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For a team that has struggled on the field the way the Miami RedHawks have recently, it is crucial to be able to recruit the way Coach Martin and this staff have the past couple years, and this class is no different. Martin has landed 22 solid commitments, including one transfer most anyone who has followed recruiting the past several years should know pretty well.
Meet The Class
| Name | Hometown (HS) | Height/Weight | 247Sports Rating | Highlights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tyrece Speaight | Columbus, OH (Upper Arlington) | 5'10/186 | 3-star | HERE |
| Danny Godlevske | Indianapolis, IN (Bishop Chatard) | 6'3/278 | 3-star | HERE |
| Trent Maynard | Indianapolis, IN (Decatur Central) | 6'6/304 | 3-star | HERE |
| DeAndre Huff | Covington, GA (Newton) | 6'0/185 | 3-star | HERE |
| Stori Emerson | Indianapolis,IN (Ben Davis) | 6'2/190 | 3-star | HERE |
| Tommy Doyle | Minneapolis, MN (Edina Senior | 6'7/257 | 3-star | HERE |
| Noah Wezensky | Fort Wayne, IN (Bishop Luers) | 6'3/190 | 3-star | HERE |
| Ben Kimpler | Libertyville, IL (Libertyville) | 6'6/217 | 3-star | HERE |
| Travion Banks | Evanston, IL (Evanston Township) | 6'0/175 | 2-star | HERE |
| Tay Gowan | Covington, GA (Newton) | 6'3/175 | 2-star | HERE |
| Dalton Strunk | Middletown, OH (Lakota East) | 6'6/265 | 2-star | HERE |
| Nigel Adams | Lawrenceville, GA (Central Gwinnett) | 5'11/219 | 2-star | HERE |
| Myles Reid | Atlanta, GA (Mays) | 6'1/200 | 2-star | HERE |
| Doug Costin | Downingtown, PA (Bishop Shanahan | 6'3/255 | 2-star | HERE |
| Jack Sorenson | Lincolnshire, IL (Adlai Stevenson) | 6'1/185 | 2-star | HERE |
| K.J. Hancock | Suwanee, GA (North Gwinnett) | 6'2/195 | 2-star | HERE |
| Andrew Homer | Cincinnati, OH (St. Xavier) | 6'5/219 | 2-star | HERE |
| Kobe Burse | Muskegon, MI (Mona Shores) | 6'0/196 | 2-star | HERE |
| Cameron Turner | Saint Louis, MO (Hazelwood East) | 5'11/205 | 2-star | HERE |
| Tee Shepard | Fresno, CA (Ole Miss) | 6'1/195 | 4-star | JUCO |
| Kyle Speas | Plainfield, IL (Plainfield North) | 6'5/220 | NR | HERE |
| Tyler Fleetwood | Lilburn, GA (Parkview) | 6'1/192 | NR | HERE |
Defensive Standouts
One of the biggest needs in this class was in the secondary. Depth in the secondary is something the RedHawks have been lacking the past several seasons. Transfer cornerback Tee Shepard has the chance to come in and become a leader on this defense after transferring from Ole Miss. Shepard had a powerful interview with Alex Alvarado about his announcement, which you can read more about here.
Another player in the secondary who is going to have a chance to make an impact is defensive back Tyrece Speaight from Upper Arlington HS in Columbus, OH. Speaight had several Power 5 looks, and was a crucial addition to this RedHawks team. He knows where the ball is at all times, and is arguably the best recruit in this class.
Offensive Standouts
The two best offensive weapons added in this class for Miami both just so happen to play the same position: wide receiver. DeAndre Huff, a three-star wideout from Newton HS in Covington, GA has the potential to be a game-changer for this offense looking for weapons.
The other standout from the offensive side of the ball in this class is Ben Davis HS in Indianapolis WR Stori Emerson. Emerson has the size and speed needed to make the plays that this offense did not this past season. Emerson has elite ball skills, and his field vision with the ball is something that simply cannot be taught. Emerson and Huff will both have the chance to see the field early, and could help lead this team back into bowl eligibility.
Overall Outlook
For Coach Martin, this class is huge. Take out the UMass class and the RedHawks were clearly the second best class in the MAC. After losing out on long-time commitment TaMarion Johnson last week (He since has committed to Minnesota) and targets Jalen Cochran (Arizona) and Kiante Enis (Indiana) the strength of this class is impressive. While it's still up in the air as to how these players are going to perform on the field, adding depth at several positions of need is always key in building a successful program.
After going 3-9 last season, it is a crucial season for both Coach Martin as well as the program as they attempt to place themselves in the thick of things in the MAC going forward. Building a program from the ground up in the MAC is never easy, but having such a player's coach and great recruiter like the RedHawks do makes it much more bearable.