Mario Cristobal and Miami will soon find out where they stand with 4-star WR target

The Miami Hurricanes staff was ready to wait for 4-star wide receiver Eli Woodard to make his commitment announcement, and it turns out they won't have to wait long.

Woodard, one of the top players in California, has set a June 30 announcement date. He will choose between Miami, UCLA and Cal. He took official visits to all three programs after he backed away from an earlier pledge to USC. Woodard was in Coral Gables on the May 29th weekend and is the last major uncommitted target for the Hurricanes for the 2027 recruiting cycle. 

READ MORE: Mario Cristobal and Miami are prepared to wait it out for 4-star WR target

The general belief has been that it's a Miami-Cal battle, but after reading reports from Woodard's official visit to UCLA this past weekend, it seems like the Bruins are a very live dog in this fight. Again, Miami's chances with Woodard will inevitably come to how far he's willing to go away from his home in Riverside County, California. In terms of the outside noise, Miami is almost a lock for Woodard on the Rivals' predictor with a 97.4% chance of landing the blue-chip pass catcher. 

What would Eli Woodard's commitment mean for Mario Cristobal and Miami?

If Woodard makes a pledge to Miami, it would all but close the book on the 2027 class and all the commitments would be locked in before July 1. That's a heck of an accomplishment, and it allows the coaching staff to dig in and focus on a season where the expectations are high, and the pressure is probably even higher. With the way the recruiting cycle has changed over the past few years, the goal for many coaches is to have the recruiting class all but finished during the time between the start of spring practice up until the summer dead period. There are still a few things that Cristobal could do to round out the class, maybe get one of the other five-star targets to flip or add a late recruit or two in the fall that emerge and fit the athletic profile that the staff is looking for. But otherwise, Woodard's decision is the cap on the 2027 class whether he chooses to be a Hurricane or not. 

READ MORE: 4 remaining 2027 prospects that Mario Cristobal and Miami are continuing to recruit

Woodard would also join five-star local recruit Nick Lennear as the only wide receivers in the class. This class has been focused on the lines, the pass rush and the secondary. Lennear and running back Ty Keys are the only offensive skill players in the class, not including five-star quarterback Israel Abrams. It's a small group but one with a lot of talent that is expected to compete for playing time when they get on campus in early 2027. Abrams, in particular, has made it clear that he wants Woodard on his side.

"Eli Woodard, if you're seeing this; Go to Miami," Abrams said in a short video.

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