Paradise Camp notes: Miami makes move with Lakeland duo
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – Four-star teammates Keon Zipperer and Lloyd Summerall didn’t participate in Miami’s Paradise Camp, but Hurricane fans won’t mind that much if UM lands one or both members of the duo, which spent the evening mulling around the team’s practice fields and interacting with both coaches and current players.
And, at least for now, Miami fans have to be thrilled about the direction things on that front are headed.
On Saturday, Summerall indicated that he’d choose an in-state school. And while Florida State is probably in the mix to some extent, it seems Miami and Florida are the teams to beat for his services. The same goes for Zipperer, who named a few schools as major players on Saturday, but those close to the four-star tight end seem to think his recruitment is rapidly becoming a two-team race that pits the Hurricanes against the Gators.
“I don’t know for sure,” Zipperer said when asked if Miami and Florida lead his recruitment. “I like Oklahoma, Alabama and Clemson, too. Oh, and North Carolina.”
But while the four-star tight end tossed water on the notion that the Hurricanes and Gators have distanced themselves from the pack, it’s clear Miami has made a move up his list and may even lead for his commitment. Summerall, on the other hand, arrived in Coral Gables high on Florida but said Miami has now entered the thick of his recruitment.
Neither prospect was committal when it came to naming a frontrunner, but Zipperer does know one thing for certain. His commitment will take place on Signing Day. And, apparently, the Lakeland product has big plans on that front.
“I’m gonna do it big on Signing Day,” Zipperer said. “It’s going to be show.”
RICHT CREDITS EARLY SIGNING PERIOD FOR FAST START
Miami head coach Mark Richt addressed reporters on Saturday and touched on various team-related and recruiting topics. Asked about last year’s early Signing period and what he learned from its first iteration, Richt sang the new rule’s praises, going as far as to credit the bylaw with his fast start in landing commits in the 2019 and 2020 classes.
“Once [the early period] was over, there were only a few more guys we were working on, so we got to move on,” Richt said. “We got to start looking at 2019s, 2020s and 2021s during that time of year. These 2018 guys were already signed and sealed, so we got to start looking.”
The Hurricanes currently have 16 commits in the class of 2019 and a whopping 11 in the class of 2020. Richt’s 2020 class ranks No. 1 nationally.
PROSPECTS THAT LEFT THEIR MARKS
Miami commit Jahfari Harvey turned it what was probably the most dominant performance of the event, abusing offensive linemen in one-on-one work and looking incredibly quick in drills. Harvey will need to add weight before he’s ready to compete in the ACC, but it was abundantly clear that his current ranking is too low.
Joining Harvey on the list of prospects that turned in impressive performances was Syracuse commit Cornelius Nunn, a high three-star that made countless plays, including a handful of interceptions in one-on-one work.
Other standouts included Miami pledge Jeremiah Payton and 6-foot-2 receiver Xzavier Henderson, who hauled in a number of deep balls during one-on-one work. Recent Miami commit Keshawn Washington (2020), who boasts an incredibly impressive frame for an underclassman, also showed well at the event.
HASELWOOD SHINES BEFORE EARLY DEPARTURE
Georgia commit Jadon Haselwood was the highest ranked player at Saturday’s event and looked the part in drills, where he showed of his incredible combination of size and agility. But Haselwood, whose decision to visit and work out in coral Gables suggests he’s seriously considering Miami despite his commitment to UGA, skipped out on the competition portion of the event. The five-star wide receiver gathered his gear and exited the field when one-on-one began. Haselwood didn’t say much on Saturday, but did note that his decision to shut thigs down was not injury related.
Haselwood intends to continue to visit other schools this fall and is likely to tour Auburn in addition to Georgia when it comes time to take officials. Whether or not a return trip to Miami is in the cards remains undetermined.