Damari Brown will follow in dad’s footsteps as a Miami Hurricane, confirmed signing

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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It was back in January of 2021 that Plantation (Fla.) American Heritage CB Damari Brown added a Miami Hurricanes scholarship offer. At the time it was just his third offer, joining Pittsburgh and Syracuse.

As his recruitment moved forward, Brown picked up offers from top programs around the nation including the likes of Clemson, LSU, Florida, Oklahoma and Florida State.

But his heart was always at home.

And now Brown is confirmed signing with the hometown Hurricanes. Alabama and Florida State were his other finalists, and many thought as recently as the weekend that he’d wind up at ‘Bama.

“I always rooted for Miami,” Brown said. “Coach (Mario) Cristobal, he has the vision – he doesn’t want me going away from home is what he said, he said it’s going to be everything I need there, that he created this whole staff with amazing coaches and experience. … He has confidence, and knows what this program is capable of.”

Brown took his Miami official visit for the Florida State game weekend. He’s a legacy recruit whose father, Selwyn, played for UM and graduated in 1988.

“He says he loved it there, they were a bunch of dogs when he played back then,” Damari said.

Dad’s take?

“I love it (at Miami), love the change of the culture, the energy,” Selwyn said. “I’ve been down there several times and every time I go, I’m impressed. You can just feel it in the atmosphere, everything is intentional to get back to our winning ways, a lot of hard work, everyone is buying in, on the same page. Coach Cristobal is not pulling any punches.”

As for what Miami’s landed in Brown?

For that we reached out to Brown’s coach at American Heritage, Mike Smith.

Smith says the first thing that jumps out about Brown is that “he’s a very smart player, extremely smart.”

On top of that?

“He’s the prototypical corner people are looking for now,” Smith said. “He’s big, he’s strong, he’s fast. He’s got real good footwork, he’s fluid. He’s really the total package when you look at that position. We’ve had some good ones here – Tyson (Campbell), Pat (Surtain), Tarvarus McFadden if you keep going back. Even his DB coach here played at Syracuse, had nine picks. So he’s coached up by a guy who knows.”

The comparison here?

Smith points to a first-round draft pick that played at Alabama out of American Heritage: Surtain.

“I see a lot of Pat in him,” Smith said. “He doesn’t get rattled, stays level the whole game. I see a lot of Pat in him even as far as body type. He’s a player, man. And everybody looks at the physical stuff, but he knows the game. Growing up with his dad playing at Miami, his brother (Davonte) – it’s a football family. He knows the game, is a competitor, too.”

Brown’s On3 scouting report reads “Well-schooled cornerback with coverage instincts. Plays at one of South Florida’s top talent producing high school programs. Faces top competition on a weekly basis, often matching up with Power 5 receiver prospects. Has fared well in many of those matchups. Sees the game quickly and jumps routes. Shows the ability to stay in-phase on vertical routes. Plays with good technique. Willing tackler with some physicality. May still be growing but does not have physical traits of some other blue-chip cornerback prospects at this juncture. Measured 6-foot-.5, 179 pounds with a 5-foot-11 wing-span.”

Brown says he sees an early opportunity to play at UM given the team’s struggles.

“Witnessing it myself, I know that would be a place I could come in and contribute right now,” Brown said.