2021 4-star ATH Kamonte Grimes has been on the Miami Hurricanes’ radar for a while now, and the Palmetto Ridge (FL) star had visited Coral Gables three times without coming away with an offer. However, new receivers coach Rob Likens has been impressed with what he’s seen from Grimes on film, and Likens offered him a scholarship two weeks back.
“I’ve been up to the U multiple times, so they were always recruiting me, but they never offered. Once I got to speak with coach Likens, he was telling me how he really loved my film and loved everything about my game,” Grimes said. “I talked to him for 30-45 minutes, we were talking about the corona stuff and told me a little about himself. When he offered me, it really took me by surprise because I thought we were just going to have a conversation."
Since then, the pair have kept in touch frequently, and Grimes sees Likens as a coach he could play for down the line; although he is listed as an athlete and is being recruited at DB by some schools, Miami likes Grimes as a future WR.
“Coach Likens is a cool dude, I’m not going to lie, I really like him,” Grimes said. “We don’t a lot of football, we mainly talk life stuff and when we get on the phone, we’ll be laughing and joking.”
Grimes’ most recent visit to UM was for their junior day event back in late January, where he got to meet offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee and learn more about the offense that the former SMU OC will be bringing to Miami in 2020.
“When I went up there for their junior day, I met their new OC and we got to watch film together,” Grimes said. “He was showing us a lot of the stuff he was doing at other schools and how the offense was going to be and I’m not going to lie, the offense looks pretty deadly, it looks really good. It’s definitely a place I can see myself thriving at.
“Since I’ve been in high school, the only offense we run is spread. Our head coach just started calling the plays and he runs the exact same plays that our old OC used to run with his offense. It works best for us and how we play.”
Having already visited campus multiple times, Grimes says now that Miami has been actively building a relationship him, he has UM high on his list.
“One, it’s close to home. And then Miami is a beautiful place, you always have something to do,” Grimes said. “I also love the coaching staff, especially coach (Manny) Diaz. Coach Diaz is a really good salesman of Miami.”
Aside from Miami, Grimes points to schools such as Indiana, Nebraska, West Virginia, UCF, Michigan, and Kentucky as some programs that are beginning to stand out to him, but stressed that he’s not close to a decision just yet.
“I’d say my recruitment is 100% open. I’m at the point where I really don’t know where I’ll end up,” Grimes said. “I’m feeling a couple schools, but I don’t have my mind set on anything.
“I’m going to cut things down twice, probably to 10 or 8 (schools), then next will be 4. I’ll make my decision from there. I don’t know when I’m going to cut it down, I was going to wait until after spring and see what other offers I get. I want to be committed by my birthday, which is September. So the beginning of the football season, I’ll be committed.”
Michigan has been one program coming on strong for Grimes, and the Wolverines are recruiting the 6-2 185 pound athlete as a DB.
“I was planning on taking a spring official to Michigan before everything happened, they’re pushing heavy,” Grimes said. “They’re another school where we have just great conversations about family stuff, me and coach (Jim) Harbaugh and coach (Mike) Zordich. We don’t talk a lot of football.”
In 10 games as a junior during 2019, Grimes was used all over the field for the Bears, recording 28 catches for 578 receiving yards (20.6 ypc) and 7 TD catches, plus 62 rushing yards and a passing TD on offense; 14 tackles, 2 TFL, 1 INT, 1 FF and a TD on defense; and a punt return TD on special teams.
“I had a huge jump from sophomore to junior year. It was really a lot of work in the offseason in terms of route running,” Grimes said. “What really pushed me to work on my route running was reading how people were saying I couldn’t run routes. Route running is something I take pride in and something I’ve gotten a lot better at.”
Grimes acts as a utility player on both sides of the ball for Palmetto Ridge in high school, but says he has a preference for where he wants to end up in college.
“I really want to play offense, but wherever I’m needed, I’m going to play.”
At the Opening Miami Regional last February, Grimes posted a 4.65 shuttle time and a 32.90 inch vertical leap in testing.
“I’ve been up to the U multiple times, so they were always recruiting me, but they never offered. Once I got to speak with coach Likens, he was telling me how he really loved my film and loved everything about my game,” Grimes said. “I talked to him for 30-45 minutes, we were talking about the corona stuff and told me a little about himself. When he offered me, it really took me by surprise because I thought we were just going to have a conversation."
Since then, the pair have kept in touch frequently, and Grimes sees Likens as a coach he could play for down the line; although he is listed as an athlete and is being recruited at DB by some schools, Miami likes Grimes as a future WR.
“Coach Likens is a cool dude, I’m not going to lie, I really like him,” Grimes said. “We don’t a lot of football, we mainly talk life stuff and when we get on the phone, we’ll be laughing and joking.”
Grimes’ most recent visit to UM was for their junior day event back in late January, where he got to meet offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee and learn more about the offense that the former SMU OC will be bringing to Miami in 2020.
“When I went up there for their junior day, I met their new OC and we got to watch film together,” Grimes said. “He was showing us a lot of the stuff he was doing at other schools and how the offense was going to be and I’m not going to lie, the offense looks pretty deadly, it looks really good. It’s definitely a place I can see myself thriving at.
“Since I’ve been in high school, the only offense we run is spread. Our head coach just started calling the plays and he runs the exact same plays that our old OC used to run with his offense. It works best for us and how we play.”
Having already visited campus multiple times, Grimes says now that Miami has been actively building a relationship him, he has UM high on his list.
“One, it’s close to home. And then Miami is a beautiful place, you always have something to do,” Grimes said. “I also love the coaching staff, especially coach (Manny) Diaz. Coach Diaz is a really good salesman of Miami.”
Aside from Miami, Grimes points to schools such as Indiana, Nebraska, West Virginia, UCF, Michigan, and Kentucky as some programs that are beginning to stand out to him, but stressed that he’s not close to a decision just yet.
“I’d say my recruitment is 100% open. I’m at the point where I really don’t know where I’ll end up,” Grimes said. “I’m feeling a couple schools, but I don’t have my mind set on anything.
“I’m going to cut things down twice, probably to 10 or 8 (schools), then next will be 4. I’ll make my decision from there. I don’t know when I’m going to cut it down, I was going to wait until after spring and see what other offers I get. I want to be committed by my birthday, which is September. So the beginning of the football season, I’ll be committed.”
Michigan has been one program coming on strong for Grimes, and the Wolverines are recruiting the 6-2 185 pound athlete as a DB.
“I was planning on taking a spring official to Michigan before everything happened, they’re pushing heavy,” Grimes said. “They’re another school where we have just great conversations about family stuff, me and coach (Jim) Harbaugh and coach (Mike) Zordich. We don’t talk a lot of football.”
In 10 games as a junior during 2019, Grimes was used all over the field for the Bears, recording 28 catches for 578 receiving yards (20.6 ypc) and 7 TD catches, plus 62 rushing yards and a passing TD on offense; 14 tackles, 2 TFL, 1 INT, 1 FF and a TD on defense; and a punt return TD on special teams.
“I had a huge jump from sophomore to junior year. It was really a lot of work in the offseason in terms of route running,” Grimes said. “What really pushed me to work on my route running was reading how people were saying I couldn’t run routes. Route running is something I take pride in and something I’ve gotten a lot better at.”
Grimes acts as a utility player on both sides of the ball for Palmetto Ridge in high school, but says he has a preference for where he wants to end up in college.
“I really want to play offense, but wherever I’m needed, I’m going to play.”
At the Opening Miami Regional last February, Grimes posted a 4.65 shuttle time and a 32.90 inch vertical leap in testing.
