Miami gets its first linebacker commitment with speedy Texas prospect Justin Medlock
The Miami Hurricanes have finally added a linebacker to their Class of 2022.
Justin Medlock orally committed to Miami on Friday, announcing his commitment on Twitter after trimming his list to five schools on July 7. The Hurricanes beat out the LSU Tigers, Oklahoma Sooners, Ohio State Buckeyes and Oregon Ducks to land the three-star linebacker from Manvel in Texas.
“Done deal,” he wrote to accompany a short video.
The 6-foot-1, 210-pound senior is the No. 451 overall prospect in the 247Sports.com composite rankings for the 2022 class and a four-star prospect in ESPN’s rankings.
Medlock took his only official visit with the Hurricanes in June, spending a weekend in Coral Gables, which vaulted Miami firmly into the mix to land the out-of-state commitment. Medlock played at the same high school as Miami quarterback D’Eriq King and is the Hurricanes’ second linebacker commit from Texas in as many years, following freshman Corey Flagg Jr.
The outside linebacker played in only three games last year because of a knee injury, but recorded 21 tackles, five tackles for loss and three sacks in his limited action. He also grabbed one interception, which he returned for a touchdown.
Medlock has been clocked as fast as 4.5 seconds in the 40-yard dash and recorded 117 tackles as a junior in 2019. He has the capability to potentially play either linebacker spot for Miami, as they’re almost interchangeable in the Hurricanes’ 4-2-5.
The linebacker position was exposed as one of Miami’s biggest weaknesses down the stretch of the 2020 college football season when the North Carolina Tar Heels set records by running for 520 yards in the regular-season finale against the Hurricanes. Miami never settled on established starters at the position, so this cycle is a chance for the Hurricanes to restock with blue-chip talent. Medlock is a starting point for Miami, which would also like to add four-star Miami Central linebacker Wesley Bissainthe.
Medlock’s commitment comes in the middle of a potential commitment run for the Hurricanes. Miami landed an oral commitment from three-star tackle Falentha Carswell on Wednesday and could get a commitment three-star Central tackle Daughtry Richardson when he announces Sunday.
The Hurricanes now hold six commitments in their class after landing four-star Fort Myers Bishop Verot athlete Chris Graves on July 9. Medlock is the fourth blue-chip recruit in the class, along with Graves, four-star quarterback Jacurri Brown and four-star cornerback Khamauri Rogers.
