Former Miami football top 100 signee Sam Bruce passed away on Thursday. St. Thomas Aquinas where Bruce became a national star posted about his death on Thursday afternoon. Miami signed Bruce in 2016 over Florida and Ohio State. Due to several off-the-field incidents, Bruce never played for the Hurricanes.
No cause of death has been stated yet for Bruce. Multiple tributes were posted for Bruce throughout social media. Among those posting tributes was Miami wide receiver Mike Harley who played with Bruce at St. Thomas Aquinas. Bruce was dismissed from the Miami football program in 2016.
The Miami press release at the time of Bruce’s dismissal read “multiple violations of team rules and a failure on his part to meet the clear expectations established to be a part of the Miami football program…We wish Sam well with his future academic and football endeavors,” Bruce was the highest ranked 2016 Miami signee.
After being dismissed from the Miami football program, Bruce transferred to Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College and Southeastern University in Lakeland. Bruce also had tryouts with the Edmonton Eskimos, now Elks of the Canadian Football League and Frisco Fighters of the Indoor Football League.
Bruce had 113 receptions for 1,380 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns with 48 carries for 355 yards rushing and another six scores. In the Class of 2016, Bruce was the 84th ranked player, 11th WR and 13th in Florida. The ceiling was expected to be high for Bruce in a Miami football uniform.
Bruce is the latest former Miami football player and South Florida high school legend that has passed young. The South Florida Express seven-on-seven team who Bruce played for also tweet a tribute expressing the remorse of the loss of one of their greatest players. They also praised Bruce for his infectiousness energy.
The performances for Bruce were so elite in high school he earned the nickname “The Samborghini.” Bruce leaves a legacy of one of the greatest prep players in South Florida history. Bruce has been praised for always wanting to make others laugh. No further details are available about Bruce’s deatrh.