Miami football work to do after Jaleel Skinner announces October 9 commitment date

The Miami football program has work to do after four-star tight end Jaleel Skinner announced a commitment date of October 9 on Tuesday. Skinner wrote he will be announcing his decision the day after his birthday. Miami is one of five finalists that Skinner named last month with Alabama, Clemson, Florida State and Texas.

Skinner transferred from his hometown in Greer, South Carolina to IMG Academy in Bradenton last month. Florida State is the prohibitive favorite to receive the commitment from Skinner with Clemson running second. Skinner took official visits to Florida, Alabama, Texas and Miami in June. The Gators are not a finalist.

Skinner is scheduled to visit Florida State the weekend of September 5. That is the Seminoles’ season opener against Notre Dame. With only five official visits permitted per recruit, Skinner will not take an official visit to Clemson. The Tigers are still very much involved in Skinner’s recruitment.

Skinner is expected to take an unofficial visit to Clemson sometime this fall. The decision for Skinner will likely come down to how he will be used in college. Skinner is the 74th ranked player, top TE and 10th in Florida in the Class of 2022. At Greer, Skinner played wide receiver and CB in addition to TE.

Skinner was named as the TE on the Florida all-state team by MaxPreps. An elite athlete at 6’5, 210 pounds, Skinner also ran track for Greet. The departure by Skinner from Greer to IMG takes him from a team that was 3-2 in 2020 to one that finished 8-0 and was named the top team nationally in the USA Today Super 25.

Miami projects Skinner as a TE in tandem with 2021 signee Elijah Arroyo. Entering his fourth season in the Miami football program 2021 projected started Will Mallory will likely leave for the 2022 NFL Draft. Miami can sell the success they have had producing TEs over the last 10 years.