2021 Miami Northwestern (FL) TE Kahlil Brantley publicly committed to the Canes on Friday afternoon following his junior day visit to Miami, flipping his pledge from Utah.
The 6-3, 220-pounder is currently unranked in the national rankings, as not many class of 2021 prospects have earned a rating yet. His commitment moves Miami’s 2021 class ranking to #1 on 247Sports and #1 on Rivals.
The Player
Brantley originally committed to Utah, his first Power 5 offer, back in October, but has been open about wanting an offer from the hometown Canes. UM has been looking at him for a while now, and finally decided to pull the trigger on a scholarship when Brantley was on campus at junior day two weekends back. Brantley accepted on the spot and spent a week as a silent commitment before announcing for Miami on Friday. Oregon, Syracuse, and Missouri were also involved for Brantley as well.
While receiver is Brantley's primary position with the Bulls, Miami was actually originally interested in him as an athlete, and were looking at trying him out on the other side of the ball as a potential striker. However, when OC Dan Enos and TE coach Stephen Field watched his tape, they saw a tight end and that’s where the Canes plan to use Brantley as of now as he continues to fill out his body. UM wants to use Brantley’s skillset all over the field as an H-Back, fullback, and lining up in the slot. Brantley has grown considerably in the past year and a half from his previously listed 6’1” 165, and is now closer to 6’3” 220.
Right off the bat, Brantley shows plus concentration and hands on tape and gives his QB a large catch radius to work with. Northwestern loves to line Brantley up all over their formation, including in the backfield as a fullback, so he is comfortable being used as a chess piece and there will be a minimal transition to Enos’ offense and how UM plans to use him. Brantley is a red-zone threat that comes alive near the goal-line and can score in many ways. Demonstrates the ability to blow by his man off the line and beat him with speed, and can also body up and out-jump his defender on 50-50 tosses. Brantley shows physicality and toughness as a blocker, which is something you don’t see from a lot of young tight ends.
The Class
Brantley is the 8th commit overall (at the time) in the 2021 class and the first tight end in the class. Being nearly two years from the class of 2021’s signing day, it’s difficult to accurately predict how the numbers will shake out for this class with so many variables still undetermined. Right now, Miami has one commit in the 2020 class at TE in Naples (FL) 4-star Dominic Mammarelli.
If the Canes elect to take another TE, Miami would like that guy to be Jefferson (FL) 4-star Gage Wilcox. The 6’4” 215 pounder is already considered the #2 TE in the country by 247Sports and he camped at UM over the summer to earn his offer. Wilcox returned for a visit during the season for the Duke game and is high on the Canes, but most think UF leads here.
UM has a second early offer out to Jean Ribault’s (FL) Christopher Johnson, who the Canes have been recruiting for a year and a half now. Johnson has visited UM periodically in the time since and currently has no other offers, so Miami is running unopposed as of now. However, Johnson’s body has not developed as expected, as he is only 6’1” 170 right now, and the new offensive staff may choose to go in another direction if they want a second TE.
The Team
Miami doesn’t lose anybody at the position either this offseason or the following offseason, but transfers for some could be in the cards depending on how the playing rotation shakes out in the future.
By the time Brantley arrives in 2021, Brevin Jordan, Will Mallory, and Brian Polendey will be seniors and in full swing if they are still around, plus a junior Larry Hodges and a sophomore Dominic Mammarelli. Brantley will likely be well behind on the depth chart and take a back seat as a freshman. In 2022, the depth chart really opens up, and Brantley can compete with Mammarelli, Hodges, and whoever else UM recruits at the position for the starting nod. Brantley has All-ACC potential in as another moving part Enos’ motion-heavy offense.
The 6-3, 220-pounder is currently unranked in the national rankings, as not many class of 2021 prospects have earned a rating yet. His commitment moves Miami’s 2021 class ranking to #1 on 247Sports and #1 on Rivals.
The Player
Brantley originally committed to Utah, his first Power 5 offer, back in October, but has been open about wanting an offer from the hometown Canes. UM has been looking at him for a while now, and finally decided to pull the trigger on a scholarship when Brantley was on campus at junior day two weekends back. Brantley accepted on the spot and spent a week as a silent commitment before announcing for Miami on Friday. Oregon, Syracuse, and Missouri were also involved for Brantley as well.
While receiver is Brantley's primary position with the Bulls, Miami was actually originally interested in him as an athlete, and were looking at trying him out on the other side of the ball as a potential striker. However, when OC Dan Enos and TE coach Stephen Field watched his tape, they saw a tight end and that’s where the Canes plan to use Brantley as of now as he continues to fill out his body. UM wants to use Brantley’s skillset all over the field as an H-Back, fullback, and lining up in the slot. Brantley has grown considerably in the past year and a half from his previously listed 6’1” 165, and is now closer to 6’3” 220.
Right off the bat, Brantley shows plus concentration and hands on tape and gives his QB a large catch radius to work with. Northwestern loves to line Brantley up all over their formation, including in the backfield as a fullback, so he is comfortable being used as a chess piece and there will be a minimal transition to Enos’ offense and how UM plans to use him. Brantley is a red-zone threat that comes alive near the goal-line and can score in many ways. Demonstrates the ability to blow by his man off the line and beat him with speed, and can also body up and out-jump his defender on 50-50 tosses. Brantley shows physicality and toughness as a blocker, which is something you don’t see from a lot of young tight ends.
The Class
Brantley is the 8th commit overall (at the time) in the 2021 class and the first tight end in the class. Being nearly two years from the class of 2021’s signing day, it’s difficult to accurately predict how the numbers will shake out for this class with so many variables still undetermined. Right now, Miami has one commit in the 2020 class at TE in Naples (FL) 4-star Dominic Mammarelli.
If the Canes elect to take another TE, Miami would like that guy to be Jefferson (FL) 4-star Gage Wilcox. The 6’4” 215 pounder is already considered the #2 TE in the country by 247Sports and he camped at UM over the summer to earn his offer. Wilcox returned for a visit during the season for the Duke game and is high on the Canes, but most think UF leads here.
UM has a second early offer out to Jean Ribault’s (FL) Christopher Johnson, who the Canes have been recruiting for a year and a half now. Johnson has visited UM periodically in the time since and currently has no other offers, so Miami is running unopposed as of now. However, Johnson’s body has not developed as expected, as he is only 6’1” 170 right now, and the new offensive staff may choose to go in another direction if they want a second TE.
The Team
Miami doesn’t lose anybody at the position either this offseason or the following offseason, but transfers for some could be in the cards depending on how the playing rotation shakes out in the future.
By the time Brantley arrives in 2021, Brevin Jordan, Will Mallory, and Brian Polendey will be seniors and in full swing if they are still around, plus a junior Larry Hodges and a sophomore Dominic Mammarelli. Brantley will likely be well behind on the depth chart and take a back seat as a freshman. In 2022, the depth chart really opens up, and Brantley can compete with Mammarelli, Hodges, and whoever else UM recruits at the position for the starting nod. Brantley has All-ACC potential in as another moving part Enos’ motion-heavy offense.
