CORAL GABLES, FLORIDA The Miami Hurricanes’ late-flip streak continued on Wednesday, the first day of the Early Signing Period. On Wednesday, Miami added four-star linebacker Adarius Hayes from Florida and five-star defensive lineman Armondo Blount from rival Florida State to its 2024 class
247Sports ranked the Hurricanes’ class first in the ACC and third nationally as of Wednesday evening. “So far, the class of ’24 has a chance, once again, to be what we strive to be,” Miami coach Mario Cristobal said. “The best in the conference and maybe the best in our history, maybe surpassing last year’s class.” Hayes and Blount were the latest in a string of successful flips in Miami in recent weeks. The Hurricanes flipped five-star defensive lineman Justin Scott from Ohio State at the end of November and added Ohio State running back Jordan Lyle on Monday, demonstrating the coaching staff’s tenacity and persistence on the recruiting trail. “I feel like Miami has always been in my heart,” Blount explained. “It never left, even when I flipped.” “It’s super important, critically important,” Cristobal stated. “The way you recruit must reflect the DNA of your program as well as what you do with your players in terms of preparation.” I think it’s a great way to show parents, Hey, this is our diligence in pursuing your son because we believe in the partnership we’re about to embark on.
“The Hurricanes had much of their 2024 recruiting class wrapped up in the early morning hours as their signees submitted their National Letters of Intent, leaving most of the expected signees with little suspense. Some, however, waited a little longer. Joshisa “JoJo” Trader, a four-star wide receiver from Chaminade-Madonna, sent his in following a signing ceremony at his school. Hayes also had his ceremony in the early afternoon, where he announced his flip.
Chance Robinson of St. Thomas Aquinas, one of the Hurricanes’ first commits in this year’s class, said he helped sway Lyle. “I talked to him all the time, like every day,” Robinson said. “He’s my man. We’ve been doing it since we were four years old.” Lyle and Trader were two of nine players from Broward or Miami-Dade County schools who signed with Miami. UM added four players from St. Thomas Aquinas in Fort Lauderdale (Lyle, wide receiver Robinson, defensive backs Romanas Frederique and Ryan Mack) and two from Chaminade-Madonna (Trader and safety Zaquan Patterson). They also signed Blount from Miami Central, Daylen Russell from Miami Columbus, and Chris Wheatley-Humphrey from South Broward.
“Just having somebody from your high school going to college with you, having that comfortability, that relationship early on, we’re going to have somebody to lean on,” Patterson said in an interview. Miami’s talent acquisition efforts are far from over after the early signing period. The Hurricanes have three transfer portal commitments and are still looking for the final domino: a starting quarterback. Cristobal didn’t say much about those efforts; other than that, they are still ongoing. “We continue to stay active to fill a couple of different needs,” Cristobal told reporters.
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