Samson Okunlola signs with Miami Hurricanes in huge addition for Cristobal, Mirabal, sees changes coming to program

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 felt like it was a matter of months that rumors were floating around that Braintree (Mass.) Thayer Academy OT Samson Okunlola was a Miami Hurricanes lock.

But he waited until Dec. 15 to make anything official.

In the end, all the rumors were true.

He committed to Miami that day and now has signed with the Canes.

It’s a massive piece to the recruiting class for one of the nation’s top-rated players regardless of position, and others that were in the chase at different points included Alabama, Georgia, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Oregon, Michigan State and Florida.

“I know coach Mirabal is a great offensive line coach, that he and Mario Cristobal love the O line, the run game too,” said Okunlola, who plans to enroll early. “I really like the culture, the people they have there.”

Okunlola first picked up the Miami offer back on Jan. 2, and ever since coaches Alex Mirabala and Mario Cristobal were relentless on his recruiting trail.

He took his Miami official visit over Legends Camp weekend, and that experience was a big piece in helping win him over.

“I really liked the culture they had around there, the people they have there (at Miami),” said Okunlola, who returned unofficially this past weekend. “They tell me that I’m a great offensive lineman, that they’d love to have me, how they’ve had great offensive linemen in the past.”

Mirabal and Cristobal started recruiting Okunlola to Oregon his sophomore year, and transitioned the chase to UM.

“They’ve shown they produce really great offensive line play,” Okunlola said. “I can see the opportunity I have down there overall just looking at everything. I see the City of Miami as a whole, my branding that could be there, bringing it up. And the education is great.”

He adds of Mirabal that “He’s a coach who has attention to detail, is technique-oriented. He really will be on me to have perfect technique each rep and stay on me each play.”

Okunlola’s coach at Thayer Academy, Jeff Toussaint, knows what kind of talent Miami’s landed. He says the OL is a future NFL first round draft pick.

“The feedback I get from college coaches who are recruiting him – they have Zoom meetings and say `We feel like we’re talking to a colleague,’” Toussaint said. “They say he’s like talking to another coach, that he knows schemes, can talk like that. And I saw that too, saw that when he got here as a freshman starting on the line with a bunch of upperclassmen but he just seemed to know more than any of the others.”

Okunlola’s On3 scouting report reads “Aggressive offensive lineman with nimble movement skills and a positive athletic profile. Has plus length for the position. Has shown good short area quickness in the camp setting. Also spends time as a wrestler and thrower in the shot put. Plays both ways at his high school as an offensive tackle and defensive lineman. Has some dominant flashes, particularly as a run blocker. Moves well to the second level, locating and blowing up linebackers on contact. Finishes blocks at a high rate and works to plant defenders into the turf. Shows similar emphatic finishing ability on defense, where he suplexes ball carriers at times. Plays low and understands leverage. Will need to continue developing his pass set technique. Could also stand to improve his ankle flexion a bit. Faces subpar competition and may need some time to adjust to the uptick in talent level once in college.”

Okunlola knows the task ahead in not just rebuilding Miami off a 5-7 season, but also in giving the Hurricanes a top offensive line off some inconsistent units in recent years.

“I know about Mirabal’s reputation, but also historically not too many top O linemen have come out of Miami recently,” Okunlola said. “But I think they are going to be changing that up.”