Welcome to our Miami Hurricanes live signing day updates for the 2024 recruiting class

Happy early signing day!

In other words, happy first day of the 2024 three-day early signing period for college football.

Stay tuned right here, because we’ll be updating this live blog, as what is expected to be a national top-10 signing day — maybe better — comes to fruition for the University of Miami.

UM football coach Mario Cristobal, known as one of the nation’s top recruiters, had drawn a stellar Class of 2024 commitments on the eve of signing day.

As of 6:30 a.m. Wednesday, Cristobal’s class was ranked among the top 10 nationally by recruiting sites On3, 247Sports, Rivals and ESPN. But as most of us who have been on this yearly ride know, those rankings fluctuate continually as programs around the country get surprise commitments and players flip their allegiances, which, in turn, affect the rankings of everyone else.

Cristobal’s news conference at UM will be in the afternoon, and we’ll be there as well.

Hang on. It should be a fun ride!

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6 p.m.: The Canes finally get their other 5-star defensive end, though it was a roller coaster ride for several months. Wow. What a defensive line haul this year.

DE Armondo Blount, 6-3.5, 250, Miami Central

Five stars: On3, Rivals. Four stars: 247Sports

Other suitors: Florida State, Alabama, Texas, Michigan, Ohio State

Blount’s recruitment was one of South Florida’s wildest in the Class of 2024 and it ends with Miami getting perhaps its biggest victory of the 2024 recruiting cycle. The elite defensive lineman spent a little more than a month committed to the Hurricanes from September until October, when he flipped his commitment to Florida State and reclassified from the Class of 2025 into the 2024 recruiting class. Miami, however, stuck with the local defensive end, brought him to Coral Gables for an official visit over the weekend and got him to flip back to his hometown team on the first day of the early signing period. Blount was worth the hassle for Miami: After twice earning first-team All-Broward County honors from the Miami Herald at Dillard and winning a state title in the shot put for the Panthers in 2021, Blount transferred to Central ahead of the 2023 season and did his best impression of defensive lineman Rueben Bain Jr., racking up 58 tackles, 19 tackles for loss, 11 sacks, four forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.

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FLIP TIME!

LB Adarius Hayes, 6-4, 210, Largo

Four stars: 247Sports, On3, Rivals

Other suitors: Florida State, Florida, Alabama, Michigan, Ohio State

Miami steals another in-state star away from Florida as Hayes flips his commitment from the Gators to the Hurricanes on Day 1 of the early signing period after taking an official visit to Coral Gables over the weekend. An Under Armour All-American, Hayes was extremely productive for Largo for the last two years, 100 tackles in back-to-back seasons with 108 tackles, three tackles for loss, one sack, one pass defended and one interception as a senior this year.

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Last of the bulk of former commits before flips and evening announcement by Armondo Blount. JoJo is super talented and should help the receiving corps a great deal from Day 1.

WR Joshisa Trader, 6-1, 175, Hollywood Chaminade-Madonna

Four stars: 247Sports, On3, Rivals

Other suitors: Florida State, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, Ohio State

In many ways, Trader kicked off Miami’s success in the Class of 2024 back in July when he orally committed to the Hurricanes. The elite wide receiver was the first top-100 prospect from South Florida to commit to Miami and kept the Hurricanes’ pipeline from Chaminade-Madonna going, eventually helping sew up another commitment from elite athlete Zaquan Patterson a little more than a month later. On the field, Trader was again great as a senior, winning a third straight state championship -- two with the Lions after winning one at Miami Central as a sophomore in 2021 -- and piling up 47 catches for 757 yards and 14 touchdowns as the No. 2 wideout opposite five-star wide receiver Jeremiah Smith. An Under Armour All-American, Trader also had one carry for 19 yards, and went 2 of 2 for 50 yards and two touchdowns as a passer.

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And just before 10:30 a.m., the Canes announce tight end Elija Lofton out of Bishop Gorman. Miami needs to bulk up on its tight ends. Bishop Gorman formerly brought the Canes Brevin Jordan, now in the NFL.

