to,” he said.
With so many new schools involved in this recruitment, it’s clear the staff that will ultimately win Rakestraw over will have developed the strongest relationship with him over the next month.
“It’s all about the coaches. No matter what, you’ll have to be around those coaches for the next 3 or 4 years of your life,” Rakestraw said. “You’ll be away from your family, so the coaches are going to be like another father figure. It’s really going to come down to the coaches and that’s what’s going to decide it for me. If I can feel like they are my family, like it’s a home away from home, that’s where I’m going to go… Distance does not play a part in the school I’ll choose.”
At the Opening Dallas Regional in March, Rakestraw clocked a 4.47 short shuttle and a 35.80 inch vertical leap.
