We can all agree that Miami head coach Mario Cristobal has been a recruiting ace for the Hurricanes. Despite that, that doesn't mean he's batting perfectly for the Canes, as some tough recruiting losses have come in for him and his staff both at the high school level and through the transfer portal.
Mario Cristobal's 5-star OT hunt takes another terrible turn
Could two more big ones be on the way? That's the worry, as local playmaker Mark Matthews was recently predicted to pick Texas A&M over Miami. Now, there's even more concern, as fellow 5-star tackle Olu Olubobola is now expected to commit to Notre Dame. If Cristobal goes 0-for-2 here, it'd be a bit of a problem, no doubt:
Rivals’ @SWiltfong_ and @ChadSimmons_ have logged expert predictions for Notre Dame to land 5-star OT Oluwasemilore Olubobola☘️
— Rivals (@Rivals) May 8, 2026
Read: https://t.co/8KuaLrL0uP pic.twitter.com/qRIoI5cvKG
Oluwasemilore Olubobola predicted to Notre Dame could be a huge problem for Mario Cristobal
As soon as Matthews was revealed to be a Texas A&M lean, a lot of the focus shifted to Olubobola for Miami fans. However, it now looks like Marcus Freeman and Co. are in the driver's seat to land the New Jersey product, who is a total stud for powerhouse St. Peter's Prep.
So, what does this mean for Miami if he does end up picking the Irish? It means that Cristobal is going to have to do everything in his power to keep Matthews close to home. In some good news for Miami, Matthews remains uncommitted and he has locked in his official visit to Coral Gables for late May.
With Matthews being a stud for St. Thomas Aquinas High in Fort Lauderdale, his potential move to the Miami campus sure would be a lot closer than the one to College Station. This is an advantage that Cristobal is hoping can work wonders for Miami, as Alex Mirabal would love to coach him up at the next level.
Matthews is keeping the door open to stay close to home, but Mike Elko and Texas A&M are doing everything possible to make sure that does not happen. Miami knows what it's going to take to reel in Matthews, and likely not having Olubobola as a backup plan there only adds pressure on the Canes to make sure the local playmaker doesn't leave for the SEC.
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