Miami football finishes 2024 cycle with ACC's top 2 recruiters

Miami football defensive line coach Jason Taylor finished the 2024 cycle as the top recruiter in the ACC and wide receivers coach Kevin Beard was second per the 247 Sports rankings. Beard and Taylor were also ranked among the best recruiters in the country. Four Miami coaches finished in the top 25 in the ACC.

Taylor finished as the fourth-best recruiter nationally in the 2024 class. Taylor is credited with Miami signing five-star defensive linemen Justin Scott and Armondo Blount and four-star edge rushers Marquise Lightfoot, Booker Pickett Jr. and Elias Rudolph in the 2024 class.

Taylor has made an immediate impact as a recruiter in less than a year as a full-time assistant coach on the Miami staff. The opportunity for the DL Taylor recruited to work with the Pro Football Hall of Famer has had a big recruiting impact for Miami. Miami has an elite tandem of DL coaches with Joe Salave'a and Taylor.

Beard returned to Miami after playing for the Hurricanes from 1999-2003 and being on the staff under Al Golden in 2014-2015. Miami signed junior college transfer WR Shermar Kirk in the 2023 class, Ny Carr, Chance Robinson and Joshisa Trader in the 2024 class and have a commitment from Waden Charles for 2025 all recruited by Beard.

Salave'a is the 12th best ACC recruiter in the 2024 cycle per 247 Sports, Miami defensive backs coach Jahmile Addae is 15th and tight ends coach Cody Woodiel is 18th. Salave'a was the primary recruiter for Scott per 247 Sports. In the 2023 class, Salave'a helped Miami sign offensive tackle Francis Mauigoa.

Miami signed five defensive backs in the 2024 class with Addae credited as being the lead recruiter for safety Zaquan Patterson and cornerback Romanas Frederique Jr. Patterson is the third-highest-ranked 2024 Miami signee behind Blount and Scott. Addae was one of the nation's best recruiters at Georgia.

Woodiel worked outside his position group to help Miami sign DT Artavius Jones and offensive tackle Markel Bell. Elija Lofton is the sole TE in the 2024 Miami class. Woodiel was the primary recruiter for Bell, Jones and Lofton. Mario Cristobal credited his staff for their hard work in the Hurricanes signing the third-best class nationally.

Cristobal demands his staff to work as hard as he does in recruiting. Finishing with two recruiters in the top 20 nationally and four of the top 25 in the ACC has to please Cristobal. Acquiring talent is the most important aspect of building at college football program. Cristobal and his staff have proven to be elite recruiters in the last two cycles.