2019 Freshman 15: May Edition

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Stefan Adams

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Welcome to the third 2019 edition of the column I like to call “The Freshman 15”. If you’re a first time reader, this will be a focus on the rankings and the order of the top 15 uncommitted (to Miami) recruits the coaching staff is pursuing. At this time, players without offers will not be considered for the board.

The order will be based mainly on:

  • How likely a recruit is to commit to Miami at the time
  • Skill level
  • Miami's need at their position
This column will be updated throughout the cycle each month and will show movement up or down for each recruit as the list is updated.

From last month’s board, UM landed commitments from #12 S Keontra Smith and #14 LB Avery Huff. Miami’s priorities continue to be in the trenches and at DB, as well as trying to secure their QB in this class.

1. Evan Neal, OT/OG, Bradenton, FL (IMG Academy) (Last Month: 1)

Ht 6-7 | Wt 375 | 247 Composite: 4-Star, #41 Overall

Behind The Ranking: Neal is the prototypical top player on this board, thanks to his combination of talent, Miami’s need on the line, and the fact that he has family ties to the program. At 6’7” 375 pounds, I just call him “The Wall”. Neal has gone up against numerous top defensive linemen at various events and they were all hopelessly outmatched against him. He’s too big to get around and can overwhelm power rushers that try and go through him, while he is also quick enough to stone speed rushers.

In The Mix: In his most recent chat with us, Neal named Miami, FSU, Oklahoma, and Georgia as some schools chasing him hard.

Latest: Neal has been quiet lately and nothing has really changed with him in the past month. He took an unofficial visit to Miami for Junior Day in March and furthered his bond with the coaches. Neal also visited UF the very next week with the rest of his IMG team, as well as making a trip to FSU. Neal is the nephew of Miami great Cleveland Gary, was a born Hurricane, and has visited UM multiple times in the past year. He seems like a Miami lean right now, and our sources continue to feel strong on him ending up at Miami, despite him wanting to do his due diligence and take a lot of visits. While another team could always make a big push in the coming months, if he had to sign today, Miami would be the choice.

2. Michael Johnson Jr., QB, Eugene, Oregon (Sheldon) (Last Month: 2)

Ht 6-4 | Wt 190 | 247 Composite: 4-Star, #199 Overall

Behind The Ranking: Point blank, QB is the most important position in every class and the coaches have identified Johnson Jr. as their top target at gun-slinger. A true dual-threat, Johnson Jr. is electric on the ground by any usage of the word and can leave any defender in the dust. Through the air, he possesses a live arm that can make any throw on the field.

In The Mix: Johnson Jr.’s top 8 is Miami, FSU, Texas A&M, Arizona State, Penn State, Nebraska, LSU, and NC State.

Latest: Jon Richt recently flew across the country to visit Johnson Jr. for the second time in the last few months and the younger Richt has made quite an impression on the talented Oregon product. The most shocking development here is that presumed leader Oregon has taken themselves out of the race for Johnson Jr., whose dad is on the Ducks’ staff, after deciding to take a commitment from QB Cale Millen instead. UM feels like the new leader here right now thanks to Johnson Jr.’s long-standing relationship with the Richts, but the school that is really starting to build momentum is Nebraska. Johnson Jr. is a perfect fit in new head coach Scott Frost’s offense, so this process will come down to fit vs. relationships for Johnson Jr.

3. Mark-Antony Richards, RB/DB, West Palm Beach, FL (Wellington) (Last Month: 3)

Ht 6-1 | Wt 190 | 247 Composite: 4-Star, #79 Overall

Behind The Ranking: Running back, safety, receiver, quarterback, kicker, don’t matter. The book on Richards is simple: get him on the roster, figure out his position later. He’s that good. His speed and football instincts will play anywhere, and he loves offense, but Richards looks like an impact safety to me.

In The Mix: Miami, Auburn, Florida, Alabama, Ohio State, and others are making Richards think.

