Miami recruiting roundup: Prospects recap Hurricanes' win over FSU

On Saturday, the Miami Hurricanes hosted over 50 top recruits for their matchup against the Florida State Seminoles. In the crowd at Hard Rock Stadium were a number of Miami commits as well as several top flip targets from the 2025 class and beyond. 

Ahead of the matchup, five-star LSU commit DJ Pickett was expected to visit, but after not being able to make it, according to his father Damien Pickett, he will be, “Trying next week (to get to Miami). Today was homecoming for high school. Just wanting to be a high school student today.”

Despite not getting Pickett on campus, the Hurricanes were able to get another top cornerback flip target at Hard Rock Stadium in Florida Gators commit Ben Hanks. Saturday’s visit marked Hanks’ second this year as the Hurricanes continue to chip away at his recruitment. 

“I just wanted to come to see the atmosphere again; it was a great experience when I came last time (for the Canes’ game against Virginia Tech),” Hanks told CaneSport. 

Since committing to the Gators, the Canes approach has remained the same, which has the local program still very much in the mix as the national signing period rapidly approaches. 

“Miami is still doing what they had to do since Day 1,” Hanks said. “They’ve been keeping their foot on the pedal, just they have to continue what they’re doing, that’s all I have to say.”

Another top defensive back target who was on sight was USC commit Shamar Arnoux, who recently picked up an offer from the Canes a handful of weeks ago. Despite just entering the mix, the Hurricanes look to be surging in his recruitment. 

“It was real good and a nice experience down here being back home,” Arnoux said. “I learned about the history of Miami and the culture. Miami getting this win definitely showed me a lot.”

Miami four-star cornerback commit Jaboree Antoine made the trip from Louisiana to Florida for the Hurricanes matchup against the Seminoles. On the night Miami improved to 8-0 to the liking of the top-100 prospect.  

“I’m not really surprised by at,” Antoine said. “It has just locked me in even more and that’s really it. I’m Miami to the bone.”

Despite his strong commitment to the Hurricanes, Antoine says the in-state LSU Tigers, to whom he was previously committed, are still involved in his recruitment. 

“Probably just LSU,” Antoine said when asked which programs are still pursuing him. “That’s the biggest competitor, really. I’m not visiting nowhere else.”

Other 2025 Miami defensive back commits, such as four-star safety Hlyton Stubbs, four-star cornerback, and Bryce Fitzgerald, were also in attendance. 

“We’re feeling real good,” Stubbs said. “Those boy went out there and did what they were supposed to do. The defense was looking good and offense was scoring the ball.”

At the linebacker position, 2025 four-star Ohio State commit TJ Alford was on hand, and the Hurricanes remain in the mix for him as well as his fellow Buckeyes commit Jarquez Carter. Miami will have a meaningful chance to land both, although both prospects are still solid in their commitments to the Buckeyes. You can read more about where Miami sits with the two four-star Buckeye commits here.

“Miami came out and dominated and the linebackers played great,” Alford said. “This game definitely helped Miami a lot.”

Here’s what other top recruits on hand had to say about Miami’s big win:

2025 Miami prospects

4-star DL Jarquez Carter | No. 347 overall prospect, No. 29 DT (Ohio State commit)
+++ “Coach Cristobal has been doing everything he promised to get Miami back to the Miami it used to be.”

4-star IOL SJ Alofaituli | No. 88 overall prospect, No. 6 IOL (Miami commit)
+++ “I mean, this really just sealed the deal for me seeing the dominance on the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball. It just showed that practice makes perfect. What they’ve done on the field and off the field, it showed tonight.”

4-star RB Girard Pringle | No. 131 overall prospect, No. 6 RB (Miami commit)
+++ “It was a great rotation in the running back room and everyone touched the ball and did great. Kept pounding the rock and they came out with the W.”

4-star EDGE Herbert “Third” Scroggins | No. 264 overall prospect, No. 28 EDGE (Miami commit)
+++ “Going into the game, I was already like, ‘I know they’re going to dominate.’ Up front, the offense, the defense, they just dominated that game in my opinion, and that’s what I expected.”

