Fog of War arrives early for Miami Hurricanes in massive week of commit announcements

The Miami Hurricanes recent surge in recruiting was hard not to notice and brought resounding cheer to the Miami fan base which can now touch and feel the resurgence taking place under Mario Cristobal.

Friday, as the weekend began and many of the nation’s top players descended on Bradenton for the Under Armour Future 50, Miami was believed to be getting absolutely everybody and was on a fast track to the Top 3 of the team recruiting rankings.

Monday all of those dreams had seemingly been knocked back to earth in an early fog of war that is recruiting with several big announcements scheduled for this week.

Offensive lineman Olaus Alinen, who is scheduled to announce his commitment Friday and had been believed to be trending to  Miami, was now believed to be trending to Alabama.

Defensive Back Joenel Aguero, who will announce Saturday and was believed to be trending to the Canes as well, was now back to being projected by everyone to choose Georgia.

There was enormous mystery over what offensive lineman Payton Kirkland will do when he announces Saturday.

Defensive Back Jayden Bonsu, a better than people think 4-star New Jersey prospect, was supposed to announce Wednesday, but he postponed that.

The good news?

Malik Bryant, a 4-star linebacker from Orlando Jones, will announce Saturday and appears to be leaning Miami.

On3 has Bonsu ranked as the 12th best safety in the country and the No. 2 player in New Jersey which is better than the other three recruiting services. Miami is expected to beat Ohio State, Michigan State and Penn State for his commitment.

His scouting report describes him as “a physical back half defender with striking power and versatility. Well-built and physically-developed at 6-foot-1, 205 pounds. Has good length at safety with arms over 32 inches. Plays in multiple spots for one of the top talent-producing high school programs in New Jersey. Rolls into the box, covers in the slot and plays deep safety at various times. A violent striker who levels ball carriers on impact. Tackles with form, driving through. Shows good anticipation in coverage, undercutting routes. Could potentially grow into a linebacker long-term.”

After that announcement, the drama is expected to begin.

Alinen is a highly-coveted 6-6, 315-pound 4-star prospect from Finland who has come to America to exploit the football fortunes of being a young man of his size and athleticism. All of the top schools in the country want him, but Alabama and Miami have made the strongest impressions. It is expected to come down to the Canes and the Tide on Friday.

His scouting report describes him as a “Big-bodied native of Finland whose readymade size and play strength helps him excel as a run blocker. Has a well-proportioned and filled-out build at 6-foot-5.5 and around 325 pounds heading into his senior season. Adequate length with 33-inch arms. Plays at a prep school in Connecticut. Mauls opposing defensive linemen at the point of attack. Shows heavy hands and a significant punch. Moves fairly well when working to the second level. Looks to be generally coordinated with his hands. Still developing in his pass set against speed and will need to adjust to the significant uptick in competition he’ll see at the college level. Could end up inside long-term but potentially has the ability to work as a swing tackle down the line. Older for the 2023 class, turning 18 years-old in the fall of his junior year.”

Aguero, also a 4-star prospect, is one of several defensive backs that Georgia is juggling, complicating his decision and announcement. He has been considered a Georgia lean for much of the process, but last week there was a lot of Miami buzz. That dissipated over the weekend and the On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine has him extremely likely to pick the Bulldogs.

His scouting report describes him as a “Head-hunting, twitched-up safety who is the biggest hitter in the 2023 cycle. Delivers crushing blows over the middle of the field. Explodes into ball carriers and receivers. A top athlete who tests very well in the combine setting. Ran a 4.48 electronically-timed 40-yard dash prior to his junior season. Was considered the top athlete on the loaded IMG Academy defense as a junior. At his best when he can use his athleticism and physicality to play fast and move forward as a cover down defender. More of a strong safety type at this stage. Not overly long and may not have much more room for growth on his 5-foot-11 frame. Will need to continue developing his man coverage skills.”

Bryant has been a head-to-head battle with the Florida Gators and would be a big win for Cristobal and Charlie Strong Saturday. His scouting report describes him as “Athletic, high-energy rusher who wins with power and speed along with positional versatility. Lines up in the slot, as a stand up linebacker and edge rusher. Transferring back home to Jones High School after starring for IMG Academy as a sophomore and junior. Violent with his hands against the run and does an excellent job stacking and shedding. Gives offensive tackles issues with his quickness and burst. Measured a shade under 6-foot-2 and around 235 pounds with a 6-foot-3 wing-span prior to his junior season. Posted an electronically-timed 4.72 second 40-yard dash, a 4.38 second shuttle and 32” vertical. Lacks the length of most top pass rushers. Could potentially kick to inside linebacker in college depending on scheme and fit. Older for the class, having turned 18 years-old during his junior season.

OL Payton Kirkland was supposed to announce in tandem with Bryant but they have decided to each have their own announcements. We think the 4-star Kirkland prefers Miami over Michigan State, but this has become complicated because of the sheer number of offensive linemen who may want to be Hurricanes. Alinen’s announcement will likely steer the tide a bit in that situation.  If he announces for Bama, then Kirkland becomes more likely to pick the Hurricanes.

It all will make for an exciting and anxious week for Miami fans.