What Miami football as finalist means in 4-star safety Terrion Arnold recruitment

Where does the Miami football program stand in the recruitment of four-star safety Terrion Arnold after being named as one of 11 schools he selected as a finalist on Friday.

The Miami football program was named one of 11 finalists for four-star safety Terrion Arnold on Friday. Arnold acknowledged in a tweet that he is taking his recruitment slow to find the best fit for him in college. Miami has one safety committed for 2021. The Hurricanes signed four safeties in the class of 2020.

The Miami football coaching and recruiting staffs would be fine if four-star commit Kam Kinchens is the only safety the Hurricanes sign in 2021. Miami also received a commitment from five-star athlete James Williams who plays safety in high school but it slotted for striker or linebacker with the Hurricanes.

Miami appears to be a longshot at this point with Alabama, Florida, Florida State and Georgia leading to sign the Tallahassee John Paul II Catholic star. In addition to Miami, the other finalists for Arnold are Georgia Tech, LSU, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas A&M and USC. Arnold is the second-ranked safety in 2021.

Kinchens is the 21st ranked safety. Williams ranks as the top-ranked athlete in 2021. Miami signed the second-ranked safety in 2020 Avantae Williams. Williams is sitting out the 2020 Miami football season due to chronic medical issues that according to head coach Manny Diaz will be reevaluated in January 2021.

Arnold told Inside the U that the Miami football staff is selling him on the idea of playing with James Williams. Williams is one of two five-star players commited to Miami. Williams and defensive tackle Leonard Taylor would be the first pair of five-star signees with the Hurricanes since 2008.

"“That whole defensive staff calls me on the daily and just says me a picture of how they want me to play with [five-star athlete James Williams]. They are trying to bring that whole swagger back on defense,”"

Manny Diaz and his staff have done an exceptional job adding talent to the Miami roster in the past three recruiting classes. If the Hurricanes sign everyone currently commited for 2021 it will be the highest-ranked Miami class since 2018. The 2018 class was eight which is where the 2021 class is currently ranked.

Arnold has mostly been a safety in high school but could play cornerback in college according to his 247Sports scouting report written by Andrew Ivins. As a physical player and multi-sport athlete with the talent to play basketball in college Arnold perfectly fits what the Miami staff frequently looks for with signees.