The Miami Hurricanes recruiting class for the 2027 cycle is mostly finished, but there is one major uncommitted target that remains for Mario Cristobal and four-star Eli Woodard is going to take a few weeks before he makes his final decision.
Woodard, who has been linked to Miami since he de-committed from USC several weeks ago, took an official visit to UCLA this past weekend and is looking at the Hurricanes, Bruins and Cal Bears as his finalists heading into a decision.
READ MORE: 4-star Miami WR target makes it clear his recruitment is not just a 2-horse race
"It's going to be more difficult than I thought."
— Jack Savage (@JackJohnSavage) June 22, 2026
Eli Woodard is coming off his official visit to UCLA and now has a big decision to make.
A decision that very much includes the Bruins thanks to his ties with coach Lockett and another familiar face.https://t.co/YbWRdfZj41
Woodard took his official visit to Miami during the weekend of May 29, and it looked like the Hurricanes were going to have a good chance to lock him up, but the elite pass catcher out of Riverside County, California, decided to go through with official visits to Cal and UCLA. Although Cristobal wanted to have the entire class done before the start of the summer dead period, the coach has been patiently waiting for a final decision.
Despite the delay in making a decision, everything seems to be looking good for Miami. Woodard participated in the OT7 competition and wore some Hurricane gloves during the event, flashing the 'U' occasionally. Cristobal has shown a willingness to back away from recruitment when he doesn't believe that the situation is best for the team. That was the case when it came to Kaden Henderson, who was leaning to Miami at one time, but committed to Texas A&M after Cristobal decided that he wasn't going to get into a bidding war for the five-star linebacker.
READ MORE: Priority 4-star Miami target gives fans even more hope he might commit
"The development over there is a real thing. That’s a big factor.”
— "EJ Holland" (@EJHollandOn3) June 12, 2026
Miami is giving Rivals300 WR Eli Woodard (@EliWoodard_) a lot to think about as it battles Cal & UCLA. A decision timeline is still up in the air. More #GoCanes. https://t.co/wGXra7Zzcx pic.twitter.com/0eW0zG6Zxu
Mario Cristobal and Miami hope 4-star WR Eli Woodard can complete 2027 recruiting class
The Hurricanes have 19 commits in the 2027 class and aren't likely to add too many more. Woodard is a special case because Cristobal and the coaching staff believe he is a special player and a perfect fit for the program. Miami has a deep group of wide receivers, both experienced and young, on the roster and only has one in this class — five-star local recruit Nick Lennear. If Woodard decides not to join the Hurricanes' class, it's unlikely Cristobal will search out another wide receiver.
Woodard, who is ranked as the 15th-best prospect in California, the 24th-best wide receiver in the country and the 162nd player nationally according to the 247Sports composite, would add to the blue-chip count for the Hurricanes in the No. 2-ranked class in the country. Miami's class is loaded with four recruits that have earned a five-star ranking on the website.
He has also been given the full recruiting push by Hurricane commits like five-star quarterback Israel Abrams and five-star cornerback Donte Wright.
Wright was on his official visit at the same time and continued to make for the blue-chip pass catcher. Woodard said that everything about his visit to Coral Gables was excellent and told 247Sports' Gaby Urrutia that it "answered a lot of questions."
"The people and the kind of culture, the people in the building I met all throughout the weekend, I think that's a big part of it, as well as what they had to offer. I think it will be a great opportunity," Woodard added.
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