Joshua Horton signs with Miami Hurricanes, is compared to Ndamukong Suh, “but bigger”
SIGNEES (with link to feature story on each): Francis Mauigoa … Damari Brown … Christopher Johnson … Antione Jackson … Collins Acheampong … Kaleb Spencer … Riley Williams … Samson Okunlola … Robby Washington … Bobby Washington … Rueben Bain … Mark Fletcher … Malik Bryant … Jackson Carver … Emory Williams … Antonio Tripp … Marcellius Pulliam … Jayden Wayne … Frankie Tinilau … Joshua Horton … Raul Aguirre … Robert Stafford … Tommy Kinsler … Ray Ray Joseph … Australian P Dylan Joyce
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North Carolina might have beaten Miami on the field this season. But the Hurricanes beat UNC for standout DT Joshua Horton.
Horton, out of Fairburn (Ga.) Langston Hughes High School, was a Tar Heels commitment dating to Aug. 19. But Dec. 4 he announced the decision to flip to Miami.
And now he’s confirmed signing with the Canes.
“They are trying to turn the program around, get it back to where it used to be basically,” Horton said. “They feel I can contribute to them doing that.”
It was a flip process that began when he took a secret trip for Miami’s game against Duke.
That visit set the ball in motion – “I talked to them (coaches) a lot about life, football, about the school,” Horton said. “When I was down there we did a tour of the school. I just saw the foundation of the program. I know coach (Mario) Cristobal is doing a great job recruiting. This 2023 class they have, they should be back real soon.”
Horton was identified by Miami coaches in September as a difference-maker, and UM was on him ever since.
Others that were hot on his trail prior to his North Carolina commitment were Auburn and UCF, where he took June official visits.
A 6-5, 290-pounder, Horton played end before moving to tackle as a junior.
Also of note is Horton was a bit underrated coming into this season.
A reason for that?
“I didn’t do a lot of the camps that rate people,” he says.
So what has Miami landed here?
For that we reach out to his coach at Langston Hughes High, Boone Williams.
“He does everything the right way. You don’t have to tell him things over and over again. He’s a phenomenal hard worker, is always in the wight room.
“And on the field he is so coachable when it comes to hands and all those things, hand placement, footwork – he does all those things correctly. Physicality, he’s a 10 out of 10. Quickness, he’s very quick. That’s one of the attributes for his size. He hits you in the mouth before you know it.”
The comparison Williams makes when it comes to Horton: “He’s like Ndamukong Suh, but is bigger,” Williams said. “He’s physical and quick. At 6-5 he has broad shoulders, is fast off the ball and has long arms.”
As for Horton’s goal at Miami?
Help the team to a title and then “I want to go to the NFL, want to be produced into a great NFL player,” he says.
