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It was tough watching all of the Seminoles and Gators being drafted throughout the NFL Draft. I remember the days when every round, especially the first, was inundated with ‘Canes ready to make their impact on the next level. This year, two ‘Canes, just two, were selected by NFL teams. Mike James went to the Bucs. Brandon McGee went to the Rams. A few guys signed free-agent contracts. Otherwise, it was a pretty quiet year for the team known as NFL U. I know you are down about this. You love Sundays, watching all of the highlight shows and seeing ‘Canes all over the place in the NFL making impact plays. Think about it, most of the guys that we’ve gotten spoiled watching on Sundays have been in the league for a decade plus. Reggie Wayne is 35. He’s ancient when it comes to an NFL player. Ed Reed just underwent hip surgery. His body is breaking down like a great-grandmother in a nursing home. It’s become apparent that the decade-long downturn in Hurricanes football has rared it’s ugly head in the NFL. Sure we have a few younger ProCanes. There’s Leonard Hankerson, Demarcus Van Dyke and others, but it’s not the same as the dozens of guys that dotted the league starting more than a decade ago. Have no fear ‘Canes fans, I think we’re about to get back in to the first round.

I think Stephen Morris is going to have an amazing year, building on the year he had last season in which he threw 21 TDs to just 7 INTs. In watching him a bit during the spring, his arm looks as strong as ever and I think his mental grasp of the game has only gotten stronger. So as I watched the first round of the draft and saw EJ Manuel getting drafted by the Bills, I thought to myself, “if EJ can get drafted in the first round, there’s no reason, after a great year, that SteMo can’t do the same.” Maybe that’s being overly optimistic considering right now he’s rated the ninth best qb in the country. But I seriously think he has the potential to be a first rounder. A few other guys could play themselves into high picks as well. We’ve all gone through the trials and tribulations with Seantrel Henderson, but lets face it, at 6-8, 350, he’s going to draw the attention of the pro scouts. All signs point to Seantrel having his best year. He looks like a lean, mean, fighting machine and it seems as if he finally has his head on straight.  Brandon Linder might not be first-round pick, but he’s definitely going to be a second or third round guy. He’s as smart as can be and as tough as nails. He is your prototypical NFL guard.  Hurns and Walford can also play themselves into mid-round picks by having good seasons.

Then there is the group after those guys. DUUUUUUUUUKKKKKKEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!. C’mon! We all know that number eight is going to be a top pick. It’s only a matter of when. Guys like Deon Bush and Tracy Howard have the potential. What about Denzel Perryman, Raph Kirby, and even much later Alex Figueroa. I think Olsen Pierre can be a top pick if he keeps his engine running. It’s quite clear that the talent is getting back to the point where the NFL is going to send more head coaches and GMs to our  pro day rather than just the southeast scout.

The only question is what impact will the NCAA and their claws have on things. There’s no doubt in my mind that there are scholarship reductions coming. I’m hoping it’s not enough to make us go through something like we did in the 90′s with a 5-6 season in 1997. Hell we had some bad years a few years ago with a full slate of scholarships.  No one wants to go though that again. I trust Al Golden and his staff’s talent evaluation to fill our program with a bunch of NFL players to be. Sundays are fun when you can fill your fantasy team with a bunch of guys you saw play at Sun Life. Let’s hope next year, and for years to come we can have a three-day draft party and get back to being NFL U.

Athlete Steven Claude (Champagnat Catholic/Hialeah, Fla.) is starting to get serious college interest. Central Florida, Miami and Marshall stopped by his high school since spring football has started and more are expected to come by to lay eyes on the 6-foot-2, 185-pound sophomore.

“I have been receiving mail from Cincinnati and Vanderbilt,” Claude said. “Duke wants me to send them my transcripts, which I did. Miami, UCF and Marshall stopped by the last couple of days. I talked to Coach (Paul) Williams from Miami, Coach Kirk (Callahan) from UCF and Coach (Alex) Mirabal from Marshall. He is a laid back person. He is pretty cool. He said he is looking for 2014 recruits and 2015 recruits, too. He looked at my stats from the Elite Scouting Combine and saw I ran a 4.4 in the 40 and did well in the one-on-ones.”

Along with the 4.41 in the 40-yard dash, Claude put up a 4.19 short shuttle time. The 2015 prospect talked more about the Canes.

“Miami, I love the college,” Claude said. “I love the tradition. My uncle Romeo (Davis) used to play for Miami, so that gives me a big boast on them. So, he can put me in with the coaches. I went to one of their practices. I loved their practice and how coach Al Golden runs the practice. I like how the coaches coach their receivers up.

