Hurricanes four-star QB commit Dereon Coleman shines en route to lifting Battle Miami 7v7 trophy
Over the last two days, some of the nation’s top prospects competed in South Florida for a chance to lift the Battle Miami 7v7 title and for the second consecutive year, it was a Miami Hurricanes quarterback commit who took home the prized trophy.
Last January it was Miami freshman Luke Nickel who wielded his C1N team to the promised land, and this time around it was 2026 Hurricanes commit Dereon Coleman who shined the brightest en route to capturing the tournament title with Defcon. From the opening contest in pool play to the final whistle, there was not a player on site who turned heads more than Coleman.
“I’m feeling great,” Coleman told CaneSport after the tournament. “I feel like I played amazing. I still had some ups and downs, but that’s just something for me to work on and get better.”
From every arm angle, whether it was in the pocket or on the move evading a rushing defender, there wasn’t a throw Coleman could not make during the two-day tournament, which helped him win On3’s Battle 7v7 MVP Honors.
“His arm talent is special, and he did things with the football that defenses simply couldn’t stop all weekend long,” On3 national scout Cody Bellaire said. “He was the most dominant player here at Battle Miami, regardless of position.”
Since his summertime commitment to the Canes, Coleman has been extremely firm on his verbal pledge and has essentially shut down his recruitment and is solely focused on Miami. Coleman has the utmost faith in Hurricanes head coach Mario Cristobal and offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson who visited the four-star prospect on Friday.
“They just kept it real with me from the jump,” Coleman said. “I can trust them, and they’re family-friendly. They love my family, and they love me. It feels like they’re trying to make me their family and it’s not recruiting. It feels like i’m a part of the team. They also wanted me there on the move in day and saw the new class move in. Seeing that just made me want to work more and get there.”
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Coleman is also hoping to bring his Defcon and high school teammate, three-star wide receiver Larry Miles, to Coral Gables as well. Throughout the tournament, the one-two punch diced up every secondary they played en route to finishing the event with a perfect record.
“As you can see, every time we’re in Miami, I bring Larry,” Coleman said. “I’m trying to get him to come, and we’re going to make that happen.”
While winning Battle Miami is a huge accomplishment for Coleman, the 2026 prospect has his eyes on lifting more championships in South Florida with the Miami Hurricanes in the near future.
“We’re coming,” Coleman said. “I’m telling you we’re going to win a championship when I get there.”
CaneSport’s take
After a stellar junior season where he threw for 3,412 passing yards and 28 touchdowns, Coleman has carried that momentum into the 7v7 circuit. Hurricanes fans have known for a while just how talented Coleman is, and after this weekend’s performance, it’s safe to say he is starting to put the country on notice as well.
