Welcome to our Miami Hurricanes live signing day updates for the 2023 recruiting class

Happy early signing day everyone — or, more specifically, happy first day of the three-day early signing period for college football!

Stay tuned right here, because we’ll be updating this live blog as what is expected to be one of the finest signing day classes in the nation comes to fruition for the University of Miami.

UM football coach Mario Cristobal, in keeping with his reputation, had gathered a stellar Class of 2023 commitments on the eve of signing day.

As of 6:45 a.m. Wednesday, Cristobal’s class was ranked third nationally behind Alabama and Georgia by recruiting sites On3, 247Sports and ESPN, and sixth by Rivals. But as most of us who have been on this yearly ride know, those rankings fluctuate steadily as programs get surprise commitments and players from various programs flip their allegiances, which, in turn, affect the rankings of everyone else.

Cristobal’s news conference at UM will be in the late afternoon, early evening hours, and we’ll be there as well.

So hang on, it should be a fun ride!

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5:05 p.m. The five-star jewel of this year’s signing class, tackle Francis Mauigoa, has signed his letter of intent and is headed to the U.

OT Francis Mauigoa, 6-5.5, 330, Bradenton IMG Academy

Other suitors: Florida, Alabama, Tennessee, USC, Oregon

247Sports composite: 5 stars, 8 national, 1 position, 2 state

On3 consensus: 5 stars, 8 national, 1 position, 2 state

Rivals: 5 stars, 20 national, 3 position, 8 state

ESPN: 5 stars, 5 national, 1 position, 2 state

Not many coaches recruit offensive linemen better than Mario Cristobal

and Mauigoa’s decision to commit to Miami in July was a reminder. He’s

the seventh highest ranked recruit to ever sign with the Hurricanes,

according to the 247Sports composite rankings, and the second highest

ranked offensive lineman. The Under Armour All-American is good enough

to compete for a starting job right away. Originally from American

Samoa, Mauigoa also spent time at Aquinas in San Bernardino,

California, before playing his final two years of high school at IMG

Academy.Blah blah blah the blurb goes here in paragraph form. This does not have to be one fat copy block. It can be various paragraphs.

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1:17 p.m. Miami has a thing for Australian punters. Dylan Joyce is next up.

P Dylan Joyce, 6-2, 213, Australia

Lou Hedley is on his way out after an All-American career in the Hurricanes and Miami went right back to Australia to find his replacement, adding Joyce to its Class of 2023 on the early signing period.

Joyce was a surprise addition to the class — announced by the Hurricanes on Twitter — largely because there’s not a lot known about him at all. The punter doesn’t have a page on any of the major recruiting services and nothing has been written about him anywhere, at least not based off a quick Google search.

He is, however, the second Australian in Miami’s recruiting class. Three-star tackle Frankie Tinilau, who played this year at LaSalle, signed with the Hurricanes earlier Wednesday.

Other suitors: None

247Sports composite: not ranked

On3 consensus: not ranked

Rivals: not ranked

ESPN: not ranked

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12:39 p.m. Transfer additions are now almost as big a part of signing day as the high school signings and Miami made a quality portal pick-up Wednesday, landing a commitment from defensive lineman Thomas Gore.

The 6-foot, 270-pound lineman announced his commitment on Twitter.

Gore was one of the top defensive players in the Group of 5 conference last year for the Georgia State Panthers, racking up 38 tackles, five sacks and two forced fumbles to earn first-team All-Sun Belt Conference honors from Pro Football Focus.

With two seasons of eligibility remaining, Gore will help the Hurricanes make up for the departures of defensive linemen Darrell Jackson Jr., Antonio Moultrie, Jordan Miller and Elijah Roberts in the interior.

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3:22 p.m. Damari Brown is keeping it in the family at Miami, committing to the Hurricanes just days after his brother announced his intention to transfer there.

