Miami football has to win to sign 5-Star DT Leonard Taylor

Five-star defensive tackle Leonard Taylor did not have the Miami football program in his final five, but the Hurricanes are still strongly recruiting him following an extensive Zoom meeting with Taylor and his mom Friday.

Andrew Ivins of Inside the U reported on Saturday that five-star defensive tackle Leonard Taylor and his mother had an extensive Zoom meeting with the coaching staff for the Miami football program on Friday. As with most of the top tier prospects Miami is recruiting, the outcome of the season could dictate what happens.

Florida has been the favorite to sign Taylor throughout most of his recruitment. Taylor stated on Thursday that he has a new final five coming. He originally posted on Twitter that his top five is Auburn, Georgia, Florida, LSU and Tennessee. Rivals.Com believes that Miami is ahead of Auburn in Taylor’s recruitment.

Taylor asked earlier this week “where my Cane fans at” in addition to where are the Florida fans. Ivins stated that the Miami football staff is selling Taylor on the possibility of playing immediately at Miami. Miami loses rising senior Jon Ford after the 2020 season. Junior Nesta Silvera has the option of entering the 2021 NFL Draft.

Taylor would be the biggest signee for the Miami football program in recent memory. The Miami Palmetto product is the nation’s 27th ranked player overall, the third-ranked DT and fifth-ranked player overall in Florida. Rivals.Com summarized the recruitment process for Miami and Taylor.

"5. MIAMI“Miami is not in Taylor’s official top five. Instead, Tennessee rounds out the list. That said, the Hurricanes probably have a better chance of actually landing Taylor’s letter of intent than Tennessee does.Both are long shots, of course, but should UM have an impressive season under second-year head coach Manny Diaz, Miami will be back in the thick the mix. The Hurricanes once looked like one of the favorites to land Taylor and could be again if everything breaks UM’s way this fall.If that doesn’t take place, however, there’s little chance.”"

The 2020 Miami football season is as potentially as big off the field as it is on it. Miami could flip several players in December if they have a good season on the field. Manny Diaz and his staff were able to sign the nation’s 11th best freshman recruits in 2020. With a good season in 2020 they should move into the top 10.

The 2021 Miami recruiting class currently ranks 14th nationally. There has been a lot of movement in the past month with commitments occurring rapidly this spring. Several potential Miami recruits are expected to make commitments over the next month. Taylor is likely to wait until close to National Signing Day in December.