Miami football four 2022 commits doesn’t worry Manny Diaz and shouldn’t

With the last weekend of visitors until the end of July the Miami football program currently has four commits. Many of the Hurricanes rivals having double or more commits for 2022 head coach Manny Diaz told reporters following Paradise Camp on Saturday he is not concerned with the comparatively low number of Miami commits.

Diaz stated when he took over as head coach in December 2018 that players will not commit and then make visits to other schools. The Hurricanes want players who want to be in Coral Gables. With less than six months left to Early National Signing Day and players only recently taking visits, de-commitment could be rampant.

Miami welcomed a plethora of recruits for Paradise Camp this weekend including six on their official visits. None of the prospects in Coral Gables this weekend are expected to make any commitments soon. Some of the top 2022 Miami football prospects will make their commitments public in early July.

Not wanting de-commitments and the over 14-month mortarium on recruiting visits because of COVID has greatly impacted recruiting. Miami had only two commits before players began taking visits on June 1. Quarterback Jacurri Brown and wide receiver Quan Lee took unofficial visits on their own before committing.

"“It’s a scenario where the kids are going to go look around. They haven’t been able to go anywhere…We’re not a high-pressure outfit. There’s a lot of schools that kind of press a kid to try to commit. I think they’re trying to get some fake momentum because of that and that’s fine.They can win the recruiting bake-off in the month of June because that’s not Signing Day. We want to be authentic in our relationships and if a kid picks Miami we want it to be for the right reasons…It doesn’t bother me, not because of a fear of decommitment phase.It just doesn’t bother me because as we are recruiting, we’re evaluating and that’s unique…When have you ever had a month where many of the visitors you’re bringing on official visits you’re meeting for the first time? That’s not the way that it normally works. You’re evaluating while you’re recruiting.Normally, there’s a process to that and they’re evaluating us. You can only learn so much about people on FaceTime and Zoom, and I think just getting back into a real face-to-face experience has been enlightening, not just for them evaluating us, but us evaluating them, as well.”You really can’t get the full experience of what the University of Miami means without having those people in the building…You’re talking about a group that has been not just in the NFL, but dominated the NFL.”"

More than 14 months without visits had created a manic June as Diaz alluded to this spring. Miami is being deliberate with its approach. While the Miami staff is not afraid of de-commitments it was a problem for the Hurricanes before Diaz took over as head coach. Allowing players time to evaluate where they want to go builds relationships.

Recruits Paradise Camp in Coral Gables this weekend with Pro Football Hall of Fame alums coaching is part of the full experience that Diaz was alluding to. The 2021 Class had to largely sign with programs that they did not take official visits to. Miami was able to sign five-star defensive players Leonard Taylor and James Williams in 2021.

Williams a safety committed to the Miami football program in July 2020 surprisingly choosing the Hurricanes over Georgia. Defensive tackle Taylor committed to Miami in August 2021. A lot will happen between now and the start of the season and by Early National Signing Day in December. It’s far too early to panic about the 2022 Class.