CB Damari Brown, 6-1, 180, Plantation American Heritage

Other suitors: Florida State, Clemson, Florida, Alabama, Georgia

Miami makes a major signing-day splash by beating out the Alabama Crimson Tide for one of the top defensive backs in Florida.

Alabama wanted Brown to follow in the footsteps of former American Heritage cornerbacks Patrick Surtain II and Earl Little Jr., and come to Tuscaloosa, but the Hurricanes managed to keep the blue-chip cornerback from leaving South Florida and now he’ll team up in the secondary with brother Davonte Brown, who announced his plans to transfer to Miami from the UCF Knights on Monday.

Brown is a Miami legacy — his father is former defensive back Selwyn Brown — and he’s the type of potential lockdown corner the Hurricanes have two frequently let leave for the Southeastern Conference.

As a senior, Brown had 43 tackles, three tackles for loss, one sack, two interceptions, 15 passes defended and a fumble recovery to help the Patriots reach the Class 2M championship.

247Sports composite: 4 stars, 185 national, 22 position, 42 state

On3 consensus: 4 stars, 195 national, 24 position, 43 state

Rivals: 4 stars, 46 position, 71 state

ESPN: 4 stars, 112 national, 11 position, 28 state

12:27 p.m. Safety Antione Jackson out of Dillard, one of the best young defensive backs in South Florida, has signed with UM.

S Antione Jackson, 6-0, 170, Dillard

Other suitors: Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Michigan, East Carolina

At first, Jackson was the first member of Miami’s Class of 2024,

flipping from the Georgia Bulldogs in July. He then reclassified to

the Class of 2023 in the fall, giving the Hurricanes an interesting

young prospect to start developing early. He’s also already one of the

best defensive backs in South Florida, with 32 tackles, 22 passes

defended and an interception this season as a cornerback for Dillard.

He also caught 15 passes for 215 yards and three touchdowns as a

part-time player on offense.

247Sports composite: 4 stars, 220 national, 15 safety, 45 state

On3 consensus: 4 stars, 218 national, 28 cornerback, 44 state

Rivals: 4 stars, 164 national, 20 defensive back, 32 state

ESPN: 4 stars, 162 national, 11 safety, 40 state

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12:21 p.m. Speedster alert! Fort Lauderdale Dillard tailback Christopher Johnson, a three-time state champion in track and field, just signed with the Hurricanes.

RB Christopher Johnson, 5-11, 178, Dillard

Other suitors: Florida State, Clemson, Florida, Georgia, Ole Miss

Johnson is one of the best all-around athletes in Florida and it made

him one of the most dynamic offensive weapons in the state this year.

As a senior, the running back ran for 1,118 yards and 17 touchdowns on

125 carries, and also caught 32 passes for 280 yards and four

touchdowns. Although he considers himself a traditional tailback,

Johnson could also contribute as a wide receiver thanks to his speed,

and be used on end arounds and in other creative ways. He’s a

three-time state champion in track and field, and was the Miami

Herald’s Broward County Boys’ Track and Field Athlete of the Year last

season after winning a pair of gold medals as a sprinter.

247Sports composite: 4 stars, 286 national, 18 position, 53 state

On3 consensus: 4 stars, 286 national, 20 position, 54 state

Rivals: 4 stars, 15 position, 50 state

ESPN: 4 stars, 231 national, 19 position, 50 state

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11:57 a.m. Canes get 6-7, 250-pound pass-rusher Collins Acheampong. Whoa. That’s a big man. And he came to the United Staes from Ghana. Very cool.

Edge/athlete Collins Acheampong, 6-7, 254, Santa Margarita (Rancho Santa

Margarita, Calif.)

