CanesNation55
Thunderdome
- Joined
- Dec 7, 2014
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The Hurricanes have two early signees on board - TE Jerome Washington signed Wednesday, and OL Jahair Jones inked with UM today.
"I'm still in New York, but I'm a Cane," minutes after inking the UM papers. "It feels good to be part of the tradition."
Other Cane targets that are early enrollees are Tim Irvin (longshot), Anthony Jones (FIU commit who many expect to flip to UM), Scott Patchan (Cane commit), Dexter Williams (Cane commit, 50/50 to graduate early), Jaquan Johnson (Cane commit), Charles Perry (Cane commit), Da'Vante Phillips (UM has good chance) and Tevon Coney (longshot). The early high school graduates do not sign binding paperwork before arriving on campus in January.
Certainly the two already on board can help UM immediately. Washington provides great size and athleticism at a position that graduates starter Clive Walford, and Jones will help solidify the weak offensive line depth and could even emerge as a first-year starter if Ereck Flowers opts to turn pro early.
Washington is a great recruiting story line, a prospect who just a year ago never imagined he'd be in this position.
He wasn't recruited out of Stony Brook (NY) High School, not even landing a I-AA offer. So he opted to play club football for Gattaca while attending Mercer Community College.
Gattaca coaches put together a highlight tape, sent it out, and UM was the first to come calling.
"One of our recruiting assistants did a great job with seeing it, watching it and passing it on,"
Cane offensive coordinator James Coley said. "After that a bunch of schools came about, but it's all about being first and identifying guys."
Washington landed a Cane offer Nov. 4, and he committed three days later.
Rutgers, Nebraska, Washington and Alabama were among the schools chasing the rangy tight end.
"It was a no-brainer once (Miami) offered," Washington said. "I know they have a great offense and that if they're recruiting me for tight end that they really want me because they're known for tight ends.
"Miami coaches said they liked the way I run my routes, the way I can catch the ball, that I'm big. They like what I can do with my size. I'm (263) but I can still run routes well."
Washington's size even had some offering him as an offensive lineman.
He was recruited to play tight end at UM and says he'll help out the program wherever he's needed.
"I want to play my freshman year, help the team win in any way that the coaches ask me, do whatever they tell me to do," he said. "I want to just play to the best of my ability."
His Gattaca coach, Manuel Galarza, says the Canes have landed a gem.
"He's a diamond-in-the-rough, a kid no one knew about," Galarza said. "He does so many things well. He's 6-5, has physical talent. He creates mismatches. It's hard to guard a guy like him with a DB or linebacker. I talked to coach (Larry) Scott about it - they feel he can come in and play right away.
"He has so much character, comes to work every day ready to go. He doesn't talk a lot, just comes to play and leads by example. The intangibles for him - he'll be in the weight room, in the classroom, will be bugging coaches about film. He's a perfectionist. He's 20, very mature, two years removed from high school. The last two years were difficult for him thinking it might all be over up until (UM offered) - `Was it worth it for me? Am I still going to play football at the next level?' He made it happen."
Coach Al Golden said of Washington that "`First of all, great character kid. He's got four years of eligibility, so it's a very unique situation for a junior college kid. So from that sense he's a freshman. He's coming in 6-4 and change and 263 pounds. ... He's coming in a big, physical kid. He can go get the ball. This is where he wanted to be, he made no bones about it. A lot of people came in and tried to get him. I think Larry (Scott) did a great job with him and James. He wanted to be a Miami Hurricane. We're excited about him. We'll have him at midyear. That part of it's good."
Golden added "At the end of the day 20 people offered him in a very short period of time. He got stronger, he's a worker, he's smart. He has all the requisite skills. I think he made the right choice. In his heart he knew he could play at the highest level. There's all different paths to get here, this is the path he and his mom chose. It worked out for him because he retained all his eligibility. I wouldn't' recommend that path if someone asked, me, but it really worked out for him and he's a great kid and can't wait to get him into camp."
Jahair Jones
Jones took a more traditional route to UM. A 3-star prospect out of ASA College in New York, he committed to Miami coaches Dec. 15.
Like Washington, Jones had no major offers coming out of high school.
"It's a big shock and a blessing to be at this point," Jones said. "It was a lot of hard work, listening and focusing and dialing in, understanding what coaches have to say, being able to be coachable."
Jones chose UM over Virginia Tech, and he also visited Ohio State.
The 6-foot-4, 315-pounder says he picked Miami "because it just felt like it was a better opportunity for me as a player and I saw the people around there (on his official visit), looked at the whole picture. And I want to play against Florida State, love that rivalry."
His expectations coming in early?
"To work hard, learn the system, lift and get stronger," Jones said.
Coaches told him he will play left tackle.
"The coaches said I can compete for a starting position," Jones said. "I'm going to work my butt of for when the season starts and I plan to start every game."
Jones arrives as a true sophomore - he was qualified out of high school and played one year at ASA College to get more interest. His team finished this season with a 6-2 record.
ASA College head coach Dennis Orlando said of Jones that "he was real comfortable down there at Miami - he's going to fit in there really well. He's a hard worker, is not a `me' guy, is a team guy. I think by him getting here in the spring he'll have a strong chance to contribute in the fall.
