Why Miami Hurricanes' win over FSU football widens recruiting gap

The Miami Hurricanes are the No. 1 team in the country for the first time since 2002, but they've been recruiting at the highest level for years now.

The Oct. 17 double-overtime thriller over Florida State reaffirmed the 'Canes status as top dog in the Sunshine State, where many of the top recruits in the country call home.

Miami packed Hard Rock Stadium with dozens of elite prospects for the rivalry bout. Gameday visits at Miami have always been unique, but the FSU game had extra juice that Mario Cristobal and his staff wanted recruits front-and-center for it.

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"Certainly all the recruits here got a chance to see Hard Rock in full force," Cristobal said after the game.

The visitor's list was stuffed with some of the most elite players in the country, and the environment at Hard Rock has pushed the 'Canes towards the top of players' boards (if they weren't already there before.)

Miami visitors list a flex of it's own

The in-state recruit list for the 'Canes was impressive. With most of their 2027 class sitting well-protected and in attendance, the focus has been on recruits in the class of 2028.

Miami has made considerable progress in the recruitments of five-stars Brysen Wright (Mandarin wide receiver) and Asher Ghioto (Bolles EDGE), both of which were at the game. Also at Hard Rock was Ghioto's teammates at Bolles, running back Xander Edwards and tight end J.C. Wessell.

Both Edwards and Wessell are premier four-star prospects. The 'Canes are battling Florida and Ohio State for Edwards, while Wessell has taken a gameday visit to Georgia this year.

Miami is also laying the groundwork on elite local prospects that they've already identified. Ben McFadden Jr. is an edge rusher at Carol City that Florida State offered while on an unofficial visit in September. The 6-foot-5, 230-pound sophomore has reeled in offers from the likes of Alabama, Auburn, Georgia and Ole Miss this year, and Miami is putting in the work early.

Gabriel Ellis (6-4, 250 pounds) is having a monster sophomore season at Gulliver Prep, and Miami is the first big-time program to extend an offer. The 2029 class member's other three offers are from Troy, FIU and Kentucky.

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Florida State offered Sumner offensive line George Selvie III the spring of his sophomore year, and he is high up on the board for the 'Noles 2028 class. Selvie, son of USF great and NFL vet George Selvie, was in attendance for the game and continues to get interest from elite programs like Miami and Ohio State.

It's not just the Seminoles that Miami is working to beat for recruits. Chaminade-Madonna's Peter Pierre and Cape Coral defensive lineman Kymani Nicholas are both elite sophomores that are high on Florida's board. Both visited the Swamp when the Gators downed Ole Miss in electric fashion, and both were in the stands for the double-overtime thriller against Florida State. Miami, FSU and Florida have all offered both Pierre and Nicholas.

"It was a great time," Nicholas said of the game. "Love the atmosphere, energy in the locker room was great, (the) coaches showed love, (the) players showed love. That brotherhood is definitely there."

Miami is still working to flip a pair of Texas A&M commits as well. Four-star LB Aston Whiteside from Burleson Centennial (Texas) was at the game, and Miami hasn't given up on St. Thomas Aquinas five-star offensive tackle Mark Matthews, who, along with teammate and Notre Dame commit Zayden Gamble, watched Miami-FSU up close.

Recruits see the blueprint at Miami

It's one thing to be an elite school competing for national championships. It's another to do it with homegrown talent playing as freshmen and sophomores.

Premier recruits know there is a real path to playing early at Miami if you can earn it, and the proof was right before them.

Malachi Toney is a Fort Lauderdale native that has put the 'Cane offense on his shoulders in times of need. He shined with 11 catches for a game-high 154 receiving yards and two touchdowns. He also completed a pass for the go-ahead two-point conversion in double-overtime, and added 31 rushing yards on two carries.

"For all the kids out there — that's what you come to Miami for, to be part of games like that," Toney said after the win. "No rankings, nothing matter when we play that type of football game. It's (about) who wants it the most."

Columbus grad Bryce Fitzgerald has been great for Miami all year, and had the biggest play of the game with a game-sealing interception.

"When he had the break, I told Bryce to go finish the game," Toney said. "Me and him talk about it before every game. It's what we come to Miami for."

When Mark Fletcher (also a south Florida native) couldn't take the field, Cristobal turned to true freshman Javian Mallory. Luckily for Miami, Mallory has a history of putting teams on his back from his back-to-back state championships at West Boca. He erupted for a game-high 108 rushing yards and two touchdowns. His first score game in the fourth quarter to tie the game and his second TD was in the first overtime.

"Honestly, yes I did (envision this kid of game as a high schooler)," Mallory said. "If y'all go back there's an interview that asks me what I'm going to bring to the table in my first year and I said I'm going to be an instant impact as soon as I get here. Of course it took me some time to get here, but I give God all the glory."

All nine for Miami's in-state commits are from south Florida or the immediate surrounding area, and all are ranked in the USA TODAY Florida Top 100.

They hold commitments from the No. 1 overall player, five-star Columbus ATH A'mir Sears, along with the No. 2 overall player Carol City WR Nick Lennear.

Their commitments also include John Carrol offensive lineman Sean Tatum (No. 15), Sanatluces EDGE Jayvan Dawson (No. 19), North Miami Beach safety Andre Hyppolite (No. 23), McArthur safety Jaylyn Jones (No. 31), Cardinal Gibbons tight end DeMarcus DeRoche (No. 34), McAthur ATH Sherrod Gourdine (No. 60) and Key West defensive lineman Josh Johnson (No. 69).

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Why Miami Hurricanes' win over FSU football widens recruiting gap