On the first day of the early signing period, the Miami Hurricanes continued their push toward building a championship-caliber program under head coach Mario Cristobal. The Hurricanes secured a recruiting class ranked 15th nationally and the highest in the ACC for the third straight year. Cristobal’s efforts have culminated in Miami’s first 10-win season since 2017, demonstrating the upward trajectory for Canes Football that has produced continued growth and improvement in each season.
“It is kind of continuing to grow and grow,” Cristobal said. “We’ll continue to grow through the second signing period, and of course, through the portal period, strategically.”
This year’s class features standout talent across multiple positions, including three high school prospects ranked among the top six nationally in their roles:
Hayden Lowe, a four-star defensive lineman and the No. 3 edge rusher nationally.
SJ Alofaituli, a five-star offensive lineman ranked as the No. 5 offensive lineman.
Gerard Pringle, Jr., a four-star running back and the No. 6 player at his position.
The Hurricanes also signed seven prospects from South Florida and a total of 13 from within the Sunshine State, reinforcing their dominance in recruiting local talent.
“We’re thrilled about these guys,” Cristobal said. “It’s a smaller class, and we’re okay with that. These are the ones that we felt were the right ones for us. We got most of the ones we wanted, missed on a couple, had an addition late, lost a couple guys the last day, but overall, a really good signing day for us.”
Miami bolstered its offensive line with Florida-based standouts joining Alofaituli:
Max Buchanan, a four-star OL from Seminole High School (Sanford, FL)
Jaden Wilkerson, a three-star OL Orlando Edgewater High School
Demetrius Campbell, a three-star Orlando Christian Prep
The defensive line group also received a boost, featuring:
Herbert Scroggins III, a four-star edge rusher from Benedictine Military School (Savannah, GA)
Donta Simpson, Jr., a three-star lineman from Chaminade-Madonna College Prep
Mykah Newton, a three-star edge from Newberry High School (Gainesville, FL)
The secondary also received a talent infusion with four four-star signees:
Bryce Fitzgerald, safety from Christopher Columbus High School (Miami, FL)
Amari Wallace, cornerback from Miami Central
Chris Ewald, Jr., cornerback from Hollywood Chaminade-Madonna College Prep
Jaboree Antoine, cornerback from Westgate High School (New Iberia, LA)
Miami’s offensive additions include Luke Nickel, a four-star quarterback who stayed committed since his summer pledge. Other offensive talents headed to Coral Gables include:
Brock Schott, four-star tight end from Leo High School (Indiana)
Josh Moore, four-star wide receiver from West Broward High School (Pembroke Pines, FL)
Luka Gilbert, four-star tight end from Lakota West High School (Ohio)
Daylyn Upshaw, three-star wide receiver from Central High School (Alabama)
On defense, four-star linebacker Kellen Wiley Jr. (Armwood High School, Tampa, FL) and three- star Ezekiel Marcelin, Jr. (Miami Central) further solidify Miami’s core.
One of the jewels of the class is Malachi Toney a four-star wide receiver from American Heritage (Plantation, FL). Toney is a junior who reclassified to Miami’s 2025 class. Later in the evening Toney was recognized as the top player in South Florida beating out Booker T. Washington defensive back Ben Hanks Jr., Miami Central linebacker and future Cane teammate Ezekiel Marcelin and Miami Norland quarterback Ennio Yapoor for the Nat Moore Trophy. Toney was stellar in his junior season finishing with 58 receptions, 1,008 yards and 12 touchdowns this season.
Cristobal noted that 19 of the signees are expected to enroll early, providing them an opportunity to adapt quickly to college football and the rigorous academic life in Coral Gables
“This group is committed to our vision and the hard work required to succeed at Miami,” Cristobal said. “We’re just getting started.”
A Solid Class with Some Key Misses
While Miami’s class is filled with talent, there were some painful losses during the final stretch of the recruiting process. Four-star linebacker Gavin Nix flipped to Oregon, and four-star safety Hylton Stubbs chose Florida just days before signing day. On signing day itself, Miami celebrated a major victory by winning a battle against Texas for four-star linebacker Kellen Wiley Jr., whom the coaching staff views as one of the top linebackers in the nation. However, the Hurricanes fell short in other key areas:
• Miami was unable to flip coveted four-star linebacker TJ Alford from Ohio State.
• Five-star safety and Miami’s top target DJ Pickett reaffirmed his commitment to LSU.
• Four-star defensive tackle Jarquez Carter is expected to sign with Ohio State later today.
Miami will also need to tap into the portal just as aggressively as last year and prioritize quarterback, safety, and cornerback help, with possibly a linebacker as well. Miami needs to bring in difference-makers—multi-year players who were productive at their previous stops.The Canes’ misses in recruiting this cycle, in a way, will help them bring in immediate, instant-impact contributors to Miami, as the Canes will have NIL money to spend in the portal.For Cristobal, it is important that the Canes continue on a trajectory of sustained success, and that starts with another double-digit win season something the program has not achieved since 2003 and the opportunity to play for the ACC Championship in 2025.
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