Canes Land Elite Safety Hylton Drake Stubbs as They Continue Expanding ‘The State of Miami’

The Miami Hurricanes landed a “whale” with the commitment of Top247Sports safety Hylton “Drake” Stubbs, from Mandarin High School. Stubbs, who was previously committed to USC, reconsidered his decision due to concerns about state taxes and distance, ultimately choosing the Canes over the Florida Gators.

Under head coach Mario Cristobal, Miami has consistently outperformed in recruiting elite Florida talent, and Stubbs is no exception. Standing at 6’2″ and weighing 185 lbs, Stubbs is a prototypical NFL-caliber safety known for his athleticism, elite ball skills, and physicality. His ability to cover the field laterally with speed and his high football IQ make him a perfect fit for Coach Guidry’s defensive scheme.

Stubbs joins an already impressive secondary for the Hurricanes, which includes Top 247 safety Amari Wallace, Top 247 cornerback Chris Ewald Jr., and three-star corner Timothy Merritt. As a five-star recruit on 247Sports and a near five-star on the 247Sports Composite with a rating of 0.9714, Stubbs is now the highest-ranked commit in Miami’s 2025 recruiting class. He is ranked as the 60th overall player in the 247 Composite, the 6th best safety, and the 9th best player in Florida.

In his 2023 season, Stubbs showcased his defensive ability with 97 tackles (8.5 for loss), six interceptions, six pass breakups, three fumble recoveries, 2.5 sacks, and two forced fumbles. His commitment brings Miami’s total to 16 for the 2024 class, moving them just ahead of Tennessee for the 11th ranked class in the nation.

Coach Cristobal has been instrumental in recruiting the secondary, aiming to transform it with major talent as he did with the offensive and defensive lines in previous years. Miami remains in contention for other high-profile defensive backs, including the top player in Florida, DJ Pickett, recent LSU decommitment Jaboree Antoine, and Aidan Anding, whom defensive coordinator Lance Guidry highly covets.

This commitment is proof that Miami’s staff is serious about locking down Florida and landing the best players in the state. With Stubbs included the Canes coaching staff has now landed six commitments in Florida that are not from South Florida. The Canes are now not only securing South Florida but planting their flag in Gator and Nole territory as the expansion of the “State of Miami” Continues.

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