Miami Moves Up In Recruiting Rankings After Solid National Signing Day Showing

Posted on February 2, 2022 by Marcus Benjamin

The 2022 recruiting class was not ideal for the Miami Hurricanes going into the second of two national signing days. The Canes ranked outside of the top 30 coming into the day, but had the potential to finish with a top 10 class. Since the hiring of former Oregon Head Coach Mario Cristobal in December, the class has significantly improved.  Cristobal and his staff, in a last-minute scramble, were able to land four prospects Wednesday to vault the Hurricanes in the top 20in the national recruiting rankings.

“January, unless it’s a situation like this, it should not be a scramble this was like planes, trains, and automobiles,” said Cristobal at his national signing day press conference.  “January should be dedicated to stopping at the schools and getting your eyes on the next year’s class and maybe add a couple more pieces.”

In January, Cristobal now coaching his alma mater, helped to bring in Cyrus Moss in, a four-star edge rusher out of Bishop Gorman, NV. Moss announced his top three of Alabama, Oregon, and Arizona State in November, and committed to the Canes at the Adidas All-American Game three weeks ago.  

Miami currently ranks 15th with 247 Sports and 19th with ESPN. 

Nyjalik Kelly, a four-star edge rusher from Fort Lauderdale’s Dillard High School, attributes his signing to Miami’s head coaching change.  

“Now that he’s back in my hometown, I had to pick the U,” said Kelly of Cristobal after signing with Miami on early signing day.  “I made my decision as soon as he came.”

Cristobal in two months has helped to flip two prominent players previously committed to SEC schools.  Jaleel Skinner, a former Alabama commit and Tre’Vonte Citizen previously committed to LSU.  Skinner, who flipped his commitment in December, is a (6-6, 220) long athletic tight end that can stretch the field, and Citizen (6-0, 220) committing early Wednesday afternoon is a power back with explosiveness. 

Besides Citizen, today’s signees were all about the trenches.  The remaining three signees total about 950 pounds. Ahmad Moten, defensive tackle from Cardinal Gibbons High School in Fort Lauderdale, FL, Matthew McCoy from Creekside in St. Augustine, FL, and Anez Cooper from Pleasant Grove AL, all fit the vision of Cristobal’s construction of a football team.  

“We probably have to address linebacker a little bit more,” said Cristobal.  “I want to see how well we handle the line of scrimmage and the physicality that goes with it.”  

Miami did fail to land a 5-star prospect. Unlike last year’s class where the Canes pulled in two from South Florida (James Williams and Leonard Taylor), Shemar Stewart decided not to stay home.  Stewart decided to take his talents to College Station and Texas A&M where the Aggies now have seven 5-star players according to 247 Sports. 

The Hurricanes had 15 players enrolled, signed, transferred, or committed to the 2022 class coming into national signing day with seven ranked by most in the top 20 in the country at their position.  Now with the class at 19, Coach Cristobal feels that certain position groups need to be addressed.  

“I think the way this team lays out…we see that it’s heavily tilted toward the line of scrimmage, a big every-down back, a long athletic tight end…a really talented quarterback…linebackers, some edge guys that can bring some heat, but big enough to play the run. You feel then about what a college roster should look like. Now I just want to see everybody play.”

Going into the day, there seemed to be a clear defensive focus with 9 of the 15 incoming players likely to play on the defensive side of the ball. Of the four added to the class today, Anez Cooper is the only one that could play on offense or defense at ‘The U.’  

The Hurricanes added much-needed depth at linebacker adding local talent Wesley Bissainthe, a four-star prospect from Miami Central High School, but the linebacker could use another body or two.  

The Canes, on the first day of February, reportedly hired Kevin Steele as its defensive coordinator but have yet to hire an offensive coordinator.  Steele previously coached at Auburn, LSU, Clemson, and Florida State. 

Miami Hurricanes 2022 Recruiting Class

Ahmad Moten, Defensive Tackle, Cardinal Gibbons, Fort Lauderdale, FL (6-3, 290)

Anez Cooper, OL/DL, Pleasant Grove, AL, (6-6, 350)

Chris Graves, Defensive Back, Bishop Verot, Fort Myers, FL (6-1, 175)

Cyrus Moss, Edge, Bishop Gorman, NV (6-6, 220) 

Isaiah Horton, Wide Receiver, Murfreesboro, TN (6-3, 190)

Jacurri Brown, Quarterback, Lowndes, GA (6-4, 205)

Jaleel Skinner, Tight End, IMG Academy, FL (6-5, 216) 

Khamari Rogers, Cornerback, Holmes County, MS (6-0, 150) 

Markeith Williams, Safety, Evans, Orlando, FL (6-1, 170)

Matthew McCoy, Offensive Lineman, Creekside, St. Augustine, FL (6-6, 285)

Nyjalik Kelly, Edge, Dillard, Fort Lauderdale, FL (6-4, 240) 

Tre’Vonte Citizen, Running Back, Lake Charles, LA (6-0, 220)

Wesley Bissainthe, Linebacker, Miami Central, FL (6-1, 205)

About Marcus Benjamin

Marcus Benjamin works as the senior writer and editor for FootballHotbed.com. He attended Florida A&M and Florida Memorial University completing a bachelors degree in communications in 2010. He's covered high school football in the South Florida area since 2010 for the Miami Herald, Miami Sports Tribune and ShawSports.net. He is married and lives in Fort, Lauderdale, FL.
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