Latest: While the general belief is that Richards prefers offense, Miami has always seen Richards more on defense, but the Canes are actually starting to shift away from safety and are starting to see him more at corner. Richards is trying to play his recruitment very openly and make sure he takes a hard look at all his options before coming to a decision. Coaches from all of Richards’ favorites (Miami, Auburn, Florida, Alabama, Ohio State) came to Wellington to watch him practice this month and the Canes will have a battle on their hands to be sure before he decides in December at the earliest.

4. Tyrique Stevenson, CB/S, Miami, FL (Miami Southridge) (Last Month: 6)

Ht 6-2 | Wt 185 | 247 Composite: 4-Star, #68 Overall

Behind The Ranking: Stevenson just smothers receivers in the passing game and has that rare ability to take half the field away from an opposing offense. The South Dade star runs well for his size and features elite closing speed, while also showing potential as a rangy safety prospect.

In The Mix: Miami, Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, UF, and others are all fighting for Stevenson’s signature.

Latest: UM has put the full-court press on Stevenson lately, sending coach Ephraim Banda and a host of Hurricane players out to Southridge’s spring game to watch Stevenson play last week. The Canes are in good standing for Stevenson and he has been on campus about a million times at Miami, so the visits aren’t what it’s about anymore. It’s going to come down to how receptive Stevenson is to other schools, and he’s also made multiple visits to UGA, including one two weeks back. Bama, Auburn, and UF are also pushing for Stevenson, but a decision won’t come until September at the earliest.

5. Khris Bogle, DE, Fort Lauderdale, FL (Cardinal Gibbons) (Last Month: 4)

Ht 6-4 | Wt 210 | 247 Composite: 4-Star, #74 Overall

Behind The Ranking: Bogle makes his living in the opponent backfield and it’s tough for offensive linemen to square up on him with his speed off the edge. While he needs to add weight for the next level, Bogle’s first step is devastating and he has the potential to be a dynamic pass rusher for whichever team lands his services.

In The Mix: Here I go - Miami, FSU, Florida, Clemson, Alabama, LSU, Tennessee, Oregon, USC, Oklahoma, Penn State, Ohio State, Texas A&M, and Georgia (whew) make up Bogle’s Final Four…teen.

Latest: The Canes remain in a good place with Bogle, who is planning on taking his recruitment until the very end in February. While some thought other in-state schools like FSU or Florida would be the biggest hurdle for Miami to overcome, we’re hearing it is actually Tennessee that is the program that has made a real move with Bogle and will challenge UM. Bogle is coming off an official to Rocky Top and had huge praise for the program. Bogle also recently visited Miami and UF in the past few weeks unofficially. The gameplan has always been the same with Bogle: stay in his ear for as much as possible to survive and outlast the other contenders.

6. Braylen Ingraham, DT, Fort Lauderdale, FL (St. Thomas Aquinas) (Last Month: 10)

Ht 6-4 | Wt 260 | 247 Composite: 4-Star, #230 Overall

Behind The Ranking: Ingraham is the type of hybrid prospect the Canes love, with the ability to play both inside and outside on the D-Line. The Hurricanes would likely move him to DT as he continues to grow to allow his speed and athleticism to become a mismatch against slower offensive guards.

In The Mix: Miami is Ingraham’s leader, with Alabama, Oklahoma, Florida, Oregon, and Kentucky in the game.

Latest: Ingraham continues to publicly list Miami as his leader. Ingraham visited Miami for Junior Day in March, saw Oklahoma in April for his first official visit, and has a second official set up to Kentucky in June. He also saw Alabama unofficially this spring. Now that he’s gone on some trips and seen some sights, Ingraham has something to compare to Miami. We’d feel better if he just pulled the trigger for UM sooner rather than later instead of dragging it out, but this is Miami’s one to lose for now.

7. Josh Sanguinetti, CB, Fort Lauderdale, FL (University School) (Last Month: 8)

Ht 6-2 | Wt 170 | 247 Composite: 4-Star, #114 Overall

Behind The Ranking: Sanguinetti has next-level instincts at DB and displays great hip-flip when running with receivers. He’d make an outstanding corner at the next level.