Other suitors: LSU, Michigan, USC, UCLA, California

Acheampong is one of the most fascinating prospects, with less than

two full seasons of experience, but one of the most tantalizing

athletic profiles in the entire Class of 2023. The defensive end is

originally from Ghana and moved to the United States in 2019 to pursue

a basketball career, only to give football a shot as a freshman at

Fairmont Prep in Anaheim. After the COVID-19 pandemic forced Fairmont to shutter its football program, Acheampong spent two years away from the sport before transferring to Santa Margarita for his senior year and playing one more season, initially picking up major interest

because of his performance at an Under Armour Next Camp in March. Now an Under Armour All-American, Acheampong first committed to the Michigan Wolverines in July and Miami was finally able to flip him in

November. Acheampong, who also plays tight end, flashed major

potential this year with 14 tackles, six tackles for loss, three sacks

and four passes defended in only four games before a knee injury ended

his season. With about half a dozen contributors along the defensive

line departing, Acheampong, with a college-ready frame, could find a

role early.

247Sports composite: 4 stars, 166 national, 11 athlete, 11 state

On3 consensus: 4 stars, 192 national, 23 edge, 14 state

Rivals: 4 stars, 27 edge, 28 state

ESPN: 4 stars, 165 national, 24 edge, 13 state

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11:35 a.m. Quarterback Emory Williams joins the Hurricanes. Always nice to get those long, talented signal-callers.

Learn lots more about Emory from my profile I wrote about him this week. He’s one of seven brothers.

QB Emory Williams, 6-5, 205, Milton

Other suitors: Florida State, Pittsburgh, Auburn, Tulane, Troy

After elite quarterback Jaden Rashada shockingly flipped from Miami to

the Florida Gators in November, the Hurricanes didn’t feel the need to

aggressively pursue a replacement because they felt good about Williams.

The quarterback was an Elite 11 finalist and is something of a late

bloomer, not taking over as Milton’s starter until his junior year. As

a senior, Williams was rock solid, going 162 of 258 -- 62.8 percent --

for 2,102 yards, 21 touchdowns and four interceptions, and rushing 58

times for 238 yards and two more touchdowns, with two fumbles lost.

247Sports composite: 3 stars, 614 national, 32 position, 98 state

On3 consensus: 3 stars, 652 national, 37 position, 102 state

Rivals: 3 stars

ESPN: 14 pocket passer, 76 state

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11:11 a.m. Canes just added to their offensive line bounty. Antonio Trip played at IMG with Francis Mauigoa, a 5-star tackle expected to sign today.

IOL Antonio Tripp, 6-3, 300, Bradenton IMG Academy

Other suitors: Tennessee, South Carolina, Michigan, Penn State, Maryland

Tripp was the first player from this Class of 2023 to orally commit to

Miami and he quickly became an initial leader of the group -- and a

building block for a historic offensive line haul. Tripp was at

McDonogh in Owings Mills, Maryland, when he first committed and wound

up transferring to IMG Academy for his senior year, where he teamed up

with five-star tackle Francis Mauigoa and a handful of other future

teammates in Bradenton. The offensive lineman has experience playing

all five positions on the offensive line, but projects as a guard or

center at the next level.

247Sports composite: 3 stars, 472 national, 32 position, 90 state

On3 consensus: 3 stars, 752 national, 70 position, 117 state

Rivals: 3 stars

ESPN: 4 stars, 14 position, 72 state

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10:56 a.m. Canes nab another big, talented tight end in Jackson Carver

TE Jackson Carver, 6-6, 220, Loomis Chaffee School (Windsor, Conn.)

Other suitors: Florida State, South Carolina, Purdue, Minnesota, Indiana

Carver is one of the bigger unknowns in Miami’s Class of 2023, simply

because he hasn’t played very much. The senior grew up mostly playing

hockey and lacrosse, and was at one point committed to the Notre Dame

Fighting Irish for the latter. He transferred from St. Thomas Academy

in Mendota Heights, Minnesota, to Culver Academies in Indiana for his

junior year to play lacrosse, but wound up giving football a shot and

turning into a legitimate prospect as a tight end. He then transferred

to the Loomis Chaffee School for his senior year, but an injury kept

him off the field. With Carver only having one season of experience,

Miami is betting on the receiver’s athletic pedigree and physical

traits to translate once he gets to develop in a college program.

