The Rundown Take
No More Excuses: U Talk Breaks Down Miami's 14th-Ranked Recruiting Class Name by Name
With no game to preview and the bowl matchup still unannounced, Devin used the down week to go position by position through Miami's incoming class — the nation's 14th-ranked haul, up from 27th a year ago. Caller Billy Barrett joined for a long stretch, and the two kept circling back to the same question: talent is coming, but can this staff coach it up?
Key Takeaways
- Four-star running back Don Chaney Jr. headlines a loaded backfield room that already includes returning backs DeeJay Dallas and Cam'Ron Harris.
- Offensive tackle Jaylen Rivers (6-6, 331, four-star) out of Orange Park is the class's biggest name — Devin calls him a potential instant starter, but the class still has only two offensive line commits.
- Four-star quarterback Tyler Van Dyke and four-star receiver Michael Redding headline the skill-position hauls; Devin is wary of a pocket passer behind an unproven line.
- Ten decommitments already hit the class, including Jermaine Burton, Darnell Harris and Avantae Williams, even as Miami still sits top-15 nationally.
- Linebacker target Justin Flowe (a long shot, likely Ohio State or Alabama) and offensive lineman target Darrell Washington remain the two biggest names still on the board.
Building in the Trenches — Finally?
Devin kept returning to the same complaint: for a class this deep at skill positions, Miami still has only two offensive line commits — Rivers and three-star guard Antonio Smith. He wants the staff to go north, into Wisconsin and Minnesota territory, for linemen who can actually move people, and said the same need applies on defense, where ends Chance Williams and Quentin Williams headline a group that's deep but still short on beef up front. Billy Barrett agreed a mobile quarterback matters less than protecting whoever is back there — "give us a strong side, at least one strong side" — and both were skeptical the pocket-passing Van Dyke was the right offensive fit behind this current line.
Stars Don't Coach Themselves
Devin's bigger worry wasn't the class rankings, it was what happens after signing day. Miami climbed from a 27th-ranked class last year to 14th this year and still finished 6-6, which he says proves talent alone means nothing without coaching. He name-checked safety Bubba Bolden, corner Al Blades and a deep incoming safety room — Brian Balom, Xavier Restrepo — as proof the roster isn't the problem. Whether it's Manny Diaz, Dan Enos or Blake Baker running the show, Devin says the excuses run out with this class: "these are your guys that you hand-picked, so you're gonna have to get it right."