In The Mix: In his most recent talk with us, Sanguinetti named Miami, Stanford, Oklahoma, Michigan, Florida, and Oregon as his favorites.

Latest: Sanguinetti is planning on making a top 10 group before his senior season starts, which jives with his timeline of playing the process out all the way until the end in February. He lists Miami, Stanford, Oklahoma, Michigan, Florida, and Oregon as the schools he knows will make that top group when it is announced. However, at this time, we see this as a Miami-Stanford battle until proven otherwise, with the main hurdle being Sanguinetti getting admitted to Stanford. Sanguinetti has also been adamant that he will play with his long-time friend and teammate Kenny McIntosh in college; if McIntosh, who is a Miami-lean, pulls the trigger for Miami soon, that puts a lot of pressure on Sanguinetti. If that happens, it’d likely be only a matter of time before Sanguinetti announces for UM.
 
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8. Chris Steele, CB, Bellflower, CA (St. John Bosco) (Last Month: NR)

Ht 6-1 | Wt 190 | 247 Composite: 4-Star, #39 Overall

Behind The Ranking: Miami will shoot it’s shot on the blue-chip corner who is fleet of foot, with quick hips and instincts to match. Steele is a true cover corner and he blankets receivers consistently.

In The Mix: Steele has a top 8 of Miami, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Penn State, South Carolina, USC, Oregon, and Florida.

Latest: Steele narrowed down his choices to a top 8 this month, then seemed to further parse down his list by setting his 5 official visits. The visits will go to Oklahoma, Florida, USC, and Miami, while Steele had previously OV’ed to LSU but eliminated them from contention afterwards. Steele has also already seen Oklahoma officially back in April. Steele finally set his long-rumored Miami official in stone, and that visit will take place on June 16th weekend. However, the Canes will have a lot of work to do, as the word behind the scenes is that Steele to UF is the most likely scenario at this point. After he’s done with all of his officials, Steele will commit publicly on July 7th.

9. Trey Sanders, RB, Bradenton, FL (IMG Academy) (Last: 15)

Ht 6-0 | Wt 210 | 247 Composite: 5-Star, #7 Overall

Behind The Ranking: Sanders is just a freak athlete, plain and simple. He sports incredible burst, balance, and vision, while also showing the awareness to do the little things well, like switching the ball to his outside hand when running. You probably couldn’t create a better RB prospect in a lab.

In The Mix: Miami, Florida, FSU, and Alabama are some top schools here.

Latest: Sanders has now visited Miami twice in the past few months and his relationship with Thomas Brown is what is keeping UM in the game here. Sources close to the situation have the Gators out in front for Sanders and his older brother just committed to play at UF as a preferred walk-on as well. Last we heard, though, Sanders’ brother to UF is not a done deal, and Miami is trying to work out a situation in which they can take his brother on at UM. It seems this will likely be a family decision for Sanders.

10. Kenny McIntosh, RB, Fort Lauderdale, FL (University School) (Last: 11)

Ht 6-1 | Wt 205 | 247 Composite: 4-Star, #167 Overall

Behind The Ranking: McIntosh has good burst through line of scrimmage to rip through arm tackles and attacks the second level. He runs with plus effort every time he touches the ball and always keeps his feet moving at first contact.

In The Mix: Miami is running in front, with Notre Dame, UF, and Oklahoma also involved.

Latest: Things continue to move in a positive direction for McIntosh and Miami, and not much has changed here. McIntosh last visited UM in March, popping up on campus for Junior Day, and recently went to Gainesville to see the Gators. Schools like Notre Dame, UF, and Oklahoma will hang around, but the Canes are expecting McIntosh in this class to pair with Marcus Crowley. I think that will be the two-man RB class, and of course if a five-star talent like Trey Sanders wants in, you take him no questions asked.

