Elite 2027 WR includes Miami Hurricanes in list of final 12 schools

2027 wide receiver Julian Caldwell has taken a step toward his college decision, and Miami is still in the picture. The blue-chip pass catcher from Argyle High in Texas has trimmed his recruitment to 12 schools: Oregon, Texas, Texas Tech, SMU, USC, Texas A&M, Oklahoma, Notre Dame, Washington, Arizona State, Tennessee and Miami.

2027 wide receiver Julian Caldwell

Rivals/On3's industry rankings place Caldwell comfortably inside the top 60 nationally and among the top 10 wide receivers in his class. The 6-foot-1, 185-pounder posted 21 catches for 581 yards and seven touchdowns as a sophomore (27.7 yards per reception). On the track, Caldwell has already clocked sub-11-second times in the 100 meters and has long-jumped past 22 feet.

Right now, most of the national buzz centers on three programs: Oregon, Texas and Texas Tech. Oregon has recruited him heavily, while Texas and Texas Tech have had him on campus multiple times. Texas A&M, Oklahoma and SMU are also firmly in the conversation.

The Miami Hurricanes offered Caldwell in May and have kept him on the wide receiver board as one of their priority 2027 targets in Texas.

Now, it is an uphill battle for Miami to compete with Texas programs, most of which have very deep pockets and obvious local ties to Caldwell. But, it's not only a positive sign for the Hurricanes to be included in another round of schools, it is also a testament to the promise shown by the freshman this season. There has been a serious uptick in interest by skill players all over the country after watching the play of freshman WR Malachi Toney and the opportunity given to other impact freshman.

If Miami can parlay that into staying in the fight with recruits, then they will have a much easier time gaining commitments from top-flight prospects.