Recruiting is the lifeblood of a College Football program. With that being the case, teams all over the country work tirelessly to get the best players possible to join their programs. With a finite number of players, teams routinely fight against each other for the best prospects in the hopes of improving their rosters.
Over the last decade (or more), Miami and Ohio State have been frequent combatants for elite recruits from all over the country. The results of these recruiting battles has shaped
both teams rosters for years, and that will be on full display when the teams meet in the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic on New Year’s Eve.
If you’re reading this, you know my love of recruiting, especially from a historical context. However, for this piece, we’re going to focus on the last 4-5 cycles for the players who are currently on the rosters of both teams, and who could/should/will have an impact on the Cotton Bowl CFP Quarterfinal game.
This also isn’t like the Miami-Alabama recruiting piece I wrote several years ago. I don’t care about the players who wouldn’t or didn’t consider either team, or who only had a camp offer but never visited one of the teams. This is about direct H2H recruiting. That and only that.
With all of that out of the way, let’s look at the battles, results, and how that figures to matter when these teams meet on December 31st.
2022 Recruiting Class
This was Mario Cristobal’s transition class, so Miami wasn’t the recruiting power they are now. Still, there were a few key players who should be mentioned. Let’s start with Ohio State:
4-star DE Kenyatta Jackson Jr. (Hollywood (FL) Chaminade-Madonna) Another local standout who didn’t pick the Hurricanes, Jackson Jr. starred at Chaminade — a HS you’ll see plenty in this piece — before picking Ohio State. Miami did everything they could to recruit him, but it didn’t work, obviously. Now, Jackson is a superstar defender on Ohio State’s defense, which is arguably the best in the country. He’s second on the team in both TFLs (11.0) and sacks (6.5).
And for Miami:
4-star S Markeith Williams (Orlando (FL) Evans) Miami did well to get Williams, and keep him committed through their coaching change from Manny Diaz to Mario Cristobal. He’d taken an OV to Ohio State so yes, this was a H2H recruiting win. Williams was a special teamer and depth piece at Miami, but was dismissed from the team this fall.
1 and 1 in this cycle, but the 1 for Ohio State is a superstar on this year’s team, and the 1 for Miami is off the roster. Kind of different situations.
2023 Recruiting Class
In Mario Cristobal’s first full class at Miami, the Canes had plenty of success H2H vs Ohio State, but there were still losses on the trail.
4-star WR Brandon Inniss played at Plantation (FL) American Heritage and South Florida Express 7v7. He was a player Miami had been recruiting for years, since his time at Ft. Lauderdale (FL) University School, where he got varsity snaps starting in 8th grade. But, like others, he chose to go to Ohio State and play for WR coach Brian Hartline instead of Miami. Innis starts as the #3 receiver for Ohio State.
4-star S Jayden Bonsu (Hillside (NJ) St. Peter’s Prep) picked OSU over Miami. But he transferred to Pitt for the 2025 season. Still, this was a major H2H recruiting win for OSU, even if he’s no longer on their roster.
While those losses on the trail would have been great to add to the roster, the wins were players that will play major roles for Miami in the Cotton Bowl.
First, 4-star RB Mark Fletcher Jr. (Plantation (FL) American Heritage) is the heart and soul of the Miami Hurricanes program. He was committed to Ohio State for about 8 months, but flipped Miami late in the cycle and has become a foundational player for the Canes’ offense. He’s the starting RB for Miami and just had a career game against Texas A&M: 17 carries, 172 yards, and an all-time run to put Miami in position for the game-winning touchdown.
Next, 4-star LB Raul Aguirre (Fayetteville (GA) Whitewater) picked Miami over OSU, Florida, Alabama, and Texas. A who’s who in the world of recruiting. Aguirre is the #3 LB for Miami, and he will play plenty of snaps against OSU.
Lastly, 4-star TE Riley Williams (IMG Academy by way of Portland (OR)) picked Miami over OSU and Alabama. After a couple years in Coral Gables, he’s since transferred to Oregon State, and is in the portal again.
2024 Recruiting Class
This is the big one. This is the class with the most consequential battles, the ones that are the real reason I’m writing this piece.
The headliner is obviously 5-star WR Jeremiah Smith (Hollywood (FL) Chaminade-Madonna). He’s the definition of a generational player, the best HS prospect from South Florida that I’ve seen in the 25 years I’ve lived here, and a transformational performer for every team he’s ever played on. Miami and Ohio State fought for Smith until the very last instant. Smith delayed signing with OSU because Miami was pushing for him to reconsider and sign with the Canes instead. The delay happened, but obviously Smith went ahead with his commitment to OSU. But this knockdown, drag-out, to-and-beyond-the-wire recruitment is the one that (for me) hurt Miami the most, and could play the biggest role in the CFP Quarterfinal.
4-star QB Air Noland (Fairburn (GA) Langston Hughes) picked OSU over Miami. He thought he was OSU’s QB of the future, but that lasted about 2 seconds until the next player on this list came in and usurped that spot. Noland transferred to South Carolina after 1 year in Columbus, and is in the portal again, leaving South Carolina after a single season there because their starting QB stayed for another year. He’s a talented kid, but been stuck behind better players at 2 schools already. Unlucky.
5-star QB Julian Sayin (Carlsbad, CA) famously rolled his eyes at Mike Rumph’s recruiting pitch for Miami over Alabama, where Sayin was committed and originally signed, during a recruiting camp in Coral Gables. Sayin left Alabama immediately after Nick Saban’s retirement to transfer to Ohio State, where he now starts. This is who feeds the ball to Smith, and why Noland promptly left Columbus because his path to playing time evaporated the instant Sayin transferred in. Sayin was a Heisman Trophy finalist this year.
