Mario Cristobal and Miami will have some work to do in recruitment of 5-star WR target

The Miami Hurricanes have always been in the picture for 5-star wide receiver Monshun Sales, but they've never really been the lead horse in a tight recruiting battle and recent news might suggest that they've slipped a little further down the pack.

Sales, the top-ranked wide receiver in the country, has an official visit to Miami on the schedule this summer, but On3/Rivals national recruiting director believes the elite recruit from Indianapolis is going to choose to stay in-state and eventually commit to the Indiana Hoosiers.

Sales has been on campus in Miami a few times and his official visit is scheduled for June 19, the final week of official visits before the summer dead period. He already took an official trip to Indiana in late April and has his next one scheduled for Alabama on May 29. The Crimson Tide was thought to be the favorite for Sales going into his official visits.

Miami appears to be slipping for 5-star WR Monshun Sales

Sales has always had positive things to say about Miami, and it was thought that the Hurricanes were a live dog when the top-end pass catcher trimmed his list from 12 teams down to four teams. That list has adjusted itself a bit as the Texas Longhorns are now in the picture, and according to 247Sports national recruiting director Tom Loy, are very much in the picture. 

"I think Indiana is in a very good spot. I think Texas moved the needle during a recent visit. You can't rule out Alabama, Ohio State and Miami, but right now, if he were to pick a school, I'm very confident that he would be playing either for the national champion Hoosiers or playing for the Texas Longhorns. This is going to go back-and-forth," Loy said.

Sales' other official visits will be to Texas on June 5 and Ohio State on June 12.

The one bright spot for Mario Cristobal in the recruitment of 5-star WR Monshun Sales

As Loy pointed out, Sales isn't expected to make his announcement until July and that's good news for Cristobal and the Hurricanes. It means that Miami gets the last shot to make an impression before much of the communication begins to shut down. The Hurricanes staff shines brightest during official visits, and they know how to make elite prospects feel like they shouldn't want to go anywhere else but Miami.

Sales' recruitment shows the ups and downs that the next several weeks will bring. When you are in the position that Miami is in and nearly in the picture for every top recruit in the country, there are going to be highs and lows. The real action begins on Friday when two five-star targets, offensive tackle Mark Matthews and defensive lineman David Folorunsho are going to make their commitment announcements. It might be a little stressful, but being part of this group of elite programs that are battling for the best of the best is exactly where Cristobal wants Miami to be.

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