“I talked to Coach Williams yesterday at practice. He said he loves my size. Coach Mike Tunsil wants me to move to corner and that’s why Coach Williams likes me also. I’m a more physical player. For me, my size and speed, I like corner, too.”

Miami Hurricanes Recruiting Notes 5-2-2013

Spring ball has started and coaches will be racking up serious travel miles as they’re now visiting all of the targets possible in the allotted time. Expect offers, possibly even commitments, during May and the responses, “coach told me to come and camp” as the Al Golden Football Camp takes off in June as well.
-Class of 2014 quarterback Morgan Mahalak received renewed interest from the Canes when James Coley told him that he would be out to see him throw this week. This came after contact with Miami had died down since Jedd Fisch left. Mahalak received an offer from Oregon, and committed. It is better for both sides as Miami wasn’t showing Mahalak the kind of attention one would of a main target and Oregon is a dream school for him. Miami still has Hialeah (Fla.) signal-caller Alin Edouard committed and are looking to add another.

-Defensive backs coach Paul Williams went out to Champagnat Catholic yesterday to check in on 2014 Louisville safety commit Michael Johnson, 2015 wide receiver Steven Claude and 2015 safety Mellick Jackson. Johnson is an elite player that is being recruiting by schools such as LSU, West Virginia, Nebraska an UCF. He has a lot of interest in Miami, but the 6-foot-3, 190-pound athlete hasn’t received an offer yet. He and Coach Williams spent a good amount of time together yesterday. An offer could be coming soon.

-Class of 2016 quarterback Logan Byrd is said to have a good connection with Miami offensive coordinator James Coley. He’s out of Kathleen, Ga., and is an athletic quarterback reportedly running in the 4.7s for his 40-yard dash. He is already being talked about amongst the scouting world and possesses good size at 6’2, 220-pounds. It’s early, but as we learn every year, recruiting starts earlier and earlier. Check out his highlight: http://www.hudl.com/athlete/1174264/athletics

-While the coaches are on the road, several prospects are making their ways down to Coral Gables, Fla., this weekend to visit the campus. Nationally ranked defensive tackle Travonte Valentine, linebacker Greg Miclisse and defensive tackle Freddie Booth-Lloyd will be checking out the campus tomorrow. The 2014 prospects are all feeling good about Miami. In fact, Valentine has them in his top three and could very well end up wearing Orange and Green on the next level.

-The Canes are continuing to offer early with the most recent one going out to 2016 tight end/defensive end Isaac Nauta. He’s already 6-foot-4, 230-pounds and has a slew of other colleges like Clemson, Florida and Michigan–all coming after him. The Buford (Ga.) product is just one of many the Canes have offered in the Peach State.

University School (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) running back Jordan Scarlett (6’0/200)  is only a sophomore in high school but holds scholarships from almost every top school in the nation. Those schools include Miami, Alabama, LSU, Florida State and many more.  This past season he helped lead University School to a 3A Florida State Championship, rushing a total of 1,357 yards and 22 touchdowns on the year.

“It was a great experience,” Scarlett said when asked about the state title. “best feeling of my life. Now I wear that ring everywhere I go. Hard work and dedication is all you need to win another state ring, and I think we can get two more we have a really talented team.”

He also listed a few factors that will come into play when he makes a decision on where he wants to play college football. “The coaches, how the love is at the school, playing time and staying close to home.”

While he is working hard in spring football right now, he has a couple summer plans. “I might visit FSU,” Scarlett said. “Also may be attending Al Golden Football Camp in June.”

By Steven A. Posada

Coral Gables, Florida–

“One door closes, another opens.”

That very well may be the mantra of the off-season for University of Miami basketball coach,  Jim Larrañaga.

Angel Rodriguez, a highly-touted transfer from Kansas St. where he averaged 11.4 PPG, committed to the Hurricanes yesterday. Although, Rodriguez cited his family who live in Puerto Rico as the reason for his move back to Miami, The former  Krop High star will need an NCAA waiver to compete immediately. If the waiver is granted, Rodriguez will surely replace Shane Larkin in the Hurricanes starting lineup.

For Palm Bay (Fla.) Bayside 2014 linebacker Greg Miclisse, the recruiting process is an everyday thing. He claims over 20 scholarship offers with more colleges are looking at him. One of the schools that he has interest in is the University of Miami.

“I’m going there for a visit Friday to check out how the school is,” Miclisse said. “Last time I went for a visit it was really good. I’m just taking another visit over there to learn more about Miami so I can make them one of my top choices.”

Miclisse, 6-foot and 230-pounds, had a chance to speak with several of the coaches from Miami during his previous visit in March.

