Israel Abrams, a four-star passer from Illinois, has narrowed his recruitment to Auburn, Kentucky, Miami, Purdue and Florida State. Abrams is a 6-foot-5, 195 pound QB and is ranked No. 45 nationally and No. 3 at quarterback in the Rivals Industry Ranking.
Abrams was named the 2025 Illinois Player of the Year, completing 233 of 340 passes for 4,072 yards and 40 touchdowns with six interceptions, plus 10 rushing touchdowns, while leading Montini Catholic to the IHSA Class 4A title.
Miami is also set to get Abrams on campus for an unofficial visit at the end of March.
NEWS: Elite 2027 QB Israel Abrams is down to 5 Schools, he tells me for @Rivals
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) March 4, 2026
The 6’5 195 QB from Elgin, IL is ranked as a Top 3 QB in the 2027 Rivals300
Where Should He Go?https://t.co/8V6dygRNF7 pic.twitter.com/HYhKP0RYR6
Miami makes top five for 4-star QB Israel Adams
So, why is Miami in a good spot here?
The Hurricanes can offer something that the other finalists cannot. They have a win-now roster and if they don't grab another QB in the portal after Mensah, they can offer certainty of playing time (or at least the opportunity to compete for the starting job).
Miami has found their answer at quarterback in the transfer portal over the last three seasons. Back in January, Miami landed Duke transfer Darian Mensah which marked the third straight recruiting cycle where Mario Cristobal signed one of the top QBs in the portal. Mensah now follows in the footsteps of Cam Ward (2024) and Carson Beck (2025).
That process works if your only goal is to win the following season. And this isn't to say that Miami is shortsighted, but it also makes a top high school quarterback hesitate because it tells him the staff's first instinct is to import a starter instead of investing in development within the program.
Abrams' final five is full of programs that can sell early playing time. And Miami can sell that too, but only if Mensah is the last QB from the portal before Abrams arrives.
Now, Miami does already have a quarterback recruit in-house from the 2026 class. The Canes grabbed Dereon Coleman in the 2026 class. The Rivals Industry Ranking put him at No. 301 overall and No. 20 at QB.
But, in two years during Abrams' freshman year, if he can have a chance at QB2 and compete for the starting job, he'll sign on the spot. If not, then Miami might risk losing both Coleman (eventually) and Abrams.