One of the most unforgettable “what ifs” in Miami Hurricanes history will be this one.
In the end, Miami was unable to sign either elite transfer quarterback Cam Ward or wide receiver Jeremiah Smith. On New Year’s Day, Ward announced his intention to enter the NFL Draft, while Smith chose to stick to his Ohio State commitment.
According to a recent article by Chris Hummer on 247 Sports, Miami appeared to be very close to obtaining them both.
Jeremiah Smith provided Hummer with information regarding the last several hours of National Signing Day. Although Smith had announced his commitment to Ohio State by noon, he didn’t submit his official papers until late at night. His NIL agent was checking the Ohio State documents during that period to make sure all the terms were correct.
When word spread that Smith was still unsigned, Miami took a chance. Not only Miami, though; Smith also received a call from uncommitted transfer quarterback Cam Ward.
As Hummer put it:
Miami didn’t do nothing when Smith’s national letter of intent was in jeopardy. They struck. Coach Kevin Beard of the Hurricanes for wide receivers contacted me. Dennis Smith, the program’s executive director, and Mario Cristobal, the head coach of Miami, agreed. Smith claimed that the Hurricanes contacted his agent and renewed their offer in an attempt to sign him in addition to making all of those presentations.
However, the call from Cameron Ward, a transfer from Washington State who is a quarterback but is not yet affiliated with anyone, may have been the most intriguing of the evening.
Prior to declaring for the NFL Draft on January 1, Ward participated in a month-long transfer portal recruitment that featured Florida State and Miami, among other schools. In the frenzy of those nine hours, Ward called Smith. They had a ten-minute conversation. Smith recalls Ward saying, “I’m going to go to Miami if you choose to go there.”
Despite this, Miami was able to select Joshisa Trader, Ny Carr, and Chance Robinson in their class of 2024 wide receivers. However, because Ward chose to enter the NFL Draft, the quarterback situation remains uncertain.
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