While the amount of talented high school lineman that have passed through UM’s campus since spring practice started has been incredibly impressive, they’ve quietly done a great job of getting some of the top local athletes to visit as well. Three of the top wide receivers in South Florida visited Coral Gables before playing for the Raw Miami 7v7 team. Four-star wide receivers Lawayne McCoy, Naeshaun Montgomery, and Cortez Mills attended a Canes’ spring practice and Miami seems to be firmly in the mix for all three.
Class of 2024 WR Lawayne McCoy is one of the most impressive two-way players in the country. McCoy currently plays receiver and cornerback for Miami Central High School. Miami Central High School has many ties to UM with multiple current Hurricane players including Rueben Bain and Wesley Bissainthe. Current coach Roland Smith also coached at the storied high school football program. McCoy is ranked by 247sports as the thirteenth best athlete in the country and wants to primarily play wide receiver at the next level. McCoy is one of the smoothest route runners with incredible hands and body control. The 6’0-170lb two-way star needs to continue to develop physically but is already one of the most overall athletic players you’ll find anywhere in the country.
McCoy has been on campus multiple times over the past few months, most recently on Thursday morning, before leaving for Austin with Raw Miami for a 7v7 tournament. He was excited about his first full photoshoot in a Canes’ football uniform, which was something he didn’t get a chance to do during his previous visits to campus. After experiencing practice, spending more time with the staff and getting to put on the Miami uniform for the first time, it was clear that UM is one of McCoy’s top choices. The South Florida stud athlete was rocking Miami gloves and sleeves in Austin on Saturday and then FSU sleeves on Sunday. His recruitment looks to be an in-state battle between Miami and FSU at the moment. The Canes’ coaching staff is very high on McCoy and are trying to sell him on committing early and being the first local prospect to jump on board and kickstart the 2024 class.
Another local WR to hit UM’s campus on Thursday morning was top 2025 WR Cortez Mills from Homestead High School. Mills is ranked as a top ten receiver in the 2025 class and top forty overall player in the country. He has similar size to Lawayne McCoy at 6’1-170lb but plays the position differently. Mills is one of the best deep ball threats in the country and does a great job getting behind defenses. Few players do a better job making contested catches against the sideline and always finding a way to get a foot down in bounds. The Homestead product implied his recruitment might also be a battle between Miami and FSU, with the slight edge going to the Seminoles right now.
There might not be a faster rising player in the 2025 class than WR Wide receiver Naeshaun Montgomery out of Cardinal Newman High School. The 6’3-175lb pass catcher has quickly become one of the top receivers in the country. Montgomery had an incredible sophomore year at Cardinal Newman and followed it up with one of the most impressive performances in the camp and 7v7 circuit. He was also named the Alpha Dog at the ESPN Under Armour Camp during one of the few weekends he didn’t have a tournament with Raw Miami. Despite being one of the youngest, at 6’3’, with great speed and hands, Montgomery is one of the most complete receivers you’ll find in the 2025 class. After turning 16 this month, he was bumped up from unrated, all the way to a four-star prospect and a top 75 overall player in the country.
Montgomery and his father have been on the Miami campus multiple times over the last few months and have spent tons of time with the Miami staff. The Canes seem to sit toward the top of the list for the rising star, along with LSU, but many other schools are making a push. This past weekend I was in the room when Jimbo Fisher brought Naeshaun into his office to personally give him an offer while he was in Texas for the OT7 Austin 7v7 Championship. Montgomery will also be visiting UF soon, where he’ll likely become a priority recruit as well. There is still a lot of time left in this recruitment, but it seems like the Canes have done a great job of building a strong relationship with the impressive pass catcher.
As spring practice continues, many top players from around the country will continue to find their way to Coral Gables. Mario Cristobal and the Miami Hurricanes’ staff have emphasized getting players on campus and building relationships early on in this cycle; and it appears they are succeeding. The list of highly touted recruits passing through campus will continue to grow over the next two weeks culminating with what should be a very impressive list of prospects in attendance for the spring game on April 14th.
