Take Two: Miami lacks star power in its large 2019 class
Take Two returns with a daily offering tackling a handful of issues in the college football landscape. Rivals.com National Recruiting Analyst Adam Gorney lays out the situation and then receives takes from Rivals.com National Recruiting Director Mike Farrell and a local expert from the Rivals.com network of team sites.
MORE TAKE TWO: Why so few 2019 commits? | What happens with UGA's two 5-star QBs?
THE STORYLINE
Miami has far more commitments in the 2019 class than any other school with 12, but only three are four-star prospects at this point in the recruiting cycle.
Wide receivers Jeremiah Payton and Brieon Fuller along with defensive end Cameron Williams are the four-star prospects. Nine others are three-stars as the Hurricanes have a class with an average star ranking of only 3.25.
Because of so many early commitments, Miami’s class sits at No. 2 nationally behind only Georgia. It’s still so early in this recruiting cycle, though, evidenced by Duke being ranked second in the ACC and no other team nationally having double-digit pledges.
By average star ranking, Miami’s class would not rank second. Instead, the Hurricanes would fall to No. 20, but those numbers are skewed for various reasons. One being if a school has one four-star commit and that’s the only pledge, then it would move ahead of Miami.
Still, with 12 commitments and only three four-stars, did Miami jump on too many fringe prospects too early? Or will we see a lot of those players move up in the rankings with an impressive offseason leading into their senior years?
FIRST TAKE: ROB CASSIDY, RIVALS.COM SOUTHEAST ANALYST
“I know nuance doesn't play well on the Internet, but it's probably a mix of both. Some players will rise in the rankings and some won't. And, if we're being extremely honest, Miami's coaching staff could also have a change of heart and pull offers when it comes to some guys. It's an uncomfortable truth, but it happens.
“Of course it's important that Miami locks up South Florida. It's how the Hurricanes built their top-five class last cycle and they seem to be doing a pretty good job of holding off the other two in-state powers.”
SECOND TAKE: MIKE FARRELL, RIVALS.COM NATIONAL RECRUITING DIRECTOR
“It’s a little risky to fill up that early, but a lot of those guys will end up being ranked higher. We’ve had three true evaluation cycles and I believe we have four more. We have big ones, too, with the spring and then the football season.
“Right now, it’s sort of a paper class. It’s ranked high because it has a lot of kids in it, but the average star ranking isn’t that great. If I’m a Miami fan, I’m not worried about that. That star ranking will go up.”