247Sports composite: 3 stars, 652 national, 30 position, 5 state

On3 consensus: 3 stars, 628 national, 35 position, 5 state

Rivals: 3 stars, 4 state, 39 position

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9:54 a.m. UM adds linebacker Marcellius Pulliam to its Class of 2023

LB Marcellius Pulliam, 6-3, 215, Sandy Creek (Tyrone, Ga.)

Other suitors: Clemson, Louisville, Georgia Tech, Mississippi State, Auburn

Miami is trying to transform its linebackers group with more size

and Pulliam brings plenty of it to Coral Gables. The middle linebacker

also brings a pretty accomplished resume after helping Sandy Creek win

the Class AAA championship in Georgia on Dec. 10. Pulliam racked up

eight tackles in the title game and finished his senior year with 51

total tackles, 5 1/2 tackles for loss, four sacks, an interception,

one pass defended and a fumble recovery in just seven games. He has

also played some fullback.

247Sports composite: 3 stars, 729 national, 60 position, 71 state

On3 consensus: 3 stars, 672 national, 67 position, 63 state

Rivals: 3 stars, 32 position, 56 state

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9:39 a.m. Canes add Kaleb Spencer to their signing class. He’s a hybrid linebacker-safety who flipped to UM from Oklahoma in October.

LB/DB Kaleb Spencer, 6-2.5, 210, Life Christian Academy (South Chesterfield, Va.)

Other suitors: Virginia, Virginia Tech, Tennessee, Oklahoma, Penn State

Spencer gives Miami a hybrid linebacker-safety in the Class of 2023 to

potentially handle the slot position in the future. The Hurricanes

flipped him away from the Oklahoma Sooners in October after he took a

trip down to South Florida and his multi-positional ability makes him

a valuable piece of this recruiting class, regardless of his ranking.

He finished his senior year with 81 tackles, nine tackles for loss,

two sacks, three passes defended and two blocked kicks in just nine

games.

247Sports composite: 3 stars, 738 national, 61 position, 18 state

On3 consensus: 3 stars, 766 national, 74 position, 18 state

Rivals: 3 stars, 21 state

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9:36 a.m. BREAKING NEWS! 5-star cornerback Cormani McClain out of Lakeland appears to have had an about face. He was committed to Miami, but his mom posted a tweet that said: “FALSE ALARM!!!! THERE WILL BE NO SIGNING FOR @CormaniMcClain2 TODAY... SORRY FOR THE INCONVENIENCE!!!

That would be more than an inconvenience for the Hurricanes, who desperately needed him. Wow.

Here’s the rankings we compiled on Cormani:

CB Cormani McClain, 6-2, 165, Lakeland

Other suitors: Florida State, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Michigan

247Sports composite: 5 stars, 2 national, 1 position, 1 state

On3 consensus: 5 stars, 2 national, 1 position, 1 state

Rivals: 5 stars, 3 national, 1 position, 1 state

ESPN: 5 stars, 4 national, 1 position, 1 state

Stay tuned....

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9:46 a.m. ***** (Five-star) alert! Miami announces consensus five-star offensive lineman Samson Okunlola — also known as Pancake Honcho. Get out your griddle!

OT Samson Okunlola, 6-5, 305, Thayer Academy (Braintree, Mass.)

