Miami Football: Top National Signing Day Targets

The Miami Hurricanes had a decent 2016 season, making a bowl game for the first time in a decade. But they’ll need to replace some key pieces in recruiting for continued success.

The Miami Hurricanes finished 9-4 in Mark Richt’s first season as head coach. They started the season 5-0 but faltered in the middle before reeling off five straight wins. The Hurricanes upset 14th-ranked West Virginia 31-14 in the Russell Athletic Bowl to finish the season strong.

However, the Hurricanes will need to replace starting quarterback Brad Kaaya, who had arguably his best season in 2016. Kaaya threw for a career-high 3,532 passing yards and 27 passing touchdowns before entering his name into 2017 NFL Draft, foregoing his senior season.

The Miami Hurricanes flipped offensive tackle Kai-Leon Herbert from Michigan commitment their way a few days ago. Herbert is rated the 26th-best offensive tackle and a four-star prospect, according to 247 Sports. As National Signing Day approaches, they’re still making a final surge for some key targets.

Miami already has 21 commitments in their 2017 recruiting class, 11 on offense, eight on defense and two on special teams. Herbert is one of four offensive tackle commits in this year’s class, adding a lot of depth to the roster for next season.

With National Signing Day on the horizon, here are some final targets on the Miami Hurricanes’ short list.