This came out of nowhere... Mario Cristobal continues to put an honest foot forward in terms of recruitment. Although he specializes in getting guys like himself from South Florida to commit to Miami, he is never afraid to think outside the box with this either. So when it became apparent Miami was going to offer a scholarship to a 300-pound rugby player from Nigeria, it was par for the course.
If Neff Giwa were to commit to play for Miami, he could be a total beast for the Canes in the trenches.
From Rugby to College Football @NeffGiwa is 6’8 300lbs with now a scholarship from @CanesFootball and we will be in Miami this Weeknd!! pic.twitter.com/9w1loHJEem
— Brandon Collier (@BCollierPPI) March 17, 2026
When looking at Giwa's profile over on 247Sports, you can see that he is listed at 6-foot-8 and 300 pounds. While he does not have any player rating attached to his name, the Hurricanes are one of three teams who have offered the 2027 prospect. Interestingly enough, the other two teams happen to compete in the ACC as well in the North Carolina Tar Heels and SMU Mustangs. Where will he go?
It might not seem like much, but the Miami offer to Giwa means a great deal to his overall recruitment.
Miami offers a 300-pound rugby player, but faces some ACC competition
When it comes to Cristobal being an ace recruiter for Miami, he does not shy away from competition whatsoever. In a way, he kind of thrives in it. For Miami to get back to the gold standard it was as a program when he played for the Hurricanes in the early 1990s, this is what it is going to take. It has taken a few years, but Cristobal has been able to get this juggernaut program firing on all cylinders.
As far as what landing Giwa as a prospect could mean, that could potentially make Miami strong and powerful. See, teams like North Carolina and SMU are looking for edges to exploit to try and keep pace with traditional powers like Miami in this sport. Now that Miami is back to being Miami, those niches for North Carolina and SMU to operate in are shrinking. Plus, Miami does have a history with it.
No, it was not that long ago that Miami was on the cutting edge of using former Australian football players as specialists on the American gridiron. The Lou Hedleys of the world helped play a part in Aussie rules players coming over and making a difference in the critical third phase of the game. Rugby style kicking has become en vogue, but maybe adding someone from the scrum comes next?
Regardless of where Giwa ends up signing, his development at the college level will be fascinating.