3-star OT Juan Minaya commits to Miami Hurricanes

Paramus (N.J.) Paramus Catholic three-star offensive tackle Juan Minaya announced that he has committed to Miami.

The 6-foot-6, 330-pounder is the No. 814 overall prospect and No. 60 offensive tackle in the 2024 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He is also the No. 16 player in New Jersey.

Minaya took his first trip to Coral Gables on March 7 and two weeks later he announced that he would take an official to Miami on June 23.

He is the fifth April commitment for the Hurricanes.

Other players pledged to the Hurricanes include Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) St. Thomas Aquinas four-star wide receiver Chance Robinson, Gray (Ga.) Jones County three-star quarterback Judd Anderson, Shreveport (La.) C.E. Byrd On3 three-star kicker Abram Murray and Baton Rouge (La.) Southern University Lab School cornerback Dylan Day.

After Minaya’s pledge, the Hurricanes’ 2024 class ranks No. 25 in the 2024 On3 Industry Team Recruiting Rankings. It also rates No. 4 in the ACC.

For more Miami recruiting intel, check out CaneSport.

Minaya currently has an On3 NIL Valuation of $19K. The On3 NIL Valuation is the industry’s leading index that sets high school and college athletes’ projected annual value (PAV). The NIL valuation does not act as a tracker of the value of NIL deals an athlete has completed to date. It rather signifies an athlete’s value at a certain moment in time.

Miami finding momentum on the recruiting trail

The 2024 cycle may have started off slow for the Hurricanes but they seem to have found their footing as they look to build another top five class.

Miami signed 25 players in the 2023 cycle with that class finishing No. 6 nationally and at the top of the ACC. They also signed a pair of five-star offensive linemen in that class with Francis Mauigoa and Samson Okunlola.

Some 2024 prospects Miami’s currently in the mix for includes Some of those players are Miami (Fla.) Chaminade-Madonna Prep five-star wide receiver Joshisa Trader, Miami Gardens (Fla.) Chaminade-Madonna Prep four-star safety Zaquan Patterson and Los Alamitos (Calif.) four-star defensive lineman T.A. Cunningham. The Hurricanes were recently mentioned by Cunningham as one of his favorites.

“They made me feel like family the second I got on campus,” Cunningham told On3’s Chad Simmons on April 5. “The environment, you can’t be mad in Miami. It’s a beautiful place to be, it’s a beautiful place to play, and really, it’s a great place to go and get developed. Coach Joe (Salave’a), I’ve got a great relationship with him. They’ve got Jason Taylor there, a Pro Bowler as defensive ends coach. I don’t see any reason why they can’t compete with anybody else in my recruitment.”

Meanwhile, Trader visited the Hurricanes for their spring game. He also took an unofficial to Coral Gables on March 23.

“I feel like they’re doing something good over there,” Trader told Stephen Wagner of CaneSport on March 24.