A recruiting update with some mailbag questions, but really, THE BANDY GOT OFFERED CELEBRATION PIECE!!!

Hello, friends. It’s time for another Recruiting Radar!! Who’s excited? Stupid question, I know. EVERYBODY’S EXCITED!!!

Let’s go.

In this year and previous years, there have been certain players the fan base has wanted to see get a scholarship offer from Miami. In many of those cases, the offer either came too late in the process for Miami to be a real contender for that player (Skai Moore comes to mind), or it never came at all (Quincy Wilson, and others).

The latest player on this list is 4-star CB Trajan Bandy from Columbus HS (Miami, FL). For more than a year, fans have wanted Bandy to get a scholarship offer. But, there was one thing standing in the way:

Bandy is 5’8″. (He’s listed at 5’10” but that’s VERY generous)

It looked like Bandy, an Oklahoma commit at current, would be yet another talented South Florida player who Miami didn’t offer. Until Wednesday evening.

Bandy is a very talented player, who despite his stature has the ability to play at a P5 school. I wrote this about him after seeing him at the Miami Regional for Nike’s The Opening:

That was from March. So, we’re all on the same page: Bandy has the talent to play at Miami. And now, he has the scholarship offer to match.

Looking forward on his recruitment, Peter Ariz of CanesInSight.com wrote that the place Bandy always wanted to play his collegiate football was Miami. Oklahoma is the school to which Bandy is currently committed, but I foresee an intense recruiting battle upcoming. Miami is running behind right now, which is understandable since Bandy just got an offer 13 hours ago from the time I’m writing this. But, I expect the Canes to be a big factor for Bandy as things move forward.

Unfamiliar with Bandy’s game? There’s a lot to like. Take a peek at the HUDL highlights below:

A talented and highly coveted defender from local Carol City High School, 4-star LB De’Andre Wilder likes what he sees from Miami. So much so that Wilder recently told CaneSport.com that “Miami is my number 1 choice.”

With Miami trying to re-establish a dominant recruiting presence in South Florida, getting and keeping a player of Wilder’s caliber would be a great start. Coming off a junior season that saw him have 64 tackles, 14 sacks, and numerous other statistics, Wilder uses his 6’2″ 196lb frame very well. He has room to grow up to maybe 215lbs in college while still keeping his athleticism, which is the key.

Wilder is the top target for Miami at Linebacker. Miami is only looking to bring in 2 LBs in this class, and already have 3-star Waynmon Steed committed at the position. If Wilder were to commit, Miami would likely be done at LB in this class, and have their 2-man class have 2 of the top LBs in Dade County comprise that group. Yeah, that would be nice.

Wilder, who is already 19 years old, is slated to be an early enrollee in college. He’s being heavily pursued by Alabama, Auburn, Florida, and others. But, if things hold course, Wilder should be a Cane sooner rather than later.

One of the best players in his class, 2018 4-star RB Lorenzo Lingard recently told Scout.com that “Miami is the top choice” in his recruitment.

Now, I know that 2018 is the next recruiting cycle not the current one, but being at the top for Lingard is a great thing. He’s being recruited by a ton of ACC and SEC schools, so that shows Miami is in a good spot for now.

Lingard has visited campus multiple times, and was on hand for the 2016 Spring Game in Ft. Lauderdale. OC/RB coach Thomas Brown is working to build a relationship with Lingard, and that seems to be going well so far.

It’s a long way until National Signing Day 2018, but as things stand now, Miami is in a great place regarding this super talented playmaker. You can see the kind of player Lingard is in his HUDL highlights, which are below:

5-star RB drops Canes from his list

I’ll keep this short: 5-star RB D’Andre Swift (Philadelphia, PA) released a top 5 list yesterday. Miami, who had been on Swift’s top 10, did not make the cut.

While Swift would have been a great addition for Miami, the Canes are still recruiting other top end talents at RB. So, onward we go.

Mailbag

Let’s end with some of your recruiting questions

Very well could be. I’d guess either Wilder or 3-star S Derrick Smith or 3-star S Amari Carter as of today.

Yes, but he’s clearly 2nd behind Wilder right now.

As of now, the consensus is that Jeudy’s recruitment is a 2-team race: Alabama and Miami, with Alabama leading right now.

Don’t let that discourage you, tho. Miami has beaten Bama for several recruits recently (Cager, Richards, DeeJay Dallas) so that could happen again here. It’s also worth stating that Miami has lost to Bama for several recruits recently (who hasn’t?). But, Jeudy’s recruitment is ongoing and Miami is in the fight.

Good question. My gut feeling is Miami’s RB class will be something like:

  1. Robert Burns
  2. Darrian Felix or Stephen Carr or Anthony McFarland

For seemingly the 7th year in a row, Miami needs 2 RBs in this class. This is the year that I think that happens, and I think the pair of RBs who commit (and 2 of the 4 above listed players would be a GREAT CLASS at RB for Miami) will make Canes fans very happy.

Miami actually is in an okay spot recruiting DTs this cycle. Soon-to-be 4-star DT Jon Ford is already committed, and several others have been offered.

The top target right now is 3-star DT Kane Taylor from Clearwater, FL. He’s a player that the staff has visted multiple times through the spring and has good size at 6’4″ 270lbs. Taylor is a player that could end up being in this class for Miami.

As far as other targets, we’ll have to wait and see. Miami has offered several top national DTs, but I don’t foresee them coming here, at least not this cycle. A top DT might come down to Coral Gables next year, but I think it’s too soon to expect that in the 2017 class.

When more offers go out to other players at this position, we’ll have a better idea of the board for Defensive Tackle.

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That’s it for today, kids. Hop in the comments below and keep the conversation going.

Go Canes