Miami first to offer Franklin
Downey, Calif., coach Jack Williams knew he had a talented player in 2016 linebacker Darrian Franklin but the first offer to come in was definitely a surprise.
Miami is the first school to jump on board with Franklin, a 6-foot-2, 210-pound prospect and Williams said the Hurricanes were showing some interest but to offer this early was a shock.
Advertisement
"They were interested but I didn't think that interested," Williams said.
Many schools especially in the Pac-12 are showing interest in the Downey recruit and Williams knows why - because the 2016 prospect is very talented and definitely could play at the highest levels.
The Downey coach paid Franklin some tremendous praise and compared him to a former standout at that school - four-star linebacker Jabari Ruffin, who signed with USC in its 2012 class.
"He's athletic," Williams said. "He reminds me - and I hate to say this, no disrespect to the guy who played there before - but he kind of reminds me of Jabari Ruffin.
"He's big and physical and athletic and he can move side-to-side and he makes a lot of plays from sideline-to-sideline."
More offers should be on the way but Miami has gotten involved first.
Williams said the Hurricanes will definitely be seriously considered but since Franklin is a 2016 prospect he's in no rush in his recruitment.
"They had shown a little bit of interest," Williams said. "I sent out a player profile on some of our guys and that's who they responded on. There was a little bit of interest but I didn't think they'd offer so soon."