Miami football has DE options with Samuel Anaele decommit

The Miami football program has plenty of options to replace the recent de-commitment of four-star strongside defensive end Samuel Anaele.

The de-commitment of strongside defensive end Samuel Anaele was a tough one for the 2020 recruiting class of the Miami football program. Anaele was the highest rated defensive player and third highest overall. With just less than six months to go until the early signing period, the Hurricanes have options to replace him.

Anaele is a four-star recruit with a 0.9365 rating according to 247 sports. He is the 161st ranked player, the 23rd ranked SDE and 10th ranked player in Florida. Running back Don Cheney Jr. and offensive tackle Jalen Rivers are the only players ranked higher in Miami’s 2020 recruiting class. Several DEs are still high on the Hurricanes.

The Miami football staff was prepared for Anaele’s recent defection. The Hurricanes received commitments from a pair of defensive ends in the past week. Three-star recruits, Elijah Roberts on the strongside and Quentin Williams on the weakside both committed to Miami in the last week.

Roberts and Williams’ commitments help ease Anaele’s de-commitment. Five other defensive linemen are still “warm” on Miami per 247Sports projections. Included is former Miami commit Chantz Williams from Orange Park near Jacksonville. That is where current Hurricanes star linebacker Shaq Quarterman went to high school.

Chantz is a high school teammate of Rivers. The New Miami DL coach Todd Stroud has been strong on Williams recruitment. The 6’3.5, 214 pound DL spoke to Andrew Ivins of Inside the U about his recruitment. Williams is scheduled to announce his collegiate destination on July 20.

"“I have been talking with [Todd Stroud] the defensive line coach. Just building that connection…He was on the phone last night with my mom for about 20 minutes. They were just getting to know each other better. I have been reaching out more and more to Miami, just because I didn’t feel like I had gave the new staff a chance.”I’m committing on July 20th which is my father’s birthday…I know it’s during the dead period, but I want to commit on my farther’s birthday that’s a big deal for me…Jalen is definitely recruiting me and it kind of helping.”"

Three of the 247’s Crystal Ball’s project Williams to sign with Miami. One has him signing with Florida and Ivins is undecided.

Three-star 2020 DEs, Johnny Walker and Jamari Stewart on the weakside and Jershan Newton on the strongside are warm on the Miami football program according to 247. Walker is the 28th ranked WDE for 2020 and the 102nd ranked player in Florida. Stewart is 35th and 113th. Newton is 65th and 155th at SDE.

Walker and Stewart are yet to have projections where they might commit to for college. Newton only has one that projects him attending Florida State. De-commitments have become common throughout college football in the age of social media. Manny Diaz and his staff have recovered from them.

With just less than six months remaining until national signing day, expect the 2020 Miami football recruiting class to remain in the top ten. If they get commitments from a few big-name recruits the potential is there to move into the top five nationally.