Miami football big weekend of defensive visitors including two 5-stars

The Miami football program will host its largest collection of talent this month for official visits. Three five-star prospects, including two on defense, will visit Coral Gables, after earlier examining the offensive stars here is a look at the defensive prospects taking official visits with Miami this weekend.

Cornerback Cormani McClain from Lakeland, Florida and safety Joenel Aguero from St. John’s Prep in Danvers, Massachusetts are the five-star visitors who highlight the defensive prospects Miami is hosting this weekend. McClain is the third-ranked prospect, top CB and highest-rated player in Florida in the Class of 2023.

Aguero is the 34th ranked player, second ranked safety and second in Massachusetts per the 247 Sports composite rankings. The Miami football program faces an uphill battle to sign either Aguero or McClain. All four crystal balls that were logged for Aguero in November 2021 project that he will commit to Georgia.

McClain is trending to Florida with all three crystal balls logged between September 2021 and May 2022 projecting him to commit to the Gators. Aguero has previously taken official visits to Florida and Georgia this month and is scheduled to go to Ohio State the weekend of November 25.

The official visit to Miami this weekend for McClain is the first one he will take with any college football program. No further official visits are posted for McClain on the 247 Sports or another major recruiting website On3.Com. Miami does not currently have a commit from a defensive back for 2023.

The Miami football program is high on four-star Orlando Jones linebacker Malik Bryant. Bryant is also projected as an edge rusher by some recruiting websites. Florida and Maryland also received official visits from Bryant this month. Bryant is rated as the 49th best player, third best LB and 13th in Florida for 2023.

No crystal balls currently exist for Bryant. On3 projects Alabama is the leader for Bryant with a 33.7 percent chance for a commitment. Florida is projected with the second best chance for a Bryant commitment at 27.8 percent followed by Georgia at 16.4 and Miami at 8.7. The recruitment for Bryant is mostly wide open.

Five-star athlete Collins Acheampong who is projected to be an edge rusher in college is intruiging with at 6’7, 254 pounds. All five crystal balls that were logged for Acheampong early last week project him to commit to Michigan. Achempong has taken official visits to LSU, Michigan and UCLA and is scheduled for Washington.

Four-star edge rusher Jaxon Howard has played the defensive line and tight end in high school. Miami will receive the last official visit from Howard ahead of his July 1 commitment announcement. Howard has taken official visits to his hometown program Minnesota, plus LSU and Michigan this month.

There are no crystal balls projecting who Howard will commitment to. The On3 prediction machine lists Minnesota as the favorite with a 26.0 percent chance for a commitment from Howard with Miami second at 22.7 percent followed by LSU at 15.7 and Michigan at 9.9. Miami is emphasizing length with its 2023 edge rushers.