TE Elija Lofton, 6-2, 220, Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas)

Four stars: 247Sports, Rivals. Three stars: On3

Other suitors: Texas, Washington, Utah, Arizona State, Hawaii

Another great tight end from Bishop Gorman is headed to Miami and Lofton did a pretty good impression of Texans tight end Brevin Jordan -- a former Hurricane -- last year in Nevada. An Under Armour All-American, Lofton caught 29 passes for 594 yards, 10 touchdowns and a two-point conversion, and also ran 17 times for 76 yards, nine touchdowns and another two-point conversion as a senior in Las Vegas. The receiver even threw a touchdown pass, going 1 of 1 for 21 yards, and logged two tackles and a sack as a do-a-bit-of-everything weapon for the Gaels on the way to yet another national title. With Lofton’s help, Bishop Gorman finished the season as the No. 1 team in the country, according to MaxPreps.

Just before 10 a.m., the Hurricanes welcome another offensive tackle in Deryc Plazz from Jacksonville.

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OT Deryc Plazz, 6-5, 289, Jacksonville Mandarin

Three stars: 247Sports, On3, Rivals

Other suitors: Florida State, NC State, Louisville, Penn State, Liberty

Plazz was one of the most vocal recruiters for Miami in the Class of 2024 and he has a chance to be a hidden gem for the Hurricanes, especially given the way coach Mario Cristobal and offensive line coach Alex Mirabal develop offensive linemen. Plazz, who was originally orally committed to Penn State, has excellent size and could play just about anywhere on the line for the Hurricanes after playing tackle for the last two seasons.

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Love this! A 6-8 1/2 offensive tackle! Alex Mirabla and Mario Cristobal will work their magic on this young man and goodness knows the rest.

OT Markel Bell, 6-8 1/2, 340, Holmes Community College (Goodman, Miss.)

Four stars: 247Sports. Three stars: On3, Rivals

Other suitors: Louisville, NC State, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Toledo

Bell was on the short list of the best junior college prospects in the nation, ranked No. 1 at his position in the 247Sports composite rankings. The offensive lineman was not recruited at all coming out of Mississippi’s Cleveland Central in the Class of 2022, but his massive 6-foot-9 frame makes him one of the most intriguing prospects in the nation. Bell has two seasons of eligibility remaining and could help Miami immediately as the Hurricanes are set to lose multiple starters from their excellent offensive line.

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LB Cameron Pruitt, 6-3, 187, Theodore (Ala.)

Four stars: 247Sports. Three stars: Rivals, On3

Other suitors: Alabama, Missouri, Ole Miss, LSU, Penn State

A multi-sport athlete, Pruitt gives Miami a versatile piece to play with on defense. Pruitt played a hybrid role at Theodore, lining up as both an outside linebacker and free safety, and the versatility will let him play a variety of roles once he gets to Coral Gables. His athleticism is interesting, too. Pruitt also played both basketball and soccer in high school.

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DL Justin Scott, 6-4, 310, St. Ignatius College Prep (Chicago)

Five stars: 247Sports, On3, Rivals

Other suitors: Georgia, Michigan, Ohio State, Washington, Notre Dame

Scott might wind up being the prize of the Class of 2024 for Miami. The elite defensive lineman was committed to Ohio State up until last month, when he flipped to the Hurricanes, and he entered the week as the lone five-star prospect in Miami’s 2024 recruiting class. Scott, who will play in the All-American Bowl next month, had 28 tackles, seven tackles for loss, two sacks and two passes defended this year, and checks just about all the boxes for a defensive lineman, with an NFL frame and tantalizing athleticism. The lineman also played basketball at St. Ignatius, and even had 17 carries for 121 yards and two touchdowns as a part-time running back for the Wolfpack.

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WR Chance Robinson, 6-1.5, 190, Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas

Four stars: 247Sports, On3, Rivals.

Other suitors: Florida State, Florida, Auburn, Ohio State, Penn State

Robinson helped kick off Miami’s Class of 2024 back in April when he became the first South Floridian to commit to the Hurricanes in the 2024 recruiting cycle and he stuck with Miami even after a late push from Ohio State, finally signing with the Hurricanes on Wednesday. The wide receiver, who won four state titles in four years at St. Thomas Aquinas, had another strong season as a senior with 36 catches for 513 yards and 11 touchdowns in the always-balanced Raiders offense.

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At 8:40 a.m., the Canes announce gifted four-star edge Marquise Lightfoot. Great name for an edge!

