Commitment Breakdown: Ezekiel Marcelin to Miami Hurricanes

The Miami Hurricanes landed a commitment on Sunday afternoon with the announcement that Ezekiel Marcelin, a three-star linebacker from Miami Central, has pledged to join their 2025 recruiting class. Standing at 5-foot-11 and weighing 210 pounds, Marcelin becomes the 11th commit for the Hurricanes in this class. Ranked as the No. 453 overall prospect and the No. 44 linebacker according to the On3 Industry Ranking, and the No. 34 linebacker according to 247Sports, Marcelin has been a top target for Miami’s coaching staff for over a year.


Marcelin had offers from Penn State, Louisville, Pittsburgh, and Stanford. However, only Miami and Pittsburgh hosted him for official visits this month. Miami’s staff, particularly linebackers coach Derek Nicholson and head coach Mario Cristobal, played crucial roles in securing his commitment. The allure of playing for his hometown school and the strong impression made during his May 31 official visit were decisive factors. Despite a strong push from Pittsburgh, Miami was always viewed as the team to beat.

During his junior season, Marcelin was a monster on the field, recording 109 total tackles, including 19 tackles for loss and 12 sacks. His leadership was evident as he served as a team captain and helped lead Central to the third round of the postseason. Known for his football intelligence and tackling ability, Marcelin has also shown improvement in coverage, although he did not record any interceptions last season.

Marcelin is expected to continue playing middle linebacker at Miami, a position he has manned throughout his high school career. While he breaks the trend of Miami targeting bigger linebackers under Cristobal, his speed, instincts, and production make him a promising addition especially for the future. He will likely benefit from a couple of years in Miami’s strength and conditioning program to build muscle and adapt to the physical demands of college football.

Marcelin’s commitment demonstrates Miami’s continued success in recruiting from Miami Central, a powerhouse program that has produced several key players for the Hurricanes, including Rueben Bain Jr. and Wesley Bissainthe and Armondo Blount. His pledge follows that of his teammate, four-star safety Amari Wallace, marking the second Central player to commit to Miami in the past week. Marcelin joins four-star prospect Elijah Melendez as the second linebacker in Miami’s 2025 class.

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