With the commitment of Chase Smith, Miami continues to prove that it’s not messing around when it comes to the 2021 recruiting cycle.
Manny Diaz and the Hurricanes currently hold the No. 8 class in the country, per 247 Sports; Smith, a 4-star athlete from Palm Bay, is the 22nd commitment in Miami’s class. This group includes two 5-star commitments, too: DT Leonard Taylor and S James Williams, both top 15 recruits in the class.
Over the last six weeks, Miami has landed Taylor, Williams and now Smith — the No. 221 overall prospect for 2021. The 6-foot-3, 190-pound Smith committed to The U over Florida State, Florida, Auburn, Georgia and Oklahoma. 247 Sports also slots Smith as the No. 12 athlete in the class.
During his junior season, Smith recorded 50 receptions for 716 yards and seven touchdowns. However, he plays on both sides of the ball; in the 2019 campaign, Smith also collected 72 tackles, four sacks and four interceptions.
While not the lead recruiter, Ephraim Banda (Miami’s safeties coach and co-defensive coordinator) was once again a factor in landing a key in-state target. Banda played a big role in helping Miami add Williams back in July.
Among ACC programs, only Clemson has a higher-ranked 2021 recruiting class (No. 3), though UNC isn’t far behind (No. 11).
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