Commitment breakdown: Kamren Kinchens chooses Miami
Rivals250 safety Kamren Kinchens committed to Miami over fellow finalists Auburn and Texas A&M on Saturday, giving the Hurricanes their 17th verbal commitment in the class of 2021. Below, Kinchens discusses his choice and Rivals.com has a look at what the news means for Manny Diaz’s program.
IN HIS WORDS
ON WHY HE CHOSE MIAMI
"First because my Family is close. Then, also, the relationship with Coach [Ephraim] Banda. Actually. that whole staff. The staff makes me feel like I'm a part of that family. Another thing was that, at first, I thought winning was everything. I guess it still is, but if I'm going to help somebody win and change the culture, it should be my home team."
ON HOW MIAMI INTENDS TO USE HIM
"They want me at post safety. The first year, though, they want me to play wherever so I can be on the field early. They will play me everywhere. The,n they want to make me post safety."
ON THE LAST TIME HE VISITED UM’S CAMPUS
"I think in February. I visited and I loved it, but I didn’t know I would pick them yet. I was still deciding."
ON WHEN HE DECIDED
"I wanna say at the beginning of this week. It was Miami or Auburn. I can say that both have really good programs. It was the business that separated them."
ON WHAT KIND OF BUSINESS
“It was player likeness in Miami. You can say they blew Auburn out in that aspect. Football was neck. Academics was neck and neck."
ON IF HE PLANS VISIT OTHER SCHOLS AFTER THE DEAD PERIOD
"I'm 90 percent I’m shutting down."
WHAT MIAMI IS GETTING: Kinchens first dashed on the radar as a sophomore, a season during which he showed himself to be an elite athlete capable of playing every position in the secondary. As a young prospect, he made waves for an incredible interception that saw him out-jump top prospect-turned Clemson wideout Frank Ladson for a 50-50 ball in an early-season game. As he’s added muscle and specialized at the safety spot over the last year or so, Kinchens has become much more technically sound and instinctual as far as breaking on the ball goes. He could still stand to improve in run support but his size, along with his trajectory, is encouraging. His ball schools have always been far above average despite not having an exceptionally long fame.
WHAT IT MEANS FOR THE HURRICANES: Miami Northwestern High School has long been an important recruiting ground for UM, and the 2020 class drives that point home. Head coach Manny Diaz now holds four commitments from players off of last year’s Northwestern state championship roster. If UM is ever to return to its past glory it will be on the backs of South Florida talent, so solidifying a longstanding pipeline with one of the area’s top public schools is vital. After last year’s 6-7 finish, Diaz will have to prove himself on the field or this good will could dry up in a flash. Still, Kinchens choosing UM over other major offers is a sign that faith in the UM staff is still very much alive locally.