11. Darnell Wright, OT, Huntington, WV (Huntington) (Last Month: 7)

Ht 6-6 | Wt 290 | 247 Composite: 5-Star, #3 Overall

Behind The Ranking: A pure left tackle prospect, Wright is an advanced run-blocker and has the frame and athleticism to excel in pass protection with more development. He is also known for being proficient at the mental side of the game.

In The Mix: Ohio State was an early leader, but Tennessee has made a move over the Buckeyes and schools like Miami, Alabama, Clemson, Georgia, and Virginia Tech.

Latest: Mark Richt and Todd Hartley took a trip to Huntington to visit with Wright back in January when 2018 recruiting was still going on, showing just how badly UM wants Wright in this class and Wright told the coaches he’d make it to Coral Gables for an official in the fall. However, the longer he goes without making a trip or at least making concrete visit plans, the farther UM’s chances will fall to actually get him on campus and land his commitment. Despite Ohio State feeling confident, we’re hearing Tennessee is out in front for now, but summer visits to Clemson and Georgia could change things.

12. Jaquaze Sorrells, DT, Largo, FL (Largo) (Last Month: 9)

Ht 6-3 | Wt 285 | 247 Composite: 4-Star, #91 Overall

Behind The Ranking: Sorrells is well built, with a thick college-ready frame from head to toe. Sorrells has a natural bend about his style of play that lends itself to an ease of movement and agility for a man of his size. He has experience playing both inside and outside and is able to generate a powerful bull-rush with speed/power drives into offensive tackles.

In The Mix: Miami and Clemson are at the peak in Sorrells’ mind, while Florida and Texas A&M are trying to break through here.

Latest: Previously, there was a lot of noise that Sorrells was an imminent commitment to the Oregon Ducks. However, we are hearing Sorrells has cooled on Oregon after deciding he would not fit their 3-4 defense. The Canes are still hanging around for Sorrells and he most recently made a visit to UM for their Junior Day in March. How his relationship develops with new DL coach Jess Simpson over the summer will be essential in landing his commitment, because there won’t be time during the season: Sorrells has set his announcement date on August 27th.

13. Deyavie Hammond, OG, Brandenton, FL (IMG Academy) (Last Month: NR)

Ht 6-4 | Wt 320 | 247 Composite: 4-Star, #54 Overall

Behind The Ranking: Hammond is a tough presence in the interior of an O-Line and is hard to move when he anchors down. What sets him apart from others with size at this point is his light feet and he can slide quickly in either direction to protect the QB in pass-pro.

In The Mix: Miami, FSU, UF, Auburn, and Alabama are some schools involved with Hammond.

Latest: The Canes are in the picture with Hammond, and that seems to be enough for now. The young guard prospect frequently talks up UM, and plans a Coral Gables visit shortly, but schools like Auburn, Alabama, FSU, and UF are pushing hard. Hammond is coming off a visit to Tallahassee this past weekend to get to know new OL coach Greg Frey and has also visited Auburn, Florida, and Bama this spring. Don’t expect a decision with Hammond until after the season.

14. Keon Zipperer, TE, Lakeland, FL (Lakeland) (Last Month: NR)

Ht 6-2 | Wt 240 | 247 Composite: 4-Star, #124 Overall

Behind The Ranking: A flex tight end with wide receiver traits, Zipperer can line up all over the field and make a defense pay in a variety of ways. He has soft hands to reel in passes and creates separation with ease. He’s not just a pass-catcher though, and shows the ability to block with anger and take defenders out of plays.

In The Mix: Alabama, Clemson, Oklahoma, Florida, North Carolina, and Miami are a few that are pushing for Zipperer.

Latest: Zipperer’s most recent trip to a school was to see none other than the Miami Hurricanes, bringing along most of his family on the visit as well. It went well enough that the Canes are still considered one of his favorites, but the Gators are a team that will always be involved here and sent coach Larry Scott to his school 2 weeks back to continue to further their relationship. It also seems like a few out of state schools are beginning to make headway with Zipperer, and he’s planning trips to programs like UNC, Oklahoma, and Clemson this summer. However, I feel like Todd Hartley’s relationship with Zipperer will be tough to overcome and will at least keep UM in the game until the end.