Other suitors: Boston College, Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Michigan State

247Sports composite: 5 stars, 20 national, 3 position, 1 state

On3 consensus: 5 stars, 16 national, 3 position, 1 state

Rivals: 5 stars, 17 national, 2 position, 1 state

ESPN: 5 stars, 16 national, 3 position, 1 state

Okunlola’s commitment last Thursday helped give Miami a historic haul in

its Class of 2023. For the first time ever, the Hurricanes are set to

sign multiple five-star offensive linemen in the same recruiting class

and Okunlola brings an impressive athletic profile to Miami from

Massachusetts. In addition to being a two-way contributor on the

offensive line and at defensive tackle, Okunlola is also one of the

best heavyweight wrestlers in the country and finished in the top 15

of the 285-pound weight class at the National Prep Wrestling

Championships in March. The self-proclaimed “Pancake Honcho” because

of his penchant for flattening defenders, Okunlola will play in the

All-American Bowl next month, and will compete to try to replace

departing offensive linemen DJ Scaife Jr. and John Campbell Jr.

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9:34 a.m. The Canes add a dominant tight end to their signing class. Welcome to the Class of 2023, Riley Williams.

TE Riley Williams, 6-6, 240, Bradenton IMG Academy

Other suitors: Florida State, Alabama, Ohio State, Oregon, Oregon State

As usual, Miami has a blue-chip tight end coming to “tight end U” and

Williams is the highest-ranked player at his position to sign with the

Hurricanes since Brevin Jordan, now a tight end for the Houston

Texans, in the Class of 2018. Williams is originally from Portland and

played at Central Catholic before transferring to IMG Academy for his

senior year. Coach Mario Cristobal’s ties in the Pacific Northwest

helped here and Korbin Williams, the receiver’s older brother, played

wide receiver for the Oregon Ducks when Cristobal was their coach. In

six games at IMG, Williams caught eight passes for 133 yards and four

touchdowns. He should immediately help Miami fill the void left with

tight end Will Mallory graduating.

247Sports composite: 4 stars, 105 national, 4 position, 26 state

On3 consensus: 4 stars, 98 national, 2 position, 23 state

Rivals: 4 stars, 135 national, 5 position, 27 state

ESPN: 4 stars, 75 national, 2 position, 18 state

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9:33 a.m. Another blue-chip linebacker to the U! The Hurricanes sign 6-2, 220-pound Miami native Raul Aguirre. Welcome home.

LB Raul Aguirre, 6-2, 220, Whitewater (Fayetteville, Ga.)

Other suitors: Florida, Alabama, Arkansas, Texas, Ohio State

Aguirre was a linebacker coveted all across the country and, a Miami

native, he decided to come home, which is good news for the

Hurricanes. After years of struggling to recruit linebackers, Aguirre

is a much-needed blue-chip addition with good size. The outside

linebacker finished his senior year with 96 tackles, one tackle for

loss, one sack and one interception, and added 28 carries for 171

yards and three touchdowns, with one fumble lost, on offense.

247Sports composite: 4 stars, 180 national, 15 position, 13 state

On3 consensus: 4 stars, 176 national, 16 position, 14 state

Rivals: 4 stars, 152 national, 7 position, 9 state

ESPN: 4 stars, 192 national, 4 position, 16 state

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9:25 a.m. Joshua Horton joins Miami’s 2023 signing class. UM desperately needs those big bodies inside. Josh fits the part.

DL/DT Joshua Horton, 6-4, 285, Langston Hughes (Fairburn, Ga.)

Other suitors: North Carolina, Georgia Tech, Georgia, Auburn, UCF

Miami stole Horton away from the North Carolina Tar Heels on Dec. 4

and there’s reason for the Hurricanes to believe he can be one of the

steals of the cycle. Langston Hughes completed a perfect season Dec. 9

with a Class AAAAAA championship and Hughes, as a defensive end, piled

up 123 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, four sacks, four passes defended,

two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery. He has consistently risen in

the recruiting rankings since the start of the year.

247Sports composite: 3 stars, 485 national, 54 position, 47 state

On3 consensus: 3 stars, 508 national, 54 position, 48 state

Rivals: 4 stars, 15 position, 25 state

ESPN: 3 stars, 37 position, 57 state

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8:40 a.m. They already got Robby. Here comes Bobby! UM says, “He’ll sprint sideline to sideline, knock your helmet off and right back up for more.’’