"He has the talent to be exceptional in run and pass blocking. He's raw right now because this is only his third year playing football. So he's a raw prospect, but with the right coaching he'll be really good."
"I'm still in New York, but I'm a Cane," minutes after inking the UM papers. "It feels good to be part of the tradition."
Other Cane targets that are early enrollees are Tim Irvin (longshot), Anthony Jones (FIU commit who many expect to flip to UM), Scott Patchan (Cane commit), Dexter Williams (Cane commit, 50/50 to graduate early), Jaquan Johnson (Cane commit), Charles Perry (Cane commit), Da'Vante Phillips (UM has good chance) and Tevon Coney (longshot). The early high school graduates do not sign binding paperwork before arriving on campus in January.
Certainly the two already on board can help UM immediately. Washington provides great size and athleticism at a position that graduates starter Clive Walford, and Jones will help solidify the weak offensive line depth and could even emerge as a first-year starter if Ereck Flowers opts to turn pro early.
Washington is a great recruiting story line, a prospect who just a year ago never imagined he'd be in this position.
He wasn't recruited out of Stony Brook (NY) High School, not even landing a I-AA offer. So he opted to play club football for Gattaca while attending Mercer Community College.
Gattaca coaches put together a highlight tape, sent it out, and UM was the first to come calling.
"One of our recruiting assistants did a great job with seeing it, watching it and passing it on,"
Cane offensive coordinator James Coley said. "After that a bunch of schools came about, but it's all about being first and identifying guys."
Washington landed a Cane offer Nov. 4, and he committed three days later.
Rutgers, Nebraska, Washington and Alabama were among the schools chasing the rangy tight end.
"It was a no-brainer once (Miami) offered," Washington said. "I know they have a great offense and that if they're recruiting me for tight end that they really want me because they're known for tight ends.
"Miami coaches said they liked the way I run my routes, the way I can catch the ball, that I'm big. They like what I can do with my size. I'm (263) but I can still run routes well."
Washington's size even had some offering him as an offensive lineman.
He was recruited to play tight end at UM and says he'll help out the program wherever he's needed.
"I want to play my freshman year, help the team win in any way that the coaches ask me, do whatever they tell me to do," he said. "I want to just play to the best of my ability."
His Gattaca coach, Manuel Galarza, says the Canes have landed a gem.
"He's a diamond-in-the-rough, a kid no one knew about," Galarza said. "He does so many things well. He's 6-5, has physical talent. He creates mismatches. It's hard to guard a guy like him with a DB or linebacker. I talked to coach (Larry) Scott about it - they feel he can come in and play right away.
"He has so much character, comes to work every day ready to go. He doesn't talk a lot, just comes to play and leads by example. The intangibles for him - he'll be in the weight room, in the classroom, will be bugging coaches about film. He's a perfectionist. He's 20, very mature, two years removed from high school. The last two years were difficult for him thinking it might all be over up until (UM offered) - `Was it worth it for me? Am I still going to play football at the next level?' He made it happen."
Coach Al Golden said of Washington that "`First of all, great character kid. He's got four years of eligibility, so it's a very unique situation for a junior college kid. So from that sense he's a freshman. He's coming in 6-4 and change and 263 pounds. ... He's coming in a big, physical kid. He can go get the ball. This is where he wanted to be, he made no bones about it. A lot of people came in and tried to get him. I think Larry (Scott) did a great job with him and James. He wanted to be a Miami Hurricane. We're excited about him. We'll have him at midyear. That part of it's good."
Golden added "At the end of the day 20 people offered him in a very short period of time. He got stronger, he's a worker, he's smart. He has all the requisite skills. I think he made the right choice. In his heart he knew he could play at the highest level. There's all different paths to get here, this is the path he and his mom chose. It worked out for him because he retained all his eligibility. I wouldn't' recommend that path if someone asked, me, but it really worked out for him and he's a great kid and can't wait to get him into camp."
Jahair Jones
Jones took a more traditional route to UM. A 3-star prospect out of ASA College in New York, he committed to Miami coaches Dec. 15.
Like Washington, Jones had no major offers coming out of high school.
"It's a big shock and a blessing to be at this point," Jones said. "It was a lot of hard work, listening and focusing and dialing in, understanding what coaches have to say, being able to be coachable."
Jones chose UM over Virginia Tech, and he also visited Ohio State.
The 6-foot-4, 315-pounder says he picked Miami "because it just felt like it was a better opportunity for me as a player and I saw the people around there (on his official visit), looked at the whole picture. And I want to play against Florida State, love that rivalry."
His expectations coming in early?
"To work hard, learn the system, lift and get stronger," Jones said.
Coaches told him he will play left tackle.
"The coaches said I can compete for a starting position," Jones said. "I'm going to work my butt of for when the season starts and I plan to start every game."
Jones arrives as a true sophomore - he was qualified out of high school and played one year at ASA College to get more interest. His team finished this season with a 6-2 record.
ASA College head coach Dennis Orlando said of Jones that "he was real comfortable down there at Miami - he's going to fit in there really well. He's a hard worker, is not a `me' guy, is a team guy. I think by him getting here in the spring he'll have a strong chance to contribute in the fall.
"He has the talent to be exceptional in run and pass blocking. He's raw right now because this is only his third year playing football. So he's a raw prospect, but with the right coaching he'll be really good."
