Inside Scoop: Can the Miami Hurricanes Pick Up Several Signature in-state Recruiting Wins?

CaneSport’s Izubee Charles joined On3’s Josh Newberg on the Inside Scoop Football Recruiting Show to discuss Miami’s latest efforts to pick up several in-state recruiting wins as the 2025 recruiting class efforts move forward. Mario Cristobal has made a recruiting splash with his first two full classes that ranked No. 8 and 5 in the nation. To help garner another highly ranked class, the Canes are looking to secure plenty of top Florida talent.

So far this cycle the Canes’ class ranks No. 16 with commitments from 4-star LB Elijah Melendez, 4-star WR Waden Charles, 3-star OT Lamar Williams and 3-star QB Luke Nickel.

As far as the uncommitted guys in-state Miami is chasing that would be signature wins? A year ago there were guys like 5-star Miami Central DL Armondo Blount (former FSU commit), 4-star Hollywood Chaminade-Madonna DB Zaquan Patterson and 4-star Largo LB Adarius Hayes (Florida Gators flip). And this year Charles points to several players that are big-time in-state battles for UM: 5-star Mandarin WR Jaime Ffrench, 4-star Mandarin S Hylton Stubbs, Vero Beach 4-star LB TJ Alford, 4-star Chaminade-Madonna DB Chris Ewald and 4-star Miami Central WR Nashaun Montgomery.

Ffrench is shaping up as a UM-FSU battle with Ohio State and Florida also pushing.

“The two (Canes and Florida State) are going back and forth,” Charles said of the former Alabama commitment. “Miami has been in his ear. (WR coach) Kevin Beard has been up to Mandarin to see him, coach Mario Cristobal has made him a priority. He’s one of those top wide receivers on that recruiting board. Him being in Jacksonville, Florida State’s backyard, easy for him to get on campus to both programs. I do see this being a Florida State-Miami battle, but you can’t sleep on Ohio State and Brian Hartline. Looking forward to seeing how this recruitment plays out in the coming months.”

When it comes to Ffrench’s teammate, Stubbs, Charles says that Miami is on the outside looking in right now.

“I think Florida has the advantage over both Miami and Florida State,” Charles said. “He said he’s looking to commit sooner rather than later.”

Charles says regardless of where Stubbs commits that Ffrench won’t let that be an impact on his own commitment decision.

“He’s said from the beginning `My top three is Miami, Florida State, Ohio State,’ ‘ so I don’t think Stubbs’ commitment will have an effect,” Charles said.

Alford has Florida, FSU and Ohio State pushing along with the Canes, and Charles says he thinks it’s a “two-horse race with Miami and Ohio State.”

“He’s been up to Ohio State a few times, most recent visit was to Columbus, and has been to Miami a handful of times,” Charles said. “With TJ, he has deep ties to South Florida – his father is from Miami, has a lot of family down here in Miami. So that plays as an advantage for the Hurricanes. Coach Derek Nicholson has done a great job recruiting him throughout the cycle, and Elijah Melendez (Miami LB commit) has done his share of recruiting as well. I probably give Miami just a slight, slight advantage, but I’m not sleeping on Ohio State by any means.”

As for Ewald, a former Michigan commitment? Charles sees a Miami-FSU battle shaping up with a spring/summer commitment timeline likely.

“His focus has shifted to those schools with Miami in his backyard and Florida State with DB coach Pat Surtain with those deep ties in South Florida,” Charles said. “Ewald, even when he was committed to Michigan, Miami always got him on campus, never backed off. That played well for Miami with him when he eventually backed off that commitment to Michigan and re-opened things. I do like where Miami stands. One key factor right now: Miami doesn’t have a DB coach with Jahmile Addae going to the league. Getting a guy in that position and building that bond is going to be crucial for Miami.”

Charles also addressed Montgomery’s status. He transferred from Palm Beach Cardinal Newman to Miami Central, and with UM players from Central like Rueben Bain, Wesley Bissainthe and Armondo Blount, that could play right into the Canes’ hands.

“This year all the Florida schools are all over him,” Charles said. “LSU might be a program to watch as well.”