3-star WR Daylyn Upshaw | No. 427 overall prospect, No. 70 WR (Miami commit)
+++ “I felt like the wide receivers played very good and capitalized on all the opportunities. I feel like Isaiah Horton has been capitalizing on the opportunity he’s getting.”

3-star LB Ezekiel Marcelin | No. 508 overall prospect, No. 54 LB (Miami commit)
+++ “I’m feeling pretty good about the win I like how the guys fought all night and how the defense only gave up 14 points.”

3-star DT Mykah Newton | No. 870 overall prospect, No. 89 DT (Miami commit)
+++ “It’s a rivalry game, so it automatically just fires up your emotions. I loved it. This was my first game down in Miami, so I loved it. The defense just came down and destroyed (Florida State’s) offense. There were a lot of intense emotions going around, so I loved it.”

3-star OL Jaden Wilkerson | No. 1350 overall prospect, No. 86 OT (Miami commit)
+++ “Miami’s got the best O-line in the country!”

2026 recruits

4-star WR Devin Carter | No. 24 overall prospect, No. 3 WR
+++ “It was a smooth time and I loved it. It was my first time coming for a game in Miami so I enjoyed it and loved watching how explosive the offense was today. It was a real fun showing and I enjoyed it.”

4-star RB Tradarian Ball | No. 53 overall prospect, No. 3 RB
+++ “I really like how coach (Matt) Merritt manages his running backs. I know they got their two-headed backfield with Martinez and Fletcher. Those are two good running backs they have right there. …I feel like they’re in a good position. I like how they recruit, and I like what they do. I like Miami a lot. I like just being out here, really.”

4-star DT Bryce Perry-Wright | No. 54 overall prospect, No. 5 DL
+++ “Miami dominated Florida State today. I think Miami handed business and you see what the score was. The defensive line played great and the offense scored a lot so I think they played good.”

4-star 2026 LB Jordan Campbell | No. 63 overall prospect, No. 4 LB (Miami commit)
+++ “I’m feeling great we just won. If you aren’t a Cane you aren’t nothing.”

4-star ATH Heze Kent | No. 103 overall prospect, No. 6 ATH
+++ “I love the Canes already, and this visit made (me love them) even more. I love it, and I hope to come back soon.”

4-star S Ayden Pouncey | No. 126 overall prospect, No. 11 S
+++ “It was an amazing game and I loved the environment. The coaches were great and all of it was great.”

4-star DT Kendall Guervil | No. 160 overall prospect, No. 14 DT
+++ “The experience was good. Overall Miami played well. Like I always say, I really like what the D-line does. Coach Taylor and coach Joe (Salave’a), they really coach their D-line well and they really showed that tonight.”

4-star OT Johnnie Jones | No. 178 overall prospect, No. 16 OT
+++ “It was loud and a really live crowd. The whole game they were physical but I would say in the third and fourth quarter they really started to dominate the line.”

4-star TE Evan Jacobson | No. 279 overall prospect, No. 13 TE
+++ “It was sweet definitely to see the game-day environment and see the fans show out and all of that stuff, and then obviously with (the way the tight ends) played today catching passes, throwing touchdowns, run game, pass game, whatever it was. That was awesome.”

4-star IOL Canon Pickett | No. 322 overall prospect, No. 28 IOL
+++ “I feel like Miami is the real deal. They’ve definitely got a good program. I think they deserve that top ranking. I love to see them go out there and beat their rival.”

3-star 2026 QB Dereon Coleman | No. 346 overall prospect, No. 23 QB (Miami commit)
+++ “Great team win even though it wasn’t there best offensive game. You can tell they’re a balanced football team and don’t have to depend on passing game the whole time and they can always trust their running game.”

3-star WR Larry Miles | No. 428 overall prospect, No. 68 WR
+++ “This is the usually. Seeing them get the ball to multiple wide receivers makes me want to come here.”