Can Miami repeat its transfer portal recruiting success like the previous one? Mario Cristobal had the biggest catch of all with Carson Beck in tow. With the onset of the portal, Cristobal also lost a few talents in the pool. However, he’s also looking at quite a few talents from there. They all have some potential for the Coral Gables, and Cristobal will look forward to seeing how they’d fit into Miami football.
However, not all of them seem to be that good of performers. Alex Donno discussed with insider Brian Smith how these guys were currently looking. First, Donno asked Smith to comment on Miami going after former Syracuse WR Trebor Pena. He was the Oranges’ leading receiver last season.
“He tore up Miami and every other team he played against last year. Like he’s just legit,” Smith said. But there’s also the money, as he’s asking $2 million. Fran Brown gave him the boot because he couldn’t afford it. “If he comes to Miami, it changes their offense. That’s a guy that could be your number one as a slot. That’s really weird.” It’d be a bittersweet experience for Miami should they get him over with that price.
Next was Hykeem Williams from Florida State. Sadly, he was a much-touted recruit but failed to meet everyone’s expectations. Smith said, “That’s a really talented guy, but this is boom or bust. Injury prone and I think he had, I went off the top of my head, 16 catches last year for like 187 yards. He just wasn’t that productive. So we need to see him take a step forward.” Williams suffered from an ankle injury that cut short his freshman season. Then, in his second outing with the Seminoles, the WR took a blow to the hamstring early in the season.
Third, Donno had Boise State DT Braxton Fely. Smith remarked that the kid is not the usual height, but he’s “explosive.” “He is a high-risk player. He’ll get burned in the run game once in a while, but he had seven sacks last year,” he added. “I think that this is a guy that can come in and help you, especially as a third-down interior pass rusher.” Fely has played just two seasons of CFB.
Lastly, Donno talked about Andrew Simpson. He is a rare and promising talent, given how he’s grown as a remarkable player. “This is a middle linebacker that can not only thump; he’s got a 235-240-pound frame, plus he’s pretty good in pass coverage. I was surprised by that. Pro Football Focus has him at 72.2 in coverage. Middle linebackers are usually terrible in coverage, so that’s a good sign […] That’s going to be a very, very highly contested player to get.” Simpson is also quite an experienced player, so it’s no wonder he’ll be a great player to vie for. However, Cristobal is still facing some troubles with his most famous recruit, Carson Beck.
Mario Cristobal should be wary of Carson Beck’s previous mistakes
Let’s face it: as much as we want to see Carson Beck wreak some havoc at Miami, we’re also worried about his past. Last season in particular, Beck produced some great games, but also some where he fell short. There’s the question of those 12 interceptions, which is double what he made in 2023. His yardage also dropped a bit. Perhaps Beck was at fault, but not completely.
George McElroy thought that the WRs were equally at fault, too. “His receivers dropped a million passes at Georgia last year, and his offensive line was really shaky at times, especially against Ole Miss. I don’t think Carson Beck had a really great season because he was trying to press to make up for what was missing offensively. They also didn’t run the ball very well.” It is also where McElroy thought Cristobal should address it privately.
He said, “I think it is beneficial to have some veterans—one would be great, and two would be amazing, if you can bring in some veterans there at wide receiver to kind of show these talented young guys how to work, how to approach it, how to be a pro. That would really advance their development.” The 2 wide receivers we mentioned earlier do just that but will require some time to adjust to Miami and develop under Mario Cristobal.
These prospects are all talented, but they also have some issues that require immediate attention. They’d make some great additions to the roster, but not without chiseling them into characters. Can Mario Cristobal continue with his streak in recruiting? We’ll have to wait and watch.
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