Class of 2024 cornerback Ricky Knight III blossomed into one of the top defensive players in Florida last season at The Benjamin (Fla.) School. Miami, Florida State and Illinois have emerged as three of the main contenders in his recruitment.
Knight, who has an official visit to Miami lined up from June 23-25, has already visited UM multiple times. Defensive backs coach Jahmile Addae’s coaching methods have especially stood out to Knight on these trips to Coral Gables.
“I was able to go to some of the practices, and just to see the way Coach Addae works and operates is something I’d definitely like to be a part of. Like I can see myself in that,” Knight told LifeWallet Sports. “He’s very technically sound. All of his guys are on the same page for the most part. They all have become better versions of themselves. They’re all disciplined now and understand like – even if their stance is wrong, they’ll be in trouble. So just being able to see that just tells me a lot, and I wouldn’t mind that.”
Another thing drawing Knight to the Hurricanes, he mentioned, is the potential for early playing time, as well as Miami’s coaching staff, which Knight describes as “amazing.”
“They’re building what used to be ‘The U,’ but they don’t want to go back to the old U,” Knight said. “They want to be the new U is what they say.”
Knight is also a huge fan of Seminoles head coach Mike Norvell and the staff he’s constructed at Florida State, notably defensive backs coach and former NFL Pro-Bowler Patrick Surtain.
“Norvell is building. They say he’s the best recruiter in the portal right now. He’s building a great program over there. He’s got some great guys on the staff, especially with the hiring of Pat Surtain,” Knight said. “It doesn’t really get better than Pat for the most part. Their guys are also cool. I was able to hang out with them. They’re hard workers. They get on each other when somebody’s not working hard, and Norvell is just an energetic guy. Every practice that I’ve been to, he probably does it on the regular, he’ll run out, like when they break from the huddle, and race all the [defensive] linemen.”
Knight is set to make an official visit to Florida State from June 16-18, as well as an official visit to Illinois during the weekend of June 9. He raves about the Fighting Illini’s ability to develop players at his position into NFL prospects, as three Illinois defensive backs were selected in this year’s NFL Draft, including fifth-overall pick Devon Witherspoon.
“You got to respect them. They had three guys drafted, first cornerback being taken from them, Devon Witherspoon,” Knight said. “[Defensive backs coach Antonio] Fenelus shows a lot of love towards me also, so I feel like I’d have a great possibility of playing there also early and just being able to connect with Coach Fenelus to show me that I should definitely be taking an official visit there.”
The 6-foot-1, 170-pound prospect expects to make a commitment in July or August. There are multiple factors that will weigh into this decision, according to Knight.
“So for my college decision, the school first of all has to have a great academic prospect to it also because football ends someday, sometimes earlier than usual so you never know, so you need something to fall back on,” Knight said. “The living environment also matters. The team in general, like when I say team, I mean like actually bonding and playing as a team like one together. They definitely have to be on the same page. Everybody has to be hard workers.”
“The coaching staff matters also like, ‘What have you done? Are you putting guys in the league?’ The player development, and apart from being a football player, also the development of being a man at the same time. And my family definitely has to have a way to be able to come to see the games. That’s very important for sure.”
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