Miami football recruiters dominate ACC rankings

There of the top four recruiters in the 2021 signing class in the ACC came from the Miami football program as the Hurricanes dominated.

The Miami football staff dominated the ACC with three of the top four and four of the top 10 recruiters in the 2021 signing class. Offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee was second, tight ends coach Stephen Field was second, defensive line coach Todd Stroud was third and co-defensive coordinator Ephraim Banda was second.

The Miami football program has the 11th ranked signing class nationally and second in the ACC in 2021. The Hurricanes were one of five programs nationally with two five-star signees. Miami had two five-star signees for the first time since 2008 with defensive tackle Leonard Taylor and safety James Williams.

The Hurricanes dominated Florida. Miami had 11 four and five-star blue chip signees in the Class of 2021 Florida was second in-state with five blue-chip signees. If Manny Diaz and his staff can continue to sign in-state blue-chip prospects, the Hurricanes will continue to improve their roster.

The blue-chip ratio for Miami in the 2021 signing class for the Hurricanes 62.9 percent. Miami signed 13 four and five-star players out of the 21 they signed in 2021. Blue-chip ratio is the number of players on a college football roster that were four and five stars coming out of high school.

Having a blue-chip ratio of 50 percent or more throughout a roster is critical to challenge for a college football playoff berth. The 2020 roster for Miami had a blue-chip ratio of 49.4 percent. Miami had the 18th ranked roster in college football in 2020 and fourth in the ACC behind Clemson, Notre Dame and Florida State.

Lashlee was credited with four-star signees quarterback Jake Garcia and tight end Eliah Arroyo in the Class of 2021. Field was credited with eight Miami signees in the Class of 2021 including sharing Arroyo with Lashlee. Stoud contributed to Miami continued to signing an elite group of defensive linemen led by Taylor.

After finishing in the top 10 nationally in 2020, Banda finished 10th in the ACC recruiter rankings for 2021. Banda was credited with four 2021 Miami signees. That included the addition of Williams who should be an impact player for the Hurricanes. The 2021 Miami signing class could become the cornerstone for the future.