EDGE Marquise Lightfoot, 6-5, 220, Kenwood (Chicago)

Four stars: 247Sports, On3, Rivals.

Other suitors: Michigan, Ohio State, Illinois, Washington, USC

Lightfoot’s oral commitment to Miami back in July was the first sign coach Mario Cristobal could put together another special recruiting class. Lightfoot appeared to be headed to Ohio State before the Hurricanes swooped in at the last moment to pluck the elite defensive end out of Chicago. The end immediately became Miami’s highest-ranked commitment and helped pave the way for the Hurricanes to later flip five-star defensive lineman Justin Scott, another Chicagoan, away from the Buckeyes last month.

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By 8:30 a.m. the Canes were on a tear. They have added to their signees: defensive end Booker Pickett of Tampa Wharton, defensive end Cole McConathy, highly rated kicker Abram Murray, safety Dylan Day and defensive tackle Artavius Jones.

EDGE Booker Pickett Jr., 6-3, 205, Tampa Wharton

Four stars: 247Sports, On3, Rivals

Other suitors: Florida State, UCF, Georgia, South Carolina, Ohio State

Pickett is following in his father’s footsteps by heading to Miami nearly 30 years after Booker Pickett Sr. did the same. An Under Armour All-American, Pickett was one of the most dominant edge rushers in Florida this year, piling up 66 tackles, 23 tackles for loss and 16 sacks, and blocking three field goals and a punt.

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EDGE Cole McConathy, 6-5, 225, Spanish Fort (Ala.)

Four stars: Rivals Three stars: 247Sports, On3

Other suitors: Louisville, Virginia, Missouri, Kansas State, Tulane

McConathy, who flipped from Louisville to Miami last month, is far from the highest ranked player in the Hurricanes’ Class of 2024, but he might have been the most productive. The lanky edge rusher was one of the best defensive players in Alabama, going wild with 111 tackles, 36 1/2 tackles for loss, 24 1/2 sacks, four forced fumbles, five passes defended and three blocked field goals as a senior this year.

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K Abram Murray, 6-1, 180, Byrd (Shreveport, La.)

Three stars: 247Sports, On3. Two stars: Rivals.

Other suitors: Arkansas

Murray was the first player to orally commit to Miami’s Class of 2024 way back in 2022 and Miami is planning on him being the successor to kicker Andres Borregales. As a senior, Murray made 38 of 39 extra points and 6 of 10 field goals with a long of 45 yards. Also a punter, Murray averaged 40.1 yards per punt and had one carry for 17 yards, and also blocked one field goal.

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S Dylan Day, 5-11, 165, Southern Lab (Baton Rouge, La.)

Three stars: 247Sports, On3, Rivals

Other suitors: Georgia Tech, Ole Miss, West Virginia, Maryland, Tulane

Day was one of the best defensive players in Louisiana this year and helped Southern Lab win a Class 1A championship. His playmaking was on full display as Day returned five interceptions for touchdowns while playing both cornerback and strong safety for the Kittens.

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DL Artavius Jones, 6-3, 280, Blountstown

Four stars: 247Sports, On3, Rivals

Other suitors: Florida State, UCF, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Oregon

Jones played both both ways -- and four sports -- for Blountstown, and won a state title last year in weightlifting. The massive defensive lineman racked up 58 tackles and 13 1/2 tackles for loss, with one forced fumble and two fumble recoveries, while manning the middle of the Tigers’ defense and added three catches for 45 yards as a tight end.

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By 8 a.m. the Canes have additionally announced defensive linemen Daylen Russell (out of coach Mario Cristobal’s own Columbus High), offensive lineman Nino Francavilla, running back Jordan Lyle (flipped the other day from Ohio State), safety Isaiah Thomas, receiver Ny Carr and defensive back Romanas Frederique Jr. (another gift from St. Thomas Aquinas).

DL Daylen Russell, 6-1, 235, Miami Columbus

Three stars: 247Sports, On3, Rivals

Other suitors: Florida State, Louisville, UCF, West Virginia, Nebraska

Stats: 49 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, 6 sacks, 1 fumble recovery

Russell isn’t always flashy, but he was the Miami Herald’s Miami-Dade County Defensive Player of the Year for Classes 4M-3M last season and then wrapped up his career by helping Columbus win a second straight state championship Dec. 8. Although he is a bit undersized, Russell is exceptionally quick, plays all over the Explorers’ defensive line and had 49 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, six sacks and a fumble recovery as a senior.

