3-star 2024 DL Daylen Russell commits to Miami over ACC, Big Ten foes: 'It just felt right'
Miami (Fla.) Columbus 2024 three-star defensive tackle Daylen Russell has committed to Miami, the 6-foot-3, 255-pound recruit announced on Twitter Saturday night. He becomes Miami’s ninth commit of the 2024 class.
Russell committed to the Hurricanes over Louisville and Nebraska, who emerged as the other two frontrunners late in his commitment. The No. 995 overall prospect in the On3 Industry Ranking and No. 94 defensive lineman previously announced a top five of Louisville, UCF, Florida State, Nebraska and Miami in February, but the Hurricanes separated from the pack over the last few months.
“Miami’s the school for me because they kept in touch with me over the past couple of months, and they just built a bond between me and my family,” Russell said. “Me and my mom, we had a long talk and we just decided it just felt right. Like, the time is right to commit.”
Miami recruited Russell the hardest of the schools in his top five and texted him daily, which impressed him and his mother, who also played a substantial role in his decision.
Miami’s staff recruited both hard. Any time he talked to the coaching staff, he talked to his mother to hear her opinion. But Russell also loved the similarities between Miami’s program and Columbus’, which made him feel the transition to the college level wouldn’t be as daunting.
“I like how they run practice,” Russell said. “They run practice similar to Columbus. I went out there to watch them a few times, and they don’t do anything different. Everything just flows, and we just loved it.”
Russell said being around Miami’s coaching staff played a massive role in his recruitment and he loved the recruiting pitches he heard from co-defensive line coach Joe Salave’a, offensive line coach Alex Mirabal and head coach Mario Cristobal. Mirabal stopped by Columbus for an evaluation visit earlier this month, and Salave’a swung by Monday.
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“They said they can use me all over the field because of how quick I am and how I can get off the ball and things like that,” Russell said. “We’ve just been talking about the development I can have as a player. Then we’d (talk about) where I fit in on the defense, because they run it just like Columbus. We’d talk about development, talk about life, just the small things.”
Russell will take an official visit to Miami but has not locked in a date. He added he has not shut down his recruitment, but he is locked in with the Hurricanes.
CaneSport’s Take
Russell established himself as one of Miami’s top prospects in South Florida as the Hurricanes attempt to rebuild a recruiting fence around Dade and Broward counties. Miami trended up for Russell over the past several months, and he received a substantial recruiting effort from 2023 signees Bobby and Robby Washington.
Now, Miami’s months-long recruiting effort for Russell is paying off.
“The level of excitement is off the charts,” Russell said. “I’m happy to be a Cane. I’m ready just to build (The U) back up.”