15. Rian Davis, LB, Apopka, FL (Wekiva) (Last Month: NR)

Ht 6-3 | Wt 233 | 247 Composite: 4-Star, #170 Overall

Behind The Ranking: Davis has the size and athleticism to fit in any defensive scheme. He could transition seamlessly into a 3-4 edge rusher and cause havoc in opponent’s backfields, but he also has the size and instincts to play on the inside in a 4-3 defense if needed.

In The Mix: Davis’ top 12 list includes Miami, UGA, Oregon, Ohio State, Alabama, Texas, Clemson, Louisville, NC State, Indiana, Houston, and Arizona State.

Latest: Miami landed in Davis’ top 12 that was released earlier this month and the two parties will continue to further their relationship. Georgia is probably the program that is in the driver’s seat for now, but there is still time for a school like Miami to make their move, especially now that the linebacker board has cleared up a bit. We’ll know soon just how good of a shot UM has here: Davis is narrowing his list down to a top 3 on June 11th and will decide over the summer sometime right before the season.

Falling Off

5. Frank Ladson, WR: Committed to Clemson

13. Te'Cory Couch, CB: Committed to Michigan
 
Thanks for all the info. Disappointing to hear Steele looking UF bound of all places, but hopefully we can close on the majority of these guys.
 
Any insight on what you meant by UM trying to work something out with Sanders brother? Are they thinking a scholarship situation somehow?
 
Sounds like not too much positive going on with recruiting now but Paradise Camp will have us right back buzzin again
 
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I'm hoping we land Ingraham, Sorrels, Stevenson, Bogel, Sanguinetti, Richards, Neal, Hammond and Sanders. Would like Rian Davis too, but he seems destined to uga or gaytors.
 
Thanks for all the info. Disappointing to hear Steele looking UF bound of all places, but hopefully we can close on the majority of these guys.
He’s looking UF bound because he hasn’t taken an official to MIAMI yet, let’s wait till after June 16th and if he’s still UF bound. Then we move on, but after that Miami visit I doubt he will still be UF bound
 
He’s looking UF bound because he hasn’t taken an official to MIAMI yet, let’s wait till after June 16th and if he’s still UF bound. Then we move on, but after that Miami visit I doubt he will still be UF bound

Yeah, I'm curious if Dee has anything to add here...
 
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If that’s the case & both schools offer the brother, how much does mom being a fan of UF, play into the decision?

Yeah, she is and we reported that last month. It's definitely a factor. To be clear, I predicted Sanders to UF last month and I haven't heard anything lately to sway me off that. Canes are still fighting though and Thomas Brown has done great work here
 
Yes siiiirrrr.. whether we land majority or not... clearly the staff is recruiting NEED. positions so I hope the “why aren’t we recruiting this D-Lineman or O-Lineman is put to bed
 
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i just don't feel good about recruiting in general and Bogle/ Richards specifically. Are we in the year when the issue of players getting paid comes out of the closet?
 
Big Ups Stefan!

Love this write up in these slow days.



Wouldn't Trey Sanders brother have to pay more to be a preferred walk-on at Miami than UiF?

Are the academic requirements the same for preferred walk-ons at UM and UiF?
 
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We need to get Richards! I know he wants to play offense. We have to offer him on offense or he's going to go somewhere else
 
Big Ups Stefan!

Love this write up in these slow days.



Wouldn't Trey Sanders brother have to pay more to be a preferred walk-on at Miami than UiF?

Are the academic requirements the same for preferred walk-ons at UM and UiF?

With Trey Johnson gone, a scholarship opened for a Blueshirt. UF doesnt have the space for that option.
 
Thanks for all the info. Disappointing to hear Steele looking UF bound of all places, but hopefully we can close on the majority of these guys.

If he's UF bound, we have a shot. No doubt, UF is trying to use their recent NFL run of DBs. We just have to stay on him, like white on rice. If we're showing love to MJJ like this, we need to do the same thing w/ Steele.
 
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