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OL Nino Francavilla, 6-3, 293, Cheshire (Conn.) Academy

Three stars: 247Sports, On3. Two stars: Rivals

Other suitors: FAU, FCS Harvard, FCS Yale, FCS Dartmouth, FCS Penn

Francavilla has Ivy League smarts and major-program size to add to coach Mario Cristobal’s long list of jumbo-sized developmental prospects in Coral Gables. The offensive lineman was briefly orally committed to FCS Harvard before flipping to Miami in June and the Hurricanes will try to develop him into their center of the future. Francavilla also played some tackle and defensive tackle, and had 30 tackles, one tackle for loss and three passes defended as a defender for Cheshire this year.

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RB Jordan Lyle, 6-0, 180, Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas

Other suitors: Florida State, Alabama, Georgia, Ohio State, Oregon

For the second straight year, Miami steals a blue-chip running back away from Ohio State late in the fall, with Lyle now following in the footsteps of running back Mark Fletcher Jr. Like Fletcher, Lyle was extremely productive for a Broward County powerhouse, and piled up 1,376 rushing yards and 21 touchdowns on 130 carries for St. Thomas Aquinas this year to help the Raiders win a fifth straight state title. A four-time state champion, Lyle also caught 13 passes for 177 yards and another touchdown as the centerpiece of St. Thomas Aquinas’ offense.

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WR Ny Carr, 5-11, 168, Colquitt County (Norman Park, Ga.)

Four stars: 247Sports, On3, Rivals

Other suitors: Florida State, Georgia, Michigan, Ohio State, Penn State

Carr spent more than a year orally committed to Georgia until backing off his pledge in September and instead committing to Miami a few weeks later. It was one of the first major coups of the fall for coach Mario Cristobal, landing an elite wide receiver a day after the Hurricanes’ embarrassing loss to Georgia Tech. The dichotomy of Cristobal was on full display, but the weekend might ultimately turn out to be a good one for the Hurricanes’ future because Carr is a budding star. As a senior, the receiver exploded for 64 catches, 1,261 yards and 21 touchdowns, plus a two-point conversion. The wideout even blocked a punt for Colquitt County, which finished the season as the No. 30 team in the country, according to MaxPreps. He’ll play in the All-American Bowl next month.

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S Isaiah Thomas, 6-2, 205, Clearwater Academy International

Four stars: Rival. Three stars: 247Sports, On3

Other suitors: Florida State, Florida, Missouri, Ole Miss, Penn State

Thomas, who’s originally from Canada, was limited to only two games this year as he returned from a torn anterior cruciate ligament, but he was off to a fantastic start to his junior season at Clearwater Academy last year before the injury. In 2022, Thomas had 27 tackles and an interception before the injury, then had five more tackles in limited action as a senior in 2023.

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CB Romanas Frederique Jr., 6-0, 176, Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas

Three stars: 247Sports, On3, Rivals

Other suitors: Florida State, UCF, West Virginia, Houston, Liberty

Frederique is part of Miami’s huge incoming haul from St. Thomas Aquinas and helped the Raiders win a fifth straight state title in his first year in Fort Lauderdale this year. The cornerback, who flipped from West Virginia in June, had 28 tackles and 10 passes defended in his lone season at St. Thomas Aquinas, and also caught four passes for 67 yards and a touchdown as a wide receiver.

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They’re signing fast and furiously!

By 7:45 a.m., the Canes have announced quarterback Judd Anderson, safety Zaquan Patterson, offensive lineman Juan Minaya, defensive end Elias Rudolph, defensive end Ryan Mack, running back Chris Wheatley-Humphrey.

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Immediate help in replacing standouts Kam Kinchens and James Williams.