LB Bobby Washington, 6-3, 215, Palmetto

Other suitors: NC State, South Carolina, Mississippi State, Texas, Utah

Washington was one of South Florida’s breakout stars this season,

solidifying his place as one of the best defenders in Miami-Dade

County with a monster senior season for Palmetto. Lining up at both

linebacker and strong safety, Washington racked up 81 tackles, eight

sacks, 17 tackles for loss and five forced fumbles for the Panthers.

He and twin brother Robby Washington, who’s also signing with the

Hurricanes on Wednesday, have an interesting Miami tie, too: Bobby

Washington Sr. originally signed with the Hurricanes as a five-star

running back out of Killian in the Class of 2004, but never enrolled

at the school and wound up playing for the NC State Wolfpack.

247Sports composite: 4 stars, 414 national, 33 position, 79 state

On3 consensus: 3 stars, 468 national, 48 position, 86 state

Rivals: 4 stars, 23 position

ESPN: 3 stars, 37 position, 97 state

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8:35 a.m. This young man loves the end zone. He scored 11 touchdowns this season as a slot receiver and tailback. And he’s from Miami’s own Palmetto.

WR/athlete Robby Washington, 5-10, 185, Palmetto

Other suitors: Florida State, Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, Michigan

One of the most dynamic playmakers in South Florida is officially

staying home to play for Miami, and he’s a pretty good toy for coach

Mario Cristobal and Co. to work with. As a slot receiver and running

back, Washington scored 11 total touchdowns this year for Palmetto,

rushing 17 times for 107 yards and two touchdowns, catching 43 passes

for 760 yards and six more, and adding three more scores as a return

specialist. He and twin brother Bobby Washington, who’s also signing

with the Hurricanes on Wednesday, have an interesting Miami tie, too:

Bobby Washington Sr. originally signed with the Hurricanes as a

five-star running back out of Killian in the Class of 2004, but never

enrolled at the school and wound up playing for the NC State Wolfpack.

247Sports composite: 4 stars, 176 national, 25 WR, 42 state

On3 consensus: 4 stars, 182 national, 8 athlete, 42 state

Rivals: 4 stars, 10 athlete, 42 state

ESPN: 4 stars, 209 national, 15 athlete, 46 state

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8:22 a.m. After elite punter Lou Hedley left, the Canes just had to have another Aussie. And they just got one. Miami welcomes 6-5, 315-pound LaSalle offensive tackle Frankie Tinilau.

OT Frankie Tinilau, 6-5, 315, LaSalle

Other suitors: Florida State, Louisville Mississippi State, Penn State, Oregon

Originally from Australia, Tinilau moved to the United States for good

as a senior to cut his teeth against South Florida competition and he

fared well before a wrist injury prematurely ended his lone season at

LaSalle. Mario Cristobal, who first became aware of Tinilau when the

tackle was briefly living in California prior to the COVID-19 pandemic

and Cristobal was coaching the Oregon Ducks, is trusting he can help

develop Tinilau into a high-level offensive lineman. Tinilau isn’t

really a project, though: The lineman almost always played up an age

group in Australia and he was playing in a league against adults

before he moved to Florida in the summer.

247Sports composite: 3 stars, 1,222 national, 103 position, 169 state

On3 consensus: 3 stars, 1,241 national, 78 position, 174 state

Rivals: 3 stars

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8:16 a.m. Rueben Bain: remember the name! He won four state titles in a row for Miami Central. He’s a sack machine. Welcome to the U.