“I talked to Coach Hurlie and Al Golden,” Miclisse said. “I was in a room one-on-one with the linebackers coach Michael Barrow. He was just telling me good things about Miami. He just told me that he wanted Miami to be the right school for me but at the end of the day it is my decision. I’m just going to keep Miami as one of my top schools because I like it there.”

Other than Miami, he has a short list of top college programs for the time being.

“My top schools right now are Tennessee, Notre Dame, Louisville, South Carolina, Ole Miss and Florida,” Miclisse said. “The reason why Tennessee is my top school is because they show me the most love and they’re graduating so many linebackers. So, if I go there, my freshman year I have a good chance at starting. Plus, they’re in the SEC.”

His college decision could be coming shortly. “I will make my decision sometime in June.”

Cocoa (Fla.) High School rising senior athlete Freddie Booth-Lloyd  (6-3/300) is being recruited as a defensive tackle and was at the Elite Scouting Combine last Sunday to showcase his abilities in a camp setting.

“It has been going good,” Booth-Lloyd said of the camp. “My 40 time has gotten faster. I’m 300 plus, so I can’t be happier for what I did today. I improved today and went against some great people. I ran 5.15 in the 40 and a 4.8 in the shuttle.”

Colleges have also taken notice of the explosive multi-sport athlete.

“I’m hearing a little something from Miami, University of Massachusetts, Troy and that’s really all I’ve been talking to. Hopefully schools start rolling in after the spring game.”

Miami running backs coach Hurlie Brown is recruiting him and will be attending Booth-Lloyd’s spring game against Miami (Fla.) Northwestern. “Coach Hurlie Brown is coming to look at me play to see what I can do. So, I’m going out there to try and impress everybody and show them what I can do. Hurlie Brown is a family friend.”

So, where’s his interest in the Canes?

“I am really liking Miami,” Booth-Lloyd said. “It looks like it would be a great program for me to fit into and I could be that missing piece on defense.”

In a college, only one factor stands out among the rest. “Basically, hospitality. I want to see how I’m going to be treated there and other than that I’m coming to play football.”

The Elite Scouting Combine took place at Cardinal Gibbons High School in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., last Sunday where many talented prospects showed up to display their ability. Northeast (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.) High School junior Harry Dumervil was in attendance and talked about his experience with CaneInsider.com.

“Today I came out and went hard,” Dumervil said. “I’m still working on getting better.”

Boasting two scholarship offers, recruiting has been going well for him.

“It’s good,” Dumervil said. “I still have a lot of colleges that are talking to me. The two offers I have right now are Tennessee and Louisiana-Lafayette, but I have interests from Alabama, LSU, Georgia, Ole Miss and UM—a lot of D-1 programs. Tennessee just tells me that I have to keep working, but they always have a home for me.”

He talked more about the Canes and teammate wide receiver Stacy Coley.

“Miami is a good team,” Dumervil said. “One of my players just signed with them, Stacy Coley. What he told me was it is a good program. It’s right next to home, so it would be a good choice.”

The 6-foot-6, 350-pound 2014 offensive line prospect said that many colleges are planning to stop by his school this spring to evaluate him further. The Hurricanes have four offensive lineman already committed for this year’s class and will be looking to add another before signing day.

Miami (Fla.) Northwestern 2014 wide receiver JoJo Robinson (6-0/175) attended the Elite Scouting Combine this past weekend. He had one of the fastest 40-yard dash and shuttle times out the nearly 200 prospects that participated. The four-star playmaker  caught up with CaneInsider.com after the event was over to give an update.

“Today everybody did good, and came out here and played to the best of their ability,” Robinson said. “I felt like I did real good today. I tested alright. I ran a 4.4 in the 40 and a 4.19 in the shuttle.”

The Florida State commit is getting to know some of the new coaches on the staff and is continuing building a bond with the ones that he is already familiar with.

“It’s good,” Robinson said of his commitment. “Some of the same coaches I already know, but the new coaches I’m building my relationship with now like the new recruiting coach, Coach (Tim) Brewster. We are building a relationship.”

Since Miami offensive coordinator James Coley left Florida State, he has continued to recruit some of the Seminole’s commitments including Robinson.

“Me and Coach Coley talk all the time,” Robinson said. “He’s one of my favorite coaches, so we talk every week. He is just like we need to be with him and we need to keep our talent in Miami.”

He continued.

“Miami is a good school. It’s my home school. They have good coaching. All of their coaches are cool and down to earth. They are a good upcoming program.”

Although committed to a Division-1 program, Robinson still feels like he has something to show the fans. “I’m just looking to showcase my talent and prove that I am one of the best in the nation.”