Miami football receives commit from versatile 2021 legacy athlete Chase Smith
The Miami football program received a commitment on Thursday from versatile athlete Chase Smith who is expected to be a linebacker or striker with the Hurricanes.
Legacy 2021 athlete Chase Smith, the son of former Hurricanes tight end Willie Smith announced his commitment to the Miami football program on Wednesday. The 6’3 190 Smith is expected to play linebacker or striker at Miami. In high school, Smith has been a star wide receiver and defensive player as a prep star.
The commitment by Smith moved the 2021 Miami recruiting class from 10th to eighth in the country passing Michigan and USC. Smith is graded as a four-star recruit and the 260th player, 14th athlete and 37th in ranked player in Florida in 2021. Smith is the ninth highest ranked commit to Miami for 2021.
The addition of the versatile star has to make co-defensive coordinators Blake Baker and Ephraim Banda happy about the possiblites the Hurricanes will have on defense in the future with versatile players like Smith and James Williams who is the top ranked athlete in the class of 2021. Smith also adds excellent length at 6’3.
Smith had 50 receptions for 716 yards and seven touchdowns on offense and added 72 tackles, four sacks and four interceptions on defense at Bayside High in 2019. Miami continues to beat out SEC schools for recruits in the 2021 cycle. Smith is the eighth commit to choose the Hurricanes in the 2021 cycle over an SEC school.
At 6’3 190 pounds, some recruiting analysts project Smith to be a safety in college while others project him to fill out and play linebacker. The potential at Miami is that Smith could be a perfect fit for striker. Smith is a big play player on both sides of the ball. On defense Smith returned three interceptions and a fumble for a TD in 2019.
Smith becomes the sixth commit to Miami in the Class of 2021 rated as four-stars or above. The Hurricanes defense has a bright future led by five-stars Williams and defensive tackle Leonard Taylor. Smith will likely have to fill out more to contribute but he should eventually be a key part of the Hurricanes defense.