Miami Hurricanes Land Top-100 LB Gavin Nix in Massive Commitment

The Miami Hurricanes football program has landed a huge commitment from Gavin Nix, a top-100 linebacker according to 247Sports. Standing at 6’0” and 225 lbs, Nix epitomizes the trend of head coach Mario Cristobal targeting big, athletic linebackers over 220 lbs.

Nix, a standout player for IMG Academy, chose the Hurricanes over a final group that included Florida State, Oregon, Stanford and Ohio State. His decision continues the momentum for Miami, who has been on a red-hot streak on the recruiting trail . Coach Cristobal’s emphasis on recruiting top talent from IMG Academy is paying off, and the Hurricanes are poised to make significant strides in their recruiting efforts.

A pivotal factor in Nix’s commitment was Miami’s linebacker coach, Derek Nicholson. Miami was the first program to get Nix on an official visit this summer, and they have consistently recruited him as a priority. Nix, who had 26 offers, has had a highly productive high school career and enters his senior season with impressive stats.

In 2023, Nix was a starter for IMG Academy, which played a national schedule. According to MaxPreps, he totaled 42 tackles (7 TFL), five QB hurries, and a sack in eight games. His sophomore season in 2022 was also spent at IMG Academy, and he played his freshman year at Lake Highland Prep, where he finished with 79 tackles (13 TFL) and five sacks, helping the team to an 11-0 record and an SSAC championship. Nix also participated in the FBU Freshman All-American Bowl.

Nix is projected to play middle linebacker at the University of Miami and will have plenty of opportunities to either win a starting job or get plenty of reps as a true freshman as Francisco Mauigoa will be heading to the NFL after this season. With Nix, The Canes are landing one of the m most talented linebackers in the country. Nix can hit like a a mack truck and plays with a violent streak, and can rush the passer. Pressuring the quarterback and stopping the run are not the only skills Nix possesses, he can also move in space and run stride for stride with tight ends.

With Nix’s commitment, Miami’s recruiting class now boasts three linebackers, including four-star linebacker commit Elijah Melendez and three-star linebacker Ezekiel Marcelin. The momentum doesn’t stop here for Miami, as several key targets are expected to make their decisions this week including 2026 QB Dereon Coleman who will announce his commitment on July 3rd and 2025 safety Hylton Stubbs who is committing on July 4th in what is shaping up to be a Miami versus Florida battle.

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