Earlier this month, 2021 Independence (TX) 4-star TE Elijah Arroyo chose the Miami Hurricanes over a host of other top national options, including UGA, LSU, Alabama, Penn State, and in-state Texas A&M to name a few. In pledging to the Canes, Arroyo became UM’s thirteenth commitment and second tight end in the 2021 class.
“It took me awhile to figure things out, I had realized I wanted to commit only a couple of days before I committed,” Arroyo said. “I talked on the phone with coach (Stephen) Field and we just had a good conversation talking about things. After the phone call, I was just really thinking hard about committing. I talked to my Grandpa and asked him for advice because I didn’t want to have to change my mind and decommit down the line. He told me to just sleep on it and if I felt the same way in the morning, then I should do it.”
When the time came for Arroyo to deliver the good news, he said the UM coaching staff was more than elated at his decision.
“I asked to group FaceTime the offensive staff and I told them ‘What would you guys do if I committed right now?’” Arroyo said. “Coach Field was on his boat, put his phone down, and he jumped into the water.”
Arroyo committed to the Hurricanes sight unseen, as he has been unable to visit this spring due to the campus shutdowns after receiving his offer in January. Miami was able to make up for that with OC Rhett Lashlee, who has had a strong connection with the local Texan going back to Lashlee's days at SMU.
“I know coach Lashlee and I know what he did with tight ends last year - I know the stats and I know the tight end that goes to SMU over there,” Arroyo said. “I know coach Lashlee knows how to use the tight end well. Also, I have a good relationship with him and coach Field and really the whole offensive staff, I really like them.”
Another reason the 6-4 210 pound prospect was comfortable committing to Miami without seeing the campus? His familiarity with the South Florida area.
“I lived in Miami until I was seven, and then I moved to Cancun, then Texas,” Arroyo said. “I have family down in Miami still and we still go down there for Christmas and Thanksgiving sometimes, so having family be able to be near me was another factor.”
Before the campus lockdowns went into effect, Arroyo took trips to see TCU, Auburn, and Alabama this spring, and he says he’s seen enough of other places – Arroyo says he is shutting down his recruitment from here on out.
“I don’t plan on taking any other visits,” he said.
In terms of the rest of Miami’s class, Arroyo says he is really only familiar with fellow 2021 TE Kahlil Brantley; Arroyo has also been trying to aid UM’s efforts to add more Texas talent to the class.
“We’ve been talking a little bit. We’re both excited to get down there and add to the legacy at Tight End U,” Arroyo said of Brantley. “There’s a few people here in Texas that I know Miami’s looking at that don’t have offers yet, and I’ve been trying to talk them up to the staff and trying to get them connected.”
With his own recruiting now out of the way, Arroyo is turning his focus to his senior year. Arroyo lines up all over the field at Independence as an H-Back, in-line, and in the slot, putting up a 47-648-5 line as a junior in 2019, and UM will likely want to use his versatility in a similar manner in Lashlee’s offense.
“I’m a big player with good hands, a big target,” Arroyo said. “I’m fast and a mismatch against linebackers. Really, I’m just a versatile tight end that the defense doesn’t know how to guard.”
What are Arroyo’s goals once he gets to Miami?
“First, I want to get a degree, then the goal is to get to the NFL. I want to win the Mackey Award, or at least be one of the finalists. And then just meet new people for networking after football.”
“It took me awhile to figure things out, I had realized I wanted to commit only a couple of days before I committed,” Arroyo said. “I talked on the phone with coach (Stephen) Field and we just had a good conversation talking about things. After the phone call, I was just really thinking hard about committing. I talked to my Grandpa and asked him for advice because I didn’t want to have to change my mind and decommit down the line. He told me to just sleep on it and if I felt the same way in the morning, then I should do it.”
When the time came for Arroyo to deliver the good news, he said the UM coaching staff was more than elated at his decision.
“I asked to group FaceTime the offensive staff and I told them ‘What would you guys do if I committed right now?’” Arroyo said. “Coach Field was on his boat, put his phone down, and he jumped into the water.”
Arroyo committed to the Hurricanes sight unseen, as he has been unable to visit this spring due to the campus shutdowns after receiving his offer in January. Miami was able to make up for that with OC Rhett Lashlee, who has had a strong connection with the local Texan going back to Lashlee's days at SMU.
“I know coach Lashlee and I know what he did with tight ends last year - I know the stats and I know the tight end that goes to SMU over there,” Arroyo said. “I know coach Lashlee knows how to use the tight end well. Also, I have a good relationship with him and coach Field and really the whole offensive staff, I really like them.”
Another reason the 6-4 210 pound prospect was comfortable committing to Miami without seeing the campus? His familiarity with the South Florida area.
“I lived in Miami until I was seven, and then I moved to Cancun, then Texas,” Arroyo said. “I have family down in Miami still and we still go down there for Christmas and Thanksgiving sometimes, so having family be able to be near me was another factor.”
Before the campus lockdowns went into effect, Arroyo took trips to see TCU, Auburn, and Alabama this spring, and he says he’s seen enough of other places – Arroyo says he is shutting down his recruitment from here on out.
“I don’t plan on taking any other visits,” he said.
In terms of the rest of Miami’s class, Arroyo says he is really only familiar with fellow 2021 TE Kahlil Brantley; Arroyo has also been trying to aid UM’s efforts to add more Texas talent to the class.
“We’ve been talking a little bit. We’re both excited to get down there and add to the legacy at Tight End U,” Arroyo said of Brantley. “There’s a few people here in Texas that I know Miami’s looking at that don’t have offers yet, and I’ve been trying to talk them up to the staff and trying to get them connected.”
With his own recruiting now out of the way, Arroyo is turning his focus to his senior year. Arroyo lines up all over the field at Independence as an H-Back, in-line, and in the slot, putting up a 47-648-5 line as a junior in 2019, and UM will likely want to use his versatility in a similar manner in Lashlee’s offense.
“I’m a big player with good hands, a big target,” Arroyo said. “I’m fast and a mismatch against linebackers. Really, I’m just a versatile tight end that the defense doesn’t know how to guard.”
What are Arroyo’s goals once he gets to Miami?
“First, I want to get a degree, then the goal is to get to the NFL. I want to win the Mackey Award, or at least be one of the finalists. And then just meet new people for networking after football.”
