Commitment Snapshot: Ryan Rodriguez chooses Miami
THE COMMITMENT: Three-star offensive lineman Ryan Rodriguez brought his recruitment to a close on Monday evening, when the Christopher Columbus High School star announced his intention to play his college football for hometown Miami. Below, Rivals.com gets Rodriguez’s take on his decision and outlines what the Hurricanes are getting in the local standout.
IN HIS WORDS
On why he chose Miami:
“I think things are going to get turned around. I feel very comfortable with UM. I think I have a chance to develop and become a really good player at Miami, too.”
On which UM coach he’s closest with:
“I’m closest to Coach [Garin] Justice. I have a lot of respect and trust to coach Justice. I think he’s going to really push me to be better at the next level.”
On how he fits into the Hurricanes' plans:
“The offense Miami runs is very similar to my high school’s offense. I think I’ll fit well. It allows me to block while running in open space and be an athlete as well. I think it also allows the athletes in the backfield and at receivers to be more free to make plays.”
WHAT MIAMI IS GETTING: In Rodriguez, Miami is getting a hyper-powerful guard that has improved his upper body strength over the past year. He still needs to add plenty of muscle, but Rodriguez has proven he can stand toe-to-toe with other Power Five-bound prospects. The newest Hurricane was a nice surprise at this year’s Rivals Camp Series stop in Miami, where he won more reps than he lost and showed off relatively light feet in the process. There are certainly more physically imposing guards in this class, but it’s hard to argue with what the Columbus senior has put on film.
Rodriguez isn’t polished by any means and still needs to get more consistent in pass protection, but his established power and athleticism give him a high ceiling. He has the frame and the work ethic to morph into a big-time contributor as an upperclassmen in the ACC. The fact that he is already comfortable snapping from the center spot grants him added versatility.
WHAT IT MEANS FOR THE HURRICANES: Miami has had success at Columbus High School in the recent past. Most notably, reaching into the Miami-based private school to grab defensive back Trajan Bandy, who signed a contract with Pittsburgh Steelers over the weekend after a solid career in Coral Gables. Columbus continues to pump out Power Five prospects each cycle, so strengthening the pipeline to the program certainly won’t hurt.
There are higher ranked prospects that Rodriguez and the Hurricanes probably had a player or two higher on their board. Still, the three-star guard had become a priority target for Manny Diaz over the last few months so landing his commitment is significant. If keeping Dade County talent home is, indeed, top priority for the UM staff, this is a step in that direction.