2021 Lehigh Senior (FL) 3-star CB Tar'varish Dawson released his top 6 schools two weeks back and the Miami Hurricanes made the cut, along with Auburn, South Carolina, Minnesota, Louisville, and UCF.
“I just think it’s the right time because the quarantine messed everything up, so I can’t really visit schools anyway,” Dawson said. “I’m basically just going by what schools tell me, so really I’m taking a chance and hopefully I’m making the right choice.”
The Canes were one of Dawson’s first offers over a year ago back in May of 2019, and the Lehigh Senior star says the long-time connection with UM helped them made his cut.
“Miami’s been there since day 1,” Dawson said. “They’ve visited me at school, I’ve talked to all the coaches, the head coach. I’ve visited there like 4 times already, and I was going to visit again for a spring practice, but it got cancelled. So I felt like they should be in my top 6.”
The 5-10 175 pound prospect is an athlete that UM is recruiting as a corner, and Dawson talks mostly with cornerbacks coach Mike Rumph on Miami’s staff. Dawson says he’s learned a lot from the former NFL corner in their discussions about the corner position.
“We have a good relationship,” Dawson said of Rumph. “He talks to me about certain things a DB is supposed to do and how they do it in Miami. He teaches me a lot of things, he shows me videos breaking down DB’s.”
Dawson has been a frequent visitor to Coral Gables ever since he was offered and he says the UM coaches are pushing him to take another trip to see the Canes following the end of the campus shutdowns.
“They were saying I need to come visit after this is over,” Dawson said of Miami. “I think it will be an official visit because it’s already summer and I wanted to make a decision after I visited all of my top schools. I really want to decide before the season because I don’t want to be making visits during my season.”
Another school that made Dawson’s top list is Auburn, and although he hasn’t seen the Tigers’ campus before, Dawson says AU is squarely in the mix because they will allow him to play multiple positions.
“Auburn is all about talking business,” Dawson said. “They talk about putting me on both sides of the ball, and that’s something I want to do in college because I’ve had a dream of doing that.”
For his Lehigh Senior team, Dawson operates as a swiss army knife that is moved all over the field, playing wildcat quarterback, running back, receiver, cornerback, and safety. On offense as a junior last season, he recorded 206 rushing yards and 3 TD’s, plus 19 catches for 293 yards and 3 TD’s through the air, along with a kick return TD on special teams; on defense, Dawson had 10 tackles, 3 INT’s, 2 PBU’s, 1 FF, 1 FR, and a blocked kick.
“I’ve seen a lot of great players play on both sides of the ball, win a Heisman, and then do great at the next level in the NFL and I feel I could do it too,” Dawson said. “I’ve always wanted to play both sides, like Charles Wooden. I want to bring that back to college.”
Dawson’s top 6 schools are the ones he plans to focus on moving forward, but he says he doesn’t rule out other programs on the outside jumping into his favorites down the line.
“Clemson’s been hitting me up lately,” Dawson said. “I didn’t get the offer yet, but I was talking with the receivers coach. He was saying he loves my film and loves the way I play, so I think I’d be a great fit a Clemson too.”
“I just think it’s the right time because the quarantine messed everything up, so I can’t really visit schools anyway,” Dawson said. “I’m basically just going by what schools tell me, so really I’m taking a chance and hopefully I’m making the right choice.”
The Canes were one of Dawson’s first offers over a year ago back in May of 2019, and the Lehigh Senior star says the long-time connection with UM helped them made his cut.
“Miami’s been there since day 1,” Dawson said. “They’ve visited me at school, I’ve talked to all the coaches, the head coach. I’ve visited there like 4 times already, and I was going to visit again for a spring practice, but it got cancelled. So I felt like they should be in my top 6.”
The 5-10 175 pound prospect is an athlete that UM is recruiting as a corner, and Dawson talks mostly with cornerbacks coach Mike Rumph on Miami’s staff. Dawson says he’s learned a lot from the former NFL corner in their discussions about the corner position.
“We have a good relationship,” Dawson said of Rumph. “He talks to me about certain things a DB is supposed to do and how they do it in Miami. He teaches me a lot of things, he shows me videos breaking down DB’s.”
Dawson has been a frequent visitor to Coral Gables ever since he was offered and he says the UM coaches are pushing him to take another trip to see the Canes following the end of the campus shutdowns.
“They were saying I need to come visit after this is over,” Dawson said of Miami. “I think it will be an official visit because it’s already summer and I wanted to make a decision after I visited all of my top schools. I really want to decide before the season because I don’t want to be making visits during my season.”
Another school that made Dawson’s top list is Auburn, and although he hasn’t seen the Tigers’ campus before, Dawson says AU is squarely in the mix because they will allow him to play multiple positions.
“Auburn is all about talking business,” Dawson said. “They talk about putting me on both sides of the ball, and that’s something I want to do in college because I’ve had a dream of doing that.”
For his Lehigh Senior team, Dawson operates as a swiss army knife that is moved all over the field, playing wildcat quarterback, running back, receiver, cornerback, and safety. On offense as a junior last season, he recorded 206 rushing yards and 3 TD’s, plus 19 catches for 293 yards and 3 TD’s through the air, along with a kick return TD on special teams; on defense, Dawson had 10 tackles, 3 INT’s, 2 PBU’s, 1 FF, 1 FR, and a blocked kick.
“I’ve seen a lot of great players play on both sides of the ball, win a Heisman, and then do great at the next level in the NFL and I feel I could do it too,” Dawson said. “I’ve always wanted to play both sides, like Charles Wooden. I want to bring that back to college.”
Dawson’s top 6 schools are the ones he plans to focus on moving forward, but he says he doesn’t rule out other programs on the outside jumping into his favorites down the line.
“Clemson’s been hitting me up lately,” Dawson said. “I didn’t get the offer yet, but I was talking with the receivers coach. He was saying he loves my film and loves the way I play, so I think I’d be a great fit a Clemson too.”