EDGE Rueben Bain, 6-2, 250, Miami Central

Other suitors: Florida State, Louisville, Alabama, Auburn, Oklahoma

247Sports composite: 4 stars, 70 national, 9 position, 14 state

On3 consensus: 4 stars, 72 national, 9 position, 15 state

Rivals: 4 stars, 102 national, 12 position, 19 state

ESPN: 4 stars, 73 national, 10 position, 17 state

Bain is the top-ranked recruit in Miami-Dade County and one of the

best defensive players to come through the area in years. As a

sophomore, he set Central’s single-season sacks record with 29 1/2 and

followed it up with 29 more as a senior this year, leading the Rockets

to a fourth straight state championship. The defensive lineman was a

starter on all four of those teams and is already a two-time

first-team all-county selection by the Miami Herald. The Under Armour

All-American was also the Herald’s Co-Defensive Player of the Year for

Classes 5A-Independent in Miami-Dade last year -- along with

linebacker Wesley Bissainthe -- and won the Nat Moore Trophy this

season as the best player in South Florida, plus the MaxPreps Florida

Player of the Year award. He finished his final year at Central with

57 tackles and 39 tackles for loss, and recovered a fumble in the

final minutes to clinch the Class 2M championship Friday. He should be

able to crack the Hurricanes’ rotation early.

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8:09 a.m. Any Miami Hurricanes fans knows the Canes need linebackers. They just got one in 6-2, 235-pound four-star talent Malik Bryant of Orlando Jones.

LB Malik Bryant, 6-2, 235, Orlando Jones

Other suitors: Florida State, Florida, Alabama, Maryland, USC

247Sports composite: 4 stars, 82 national, 6 position, 18 state

On3 consensus: 4 stars, 68 national, 5 position, 14 state

Rivals: 4 stars, 48 national, 2 position, 10 state

ESPN: 4 stars, 71 national, 6 position, 16 state

Bryant is the headliner of a critical haul of linebackers for Miami in

the Class of 2023. Once considered a five-star prospect at Bradenton

IMG Academy, Bryant finished his career back home at Jones and went

through some growing pains in a transition from playing off the edge

to working as a more traditional linebacker, but still starred. As a

senior, Bryant racked up 73 tackles, 10 tackles for loss and six sacks

on the way to the Class 3M semifinals, and will try to follow in

linebacker Wesley Bissainthe’s footsteps and contribute early for the

Hurricanes.

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8:07 a.m. Miami announces “there’s only one TRUE #RunningBackU, and now we get to add @fletcherjr_mark to that legacy.’

Have you seen this young man run? Pure power.

RB Mark Fletcher Jr., 6-1, 225, Plantation American Heritage

Other suitors: Florida State, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, Ohio State

Fletcher was one of the final additions to Miami’s Class of 2023 and

one of the biggest. The running back decommitted from the Ohio State

Buckeyes in November and the Hurricanes ultimately beat out the

Florida Gators to keep Fletcher home, locking up his commitment during

an official visit Sunday. Fletcher is the total package as a running

back, with excellent power, balance and even speed. As a senior,

Fletcher had 226 carries for 1,934 yards and 10 touchdowns, plus 13

catches for 157 yards and another, while losing only one fumble. He’ll

play in the All-American Bowl next month and will immediately give

Miami some much-needed depth in the backfield after running back

Jaylan Knighton transferred.

247Sports composite: 4 stars, 243 national, 15 position, 48 state

On3 consensus: 4 stars, 253 national, 16 position, 49 state

Rivals: 4 stars, 193 national, 12 position, 36 state

ESPN: 4 stars, 251 national, 15 position, 56 state

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7:55 a.m. Here comes UM’s “feared pass rusher. Freaky athlete. Unstoppable motor.’’ In other words, Edge rusher Jayden Wayne, a 6-5, 245-pound specimen, has signed with the U.