Miami did well this cycle to get top of the class players to come to Coral Gables over Columbus, and like OSU, those players will play pivotal roles in the CFP quarterfinal.
5-star DT Justin Scott (Chicago (IL) St. Ignatius) committed to OSU over Miami in July. Miami continued to recruit him through his entire senior season, and Scott flipped to Miami around Thanksgiving. He’s now starter on Miami’s dominant DL, and flashing his 5-star talent with more regularity. With the way Mario Cristobal wants the Canes to play, getting Scott is a recruiting win that cannot be overstated.
5-star EDGE Marquise Lightfoot (Chicago (IL) Kenwood Academy) committed to Miami over OSU, USC, and Illinois. He’s the first DE off the bench behind Miami’s superstar duo of Rueben Bain Jr. and Akheem Mesidor. Lightfoot has immense potential and is a valued member of the DLine, and is in line to start for Miami next year.
4-star RB Jordan Lyle (Ft. Lauderdale (FL) St. Thomas Aquinas) was another OSU to Miami flip. Like DT Scott in this same class, and RB Fletcher Jr. the previous cycle, Lyle committed to Ohio State in April ahead of his senior year. After that commitment, Lyle visited Miami no fewer than 5 times through his senior year, and flipped to Miami just before the Early Signing Period.
4-star WR Chance Robinson (Ft. Lauderdale (FL) St. Thomas Aquinas), Lyle’s HS teammate, had an offer and took an official visit to Ohio State, but picked the hometown Hurricanes as his college destination. Admittedly, Robinson was well down OSU’s WR board behind Smith and others, but with an offer and an OV to Columbus, this was a categorical recruiting win for Miami over OSU, Penn State, Florida, and Ole Miss. Robinson is a non-factor for Miami’s offense, and has been recruited over with other players.
4-star S Zaquan Patterson (Hollywood (FL) Chaminade-Madonna) was a HS teammate of Jeremiah Smith. He held an OSU offer and took an unofficial visit to Columbus, but picked Miami for his college destination. After 1 year at Miami, Patterson transferred to Oklahoma State, got kicked off their team, and is ended up at Alabama State for his sophomore year.
4-star EDGE Elias Rudolph (Cincinnati (OH) Taft) picked Miami over Ohio State, Michigan, Pitt, and Penn State. He didn’t play a snap at Miami in 2024, and transferred to UNLV after his freshman year in Coral Gables.
Washington State QB Cam Ward was the prized jewel of the 2024 Transfer Portal. Both Miami and Ohio State were looking for a new QB, but Miami secured Ward’s services, and OSU chose K-State transfer Will Howard as their starter. Ward was involved with both schools, but Miami was the landing spot. OSU can’t really complain though, since Howard led them to a National Championship in his only year in Columbus.
2025 Recruiting Class
The true freshman class for both schools has talent, but most of it will have their biggest impact in future years and games, rather than this year’s Cotton Bowl.
4-star EDGE Zion Grady (Enterprise (AL)) picked OSU over Miami, Florida State, Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, and Tennessee. He’s played as a backup on OSU’s defensive line as a freshman, and has 12 tackles and a sack to his credit.
4-star LB Tarvos “T.J” Alford (Vero Beach (FL)) picked OSU over Miami, Florida State, Illinois, and UCF. He has 6 tackles in 11 games for OSU this year mainly on special teams.
4-star DT Jarquez Carter (Newberry (FL)). Miami made a late run at Carter, but he signed with OSU over Miami, Florida, Penn State, and UCF. He has 1 tackle in 6 games in 2025.
Miami’s national reach in recruiting went into the heart of OSU territory for several blue chip players, which is good since (as you can see above) they came into Miami’s territory for several blue chip players themselves.
4-star TE Brock Schott (Leo (IN)) picked Miami over OSU and Auburn. The 2-way standout looks to add athleticism and playmaking to the Canes’ TE room in the future. Schott is redshirting this year.
4-star TE Luka Gilbert (West Chester (OH) Lakota West) picked Miami as his college destination. He had an offer from OSU and he’s an in-state player. Gilbert has played in 8 games for Miami as a freshman.
By my count, the head to head recruiting score over the last few years is Miami 12, Ohio State 9….13 for the Canes if you count Cam Ward as well. That’s a lot of battles, with plenty of success on both sides.
When you dig a bit deeper, 2 of Ohio State’s 3 starting receivers, including a consensus All-American and the biggest recruiting win on either team’s ledger, and their starting QB, a Heisman Trophy finalist, are all players they beat Miami (and others) for. That kinda matters.
For Miami, Fletcher Jr. is the starting RB, and the trio of Aguirre, Scott, and Lightfoot play major roles on the 2 deep for Miami’s stellar defense. So there’s plenty of impact to be seen from the recruiting battles the Canes have won as well.
If I’m being honest — which I try to do even though I know some of you hate it — on the whole, I’d prefer to have the players that OSU got. Because that means I’d have Jeremiah Smith in Orange and Green, and the rest is bonus.
BUT, there’s a lot to like with the Miami group, too. Fletcher is foundational to the Miami offense, Scott and Lightfoot continue to flash elite talent and immense potential on Miami’s defensive line, and Lyle, Schott, and Gilbert all have bright futures in Coral Gables should they stick around. All of that is true, and I stand by it.
With all of that being said, it’s hard to look at the best prospect I’ve ever seen play for the team I hate most in the world. Yes, Miami has plenty of talent, and honestly might be better in the aggregate with all the players listed instead of one super-duper-duper-star receiver, though we know it isn’t an either-or situation in real life, only in the precept of this article.
Still……..seeing J4 play for them people from Columbus………I hate it. And I know I’ll hate it when these teams take the field on New Year’s Eve, too.
