With Mario Cristobal running the show for Miami football, the veteran coach has already shifted his focus to the 2026 season. On top of that, Cristobal and his coaching staff are putting in serious work with elite 2027 targets after just putting the finishing touches on the '26 class.
Here's where every Miami transfer landed in the portal this offseason
We don't have to tell you that 5-star offensive lineman Mark Matthews is high on the board for the Canes. He surely is for other teams across the country, but Miami is giving him a lot to think about. In a recent interview with On3's EJ Holland, Matthews made it seem like he's giving serious thought about potentially playing for the ACC powerhouse:
"It would be really cool to lead their 2027 recruiting class.”
— "EJ Holland" (@EJHollandOn3) February 3, 2026
Five-star OL Mark Matthews goes in-depth on Miami, what it would mean to stay close to home and much more. A lot of great stuff from our recent incognito convo at UA Media Day #GoCanes. https://t.co/7YFxcM9n8P pic.twitter.com/PfN2J5dai0
5-star OT Mark Matthews seems to be quite high on Miami football
With Matthews being a standout for St. Thomas Aquinas in nearby Fort Lauderdale, it adds a little bit of pressure on Miami to keep a local talent home. The last thing Miami fans are going to want to see is for Matthews to commit to someone else - people still can't get over Jeremiah Smith joining Ohio State.
Landing the 6-6, 300-pounder of course is not going to be easy. The massive lineman is closing in on 30 offers, with 29 to his name. In addition to Miami, he has picked up scholarships from Florida, Alabama, Florida State, Georgia, Nebraska and many others.
According to the 247Sports Composite, Matthews is ranked five stars, the No. 1 offensive tackle in the country, No. 1 player out of Florida and No. 2 prospect nationally for the '27 group. He's got college superstar written all over him, with Miami hoping he takes his game to the next level in Coral Gables.
Matthews has taken several unofficial visits to Miami and you've got to assume an official visit will be on the way at some point either this spring or during the season. There's still no timeframe for when he'll shut down his recruitment and commit to a school, but based on what he told Holland, it feels safe to assume that UM is going to be in this race until an announcement is made.