EDGE Jayden Wayne, 6-5, 245, Bradenton IMG Academy

Other suitors: Georgia, Alabama, LSU, Michigan State, Oregon

Wayne spent three years at Lincoln in Tacoma, Washington, before

finishing up high school at IMG Academy and coach Mario Cristobal’s

ties in the Pacific Northwest paid off. Wayne, who will play in the

All-American Bowl next month, locked in with Miami back in July and

never wavered, giving the Hurricanes a top-100 defensive end for the

second straight recruiting cycle. Like defensive lineman Nyjalik Kelly

last year, he should be able to compete for a spot in the rotation as

a freshman.

247Sports composite: 4 stars, 72 national, 11 position, 15 state

On3 consensus: 4 stars, 78 national, 11 position, 17 state

Rivals: 4 stars, 97 national, 11 position, 18 state

ESPN: 4 stars, 83 national, 11 position, 19 state

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7:43 a.m. Bring on the big bodied bodyguards! The Hurricanes announce the signing of 6-6, 330-pound offensive guard Tommy Kinsler.

IOL Tommy Kinsler, 6-6, 330, Ocala Trinity Catholic

Other suitors: Florida State, Florida, Tennessee, Mississippi State, Rutgers

Kinsler was originally briefly orally committed to the Florida Gators

before backing off his pledge and ultimately picking Miami in July.

Kinsler’s strength is his size and, at 6-foot-6, he’s massive for an

interior lineman. The guard will help coach Mario Cristobal as he

tries to beef up -- quite literally -- the Hurricanes’ offensive line.

247Sports composite: 3 stars, 550 national, 45 inside OL, 96 state

On3 consensus: 3 stars, 577 national, 37 tackle, 98 state

Rivals: 4 stars, 22 guard, 76 state

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7:31 a.m. The Canes have their first cornerback of the 2023 class, and they need him! Robert Stafford of Melbourne Eau Gallie is officially a Hurricane.

CB Robert Stafford, 5-11, 171, Melbourne Eau Gallie

Other suitors: Florida State, Georgia, Kentucky, Arkansas, Oregon

Stafford is one of the most electrifying prospects in the Class of

2023, an athlete who scored touchdowns on offense, defense and special

teams this year for Eau Gallie. After exclusively playing wide

receiver for his first few years of high school, Stafford started

trying out defense as a junior and blossomed into an Under Armour

All-American. In 10 games as a senior, Stafford had 12 tackles, two

tackles for loss, one interception, three passes defended and two

fumble recoveries, one of which he returned for a touchdown. He also

caught 16 passes for 201 yards and three touchdowns as a wide

receiver, and scored three touchdowns as a return specialist. With

Miami potentially losing both its starting cornerbacks from last year,

Stafford is in a position to contribute early in South Florida.

247Sports composite: 4 stars, 134 national, 14 position, 33 state

On3 consensus: 4 stars, 149 national, 17 position, 34 state

Rivals: 4 stars, 36 position, 55 state

ESPN: 4 stars, 105 national, 10 position, 27 state

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7:16 a.m. The Hurricanes welcome the first Cane to “sign on the dotted line:” Nathaniel Ray Ray Joseph, a four-star wide receiver out of MIami Edison.

WR Nathaniel Joseph, 5-8, 170, Edison

Other suitors: Florida State, Clemson, Louisville, Florida, Georgia

Joseph has a case as the best pure slot receiver in the Class of 2023,

with enough speed and shiftiness to make up for his 5-foot-8 frame.

He’s already a two-time all-county selection by the Miami Herald and

was a finalist for the Nat Moore Trophy, which is given out each year

to the top player in South Florida. As a senior, the wide receiver

caught 47 passes for 850 yards and 11 touchdowns, and racked up more

than 1,300 all-purpose yards as one of the best return specialists in

the country. He’ll play in the All-American Bowl next month, then

could help the Hurricanes early because of his ability on special

teams.

247Sports composite: 4 stars, 130 national, 19 position, 31 state

On3 consensus: 4 stars, 139 national, 22 position, 32 state

Rivals: 4 stars, 90 national, 15 position, 17 state

ESPN: 4 stars, 147 national, 21 position, 34 state