Mario Cristobal and Miami still have plenty of intriguing options in OL recruiting

Recruiting can be tricky, and it's never going to work out as expected all the time. The fact is that Mario Cristobal and his staff have done everything possible to secure a commitment from five-star offensive tackle Mark Matthews. He has been their No. 1 target, and they treated him as such. If Matthews wants to go to Texas A&M, that's his choice and his right to make it.

And it's likely Cristobal will simply have to move on. The logical choice is Olu Olubobola and there is a reason that Cristobal and offensive line coach Alex Mirabal recruited both players. But there are also a couple of other names to watch out for, and it will be interesting to see if the Hurricanes turn up the heat on these players or others that will emerge as spring high school football camps begin.

4-star OT Joshua Sam-Epelle

Cristobal and Mirabal have stayed in the race for Sam-Epelle, a massive (6-foot-8, 315 pounds) tackle prospect out of the Atlanta metro suburbs. Georgia has always seemed to be the team to beat here, but Miami isn't going to go down without a fight. Sam-Epelle has an official visit scheduled to Coral Gables for the last weekend in May and then trips to Georgia and LSU will follow. Let's see where Miami stands with Sam-Epelle after that visit. 

Class of 2028 4-star OT Omari Lawson

There's a good chance that Cristobal will pivot away from landing an elite tackle in the 2027 class if Olubobola or Sam-Epelle don't commit to the Hurricanes. Miami already has five-star freshman Jackson Cantwell in the fold and could afford to focus on the 2028 class. If that's the case, Lawson is a name to watch. He is committed to Syracuse, but this spring is going to be pivotal to where Lawson lands as a prospect in the upcoming cycle. Florida is going to be a player here, and I believe many top Power 4 schools will jump into the mix over the summer. Miami will give him a good look.

The Hurricanes already have commitments from 4-star prospect Sean Tatum, who could play tackle, but is probably better suited as a guard, and 3-star tackle Tyler Ford, who is someone that the staff is high on for development. So, the cupboard is far from bare and Cristobal will continue to make sure that Miami is a top choice for all the elite trench warriors. 

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow