Miami football best 2023 recruiting class under 1st year head coach

After closing strong in the week prior to the National Early Signing Period beginning Mario Cristobal and the Miami football program has the best 2023 signing class among schools with coaches who just completed their first year. Miami has the fourth-best 2023 class overall behind Alabama, Georgia and Texas.

Unsigned five-star cornerback Cormani McClain who is committed to the Miami football program is included in the Hurricanes 2023 class. Without McClain, Miami would drop to fifth behind Oklahoma and their head coach Brent Venables who also completed his first season with the Sooners.

Miami has a total of 294.85 recruiting points from three five-star prospects, 13 four-star and eight three-star signees. Oklahoma has 289.69 recruiting points with three five-star signees, 13 four stars and nine three-stars. The Miami recruits average 92.24 points per prospect and Oklahoma is at 91.74.

Miami and Oklahoma are the only college football programs that just completed their first seasons led by a new head coach to have a top 10 2023 class. Florida, USC and TCU are the only other programs that completed the 2022 season under new head coaches to rank in the top 20 classes.

Cristobal signed the highest-ranked class in his head coaching career. Miami finished with its highest-ranked class since the Hurricanes signed the top-ranked group in 2008. Cristobal and the Miami football staff will continue to work through the traditional National Signing Period in February.

Miami currently has the 11th-best transfer class with four additions. All of the transfer classes ranked ahead of Miami have added more players through the portal. The average of 91.25 for the four Miami transfers is the highest among the top 40 classes through the portal. Miami is expected to sign at least 10 transfers.

Cristobal stated during his Early National Signing Day press conference that the interior of the defensive line and outside wide receivers are the priority for Miami through the portal. Miami has already added Georgia State transfer defensive lineman Thomas Gore who is the top-rated tackle by Pro Football Focus.

Miami also added cornerback Davonte Brown from Central Florida, linebacker Francisco Mauigoa from Washington State and offensive lineman Javion Cohen from Alabama through the transfer portal. Brown and Mauigoa are the brothers of 2023 Miami signees, CB Damari and five-star offensive tackle Francis.