ATH Zaquan Patterson, 6-0, 185, Hollywood Chaminade-Madonna

Five stars: Rivals. Four Stars: 247Sports, On3

Other suitors: Florida State, Auburn, Texas, Michigan, Ohio State

A do-it-all star for one of the best teams in the country, Patterson is the type of player Miami has to keep in South Florida and the Hurricanes officially got it done on Day 1 of the early signing period. Patterson is a product of Miami’s all-important pipeline from Chaminade-Madonna and helped the Lions win a third straight state championship Dec. 7. Patterson, who’s the top ranked defensive player in Broward County, manned the middle of Chaminade-Madonna’s defense for the last three years as a safety and pseudo-linebacker, and finished his senior season with 47 tackles, three tackles for loss, one sack, one forced fumble, one blocked field goal, nine passes defended and six interceptions, one of which he returned for a touchdown. He’ll play in the All-American Bowl next month.

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Another offensive lineman at the U

T Juan Minaya, 6-6, 335, Paramus (N.J.) Catholic

Three stars: 247Sports, On3, Rivals

Other suitors: Duke, Ole Miss, Kentucky, Penn State, Maryland

Minaya gives coach Mario Cristobal and offensive line coach Alex Mirabal yet another big body to develop at Miami, and he was tested well in college at New Jersey’s Paramus Catholic, which plays in one of the toughest conferences in the country. His body type means he could play multiple spots on the offensive line, but he primarily played tackle for the Paladins.

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And the first of the big-time defensive linemen

EDGE Elias Rudolph, 6-4, 205, Taft (Cincinnati)

Four stars: 247Sports, On3, Rivals

Other suitors: Florida State, Pittsburgh, Georgia, Michigan, Ohio State

Miami did some of its best work in the Class of 2024 in the Midwestern United States and flipped Rudolph away from Michigan in August. The defensive end was briefly slated to play his senior season at Deerfield Beach before moving back home to Ohio to spend his senior year at Taft and the Hurricanes were still able to hang on even once he got back into more friendly territory for the Wolverines.

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Defensive back from St. Thomas, which has four commits so far. His dad, Rod, is a former Hurricane who played linebacker..

S Ryan Mack, 5-11, 165, Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas

Three stars: 247Sports, On3, Rivals

Other suitors: Florida State, Louisville, Alabama, Ole Miss, Penn State

Stats: 45 tackles, 3 interceptions (1 touchdown), 12 passes defended

Another Miami legacy is heading to Coral Gables as Mack, the son of former Hurricanes linebacker Roderick Mack, officially signs with Miami. Mack was a top defender for St. Thomas Aquinas en route to a fifth straight state title, racking up 45 tackles with 12 passes defended and three interceptions, one of which he returned for a touchdown. An Under Armour All-American, Mack was a four-time state champion in Fort Lauderdale and is one of several Raiders headed to Miami in the Class of 2024.

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Never enough running backs

RB Chris Wheatley-Humphrey, 6-0, 175, Hollywood South Broward

Three stars: 247Sports, On3, Rivals

Other suitors: Florida State, Louisville, Ole Miss, SMU, Tulane

Stats: 159 carries, 2,076 yards, 16 touchdowns; 9 tackles, 4 passes defended

The leading rusher in Broward County, Wheatley-Humphrey is nicknamed “Hellcat” for a reason. The running back is a major big-play threat, and ran for 2,075 yards and 16 touchdowns on 159 carries for an average of 13.1 yards per carry. Wheatley-Humphrey also had nine tackles and four passes defended as a defensive back.

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QUARTERBACK IN THE HOUSE!

The Hurricanes welcome the first Cane to sign his letter of intent shortly after 7 a.m.: Canes quarterback Judd Anderson, a 6-7, three-star signal caller out of Warner Robins High in Georgia.

QB Judd Anderson, 6-7, 225, Warner Robins (Ga.)

Three stars: 247Sports, On3, Rivals

Other suitors: Georgia Tech, Pittsburgh, Ole Miss, Memphis, Eastern Michigan, UConn

Miami needs to rebuild its quarterback room and Anderson gives them another intriguing option, with his ideal frame and experience playing in multiple types of offenses. Anderson transferred from Jones County in Gray, Georgia, to Georgia’s Warner Robins after two games of his senior season and had his best year yet, throwing for 3,163 yards and 34 touchdowns in 14 games, with 135 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns. At Warner Robins after he transferred, he finished 232 of 315 (73.6 percent) for 2,917 yards and 30 touchdowns, with seven interceptions in the 12 games he played for the 9-4 Demons. Anderson also played basketball before he chose not to compete this past season to concentrate on football. He averaged a double-double last year and as a sophomore led the state of Georgia in rebounding.