Miami football leads making top 5 for 5-star 2024 LB TJ Capers

With the Early National Signing Period completed last week, 2024 prospects will start to gain more attention. The Miami football program was named in the top five for five-star linebacker T.J. Capers from Miami Columbus, the alma mater of head coach Mario Cristobal. Capers is the 10th overall and top LB for 2024 per On3.

Capers is the fifth-rated prospect in Florida per the On3 consensus. The Miami football program is the current favorite with a 27.3 percent chance to receive a commitment from Capers per the On3 recruiting prediction machine. Miami signed five LBs in the 2023 class and added Washington State transfer Francisco Mauigoa.

Miami returns 2022 starters Wesley Bissainthe and Corey Flagg at LB. Bissainthe earned playing time as a true freshman in 2022. Flagg who led Miami in tackles in 2021 is expected to be challenged for his starting MLB spot by Mauigoa in 2023. Miami has received inconsistent LB play over the last three seasons.

Capers is 6’1.5, 230 pounds. Head coach Mario Cristobal has continually stated he is looking for more physical players. That has frequently manifested in Miami recruiting and signing bigger players than were on the roster before Cristobal was hired by the Hurricanes. Kicker Abram Murray is the only 2024 Miami commit.

Capers has 70 tackles, five tackles for loss, seven sacks, 10 passes defended, one fumble recovered and three forced fumbles according to Max Preps. Per On3 Capers is the eighth highest-rated player Miami has offered in the 2024 class. Capers took unofficial visits to Miami in June and September.

Florida, Louisville and Michigan State have also received two unofficial visits from Capers. Florida is the second favorite in the recruitment for Capers at 23.9 percent per On3 with Louisville at 20.5 percent and Michigan State at 17.0 percent. All of the other programs have less than a one percent chance for a Capers commitment.

Capers told On3 that Miami“Always feels like home and the culture is like no other. The connection with Coach Cristobal makes Miami always feel like home.” Being the hometown team and with Capers playing for Cristobal’s alma mater, Miami could have an advantage in the recruitment.

Miami signed five-star offensive linemen Francis Mauigoa (the brother of Francisco) and Samson Okunlola in the class of 2023. Five-star cornerback Cormani McClain is committed to Miami but has did not sign with the Hurricanes during the early signing period. Miami has not signed a five-star LB since Arthur Brown in 2008.