Miami trying to fend off Auburn for 4-star safety Zaquan Patterson

Hollywood (Fla.) Chaminade-Madonna four-star safety Zaquan Patterson is planning to commit on either Aug. 22 or 23. For some time, a pledge to Miami has appeared to be the likely outcome for the Sunshine State product.

The 6-foot-0.5, 185-pounder has logged seven visits to Coral Gables, including a recent trip in June. Secondary coach Jahmile Addae and defensive coordinator Lance Guidry have led the Hurricanes’ long pursuit of the No. 80 overall prospect, No. 3 safety and No. 11 player from Florida in the 2024 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking.

Miami is the heavy favorite for Patterson in the eyes of the On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine (RPM), as well. CaneSport recruiting insider Stephen Wagner and On3 national recruiting analyst Sam Spiegelman have each placed RPM picks for Patterson to pick the Hurricanes, giving Miami a 91.3% chance to win the recruitment.

Despite all of that, the Canes still may have an out-of-state SEC program to worry about when Patterson’s decision day arrives. Auburn has welcomed the safety for four visits, including a trip at the end of July for the program’s extravagant Big Cat weekend. CaneSport insider Izubee Charles joined On3’s Inside Scoop recruiting show to breakdown why the Tigers have fidgeted their way into a better position for the blue-chip DB.

Auburn making impact on Patterson’s family

It was actually Michigan that originally posed the biggest threat to Miami for Patterson, having hosted him for five trips in Ann Arbor, two of which were in June and July. Charles sees the Tigers as the more prevalent figure than the Wolverines with a decision on the horizon, however.

“Coach (Hugh) Freeze is making it real hard on (Mario) Cristobal,” Charles said. “For a long time I really thought it was Michigan that was Miami’s biggest competition for Zaquan Patterson. He went up a few times during the summer for unofficials … Auburn’s kind of coming out of left field and making a push for one of Miami’s biggest targets in that 2024 class.”

Charles pointed to the family angle as an avenue for Auburn to go down. Freeze and his staff are doing what they can to already make the Plains feel like home to a Floridian, even if Miami is actually the program that’s right down the road.

“What they’re doing is making his mom feel really comfortable with the program, showing her the ins and outs of what they do over there in Auburn. That’s kind of Zaquan’s biggest thing, if his mom likes the program, he likes the program,” Charles said. “I spoke with him — I believe it was last month or late June — he said his mom was going to be the biggest deciding factor for him. Auburn’s showing her everything that she wants to see. It’s going to make it really interesting down the stretch.”

Miami behind Auburn in On3 Industry Team Recruiting Ranking

Miami is in need of adding a player of Patterson’s caliber to its 2024 class, which currently ranks No. 19 in the nation and No. 3 in the ACC, according to the On3 Industry Team Recruiting Ranking. Cristobal’s pledge list currently features 21 names, eight of whom are four-stars. Patterson would be the fourth highest-ranked commit in the class, behind his Chaminade-Madonna teammate — wide receiver Joshisa Trader, Chicago Kenwood Academy EDGE Marquise Lightfoot and Northport (Ala.) Tuscaloosa County running back Kevin Riley, the No. 6 tailback in the cycle.

Auburn, meanwhile, has the No. 14 class in the country, which is spearheaded by a pair of five-star flips in Foley (Ala.) WR Perry Thompson and Clanton (Ala.) Chilton County linebacker Demarcus Riddick. Patterson would be the third highest-ranked commit in the class but the 13th blue-chipper.

Charles agrees that Freeze and the Tigers are bringing the heat late in Patterson’s recruitment. Despite that, he still currently sees the Hurricanes coming out on top with a decision right around the corner.

“Right now, I still like Miami with Zaquan Patterson, a local guy that they’ve prioritized for a very long time now,” Charles said. “It’ll be very interesting to see how things come down when that decision day comes, I think Auburn is making a real, real push for him. But like I said, I still like Miami right now.”