BREAKING: 4-star DE Collins Acheampong flips commitment to Miami Hurricanes in major win for Mario Cristobal and program
Coach’s take: Collins Acheampong gets comparison to NFL star, has huge ceiling but limited experience … In His Own Words: The inside story on how the Miami Hurricanes flipped a 4-star DE from Michigan … CaneSport Right Now: Evaluating Two-Sport Athlete Collins Acheampong
Miami Hurricanes coach Mario Cristobal has a reputation as a great recruiter who is relentless on the recruiting trail and never gives up on trying to land top prospects.
A perfect example of that came today.
Rancho Santa Margarita (Calif.) Santa Margarita Catholic DE Collins Acheampong, who committed to Michigan July 8, just two weeks after his official visit to the University of Miami, has now flipped to the Hurricanes.
Acheampong had been primarily a basketball player at his prior school (he transferred to his current high school in the summer) but flashed enormous potential as a lanky edge rusher at football camps. He is almost a clone of a young Jason Taylor and working under Taylor at Miami was a huge lure in Tuesday’s flip. He adds a whole new dimension of length to the EDGE position at 6-foot-7 and 250 pounds, and is a natural athlete.
The 4-star always had a strong relationship with the Hurricanes’ staff and he decided he was better off trusting them with his future.
“They all came from different backgrounds but definitely put in the work to be successful by playing and now have also put in years coaching,” he said. “It’s also great knowing they have the legend, Jason Taylor on the staff teaching you firsthand.”
A rangy 6-8, 254-pounder, Acheampong’s On3 scouting report reads “Uniquely built jumbo athlete with a high developmental upside. Newer to football, having little varsity experience. One of the bigger, more athletic prospects in the 2023 cycle. Measured at over 6-foot-7, 250 pounds with a 6-foot-11 wing-span prior to his senior season. Gained over 20 pounds from the spring to the summer and has the frame to continue adding substantial mass once in a college strength program. Registers as a top athlete in combine settings, running an electronically-timed sub-5.0 second 40-yard dash in addition to top marks in the shuttle and vertical. Has played little high school football as his original high school scuttled its football program. Transferred to Santa Margarita Catholic prior to his senior year and played well in a handful of games before sustaining an injury. Flashed considerable upside and better than expected technique and physicality at Under Armour’s Future 50 event prior to his senior season. Has a background in basketball. One of the more unknown prospects in the 2023 cycle given his lack of padded football experience, but has a considerable upside as a big defensive end or perhaps even a pass rushing interior defensive lineman depending on his ultimate size.
CaneSport’s take
A long, rangy and athletic defensive end, Acheampong is potentially an outstanding rusher off the edge and a huge addition to this Cane recruiting class. Miami’s really doing a great job putting this class together, and the addition of Jason Taylor to the equation has really caught the eye of recruits like this. For Miami to rebound off this 5-7 season the team needs to stack top talent, and this is another sign of a very bright future at UM.
