Miami (FL) Hurricanes

All-American CB commit highlights strong weekend for Miami

Published Jan. 18, 2016 1:50 p.m. ET

foxsports

Miami’s first-year head coach Mark Richt has been hot on the recruiting trail and has scored several key commitments as Signing Day nears.

Over the weekend, Richt received pledges from all-American cornerback Malek Young, speedy three-star wide receiver Latrell Williams and safety Jeff James, the nephew of former Hurricanes’ standout, Edgerrin James.

Of the three, Young has the highest profile. The 5-9, 180-pound CB from Pompano Beach, Fla., played in the Army All-American game with fellow Miami CB commit, Tyler Byrd. Young, who is ranked the 34th-best CB in the nation by 247Sports, was recruited by new Hurricanes DB coach, Mike Rumph.

Blessed to officially be a cane at heart #The ?
— Humble Child (@MalekYoung) January 15, 2016

Broward County success!! ?? @swag16
— Mike Rumph (@CoachRumph16) January 15, 2016

Williams, a 5-11, 171-pound wideout from Lake City, Fla., has reportedly been clocked at 4.27 in the 40-yard dash and tallied 68 receptions for 1,035 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns as a senior at Columbia High School.

According to the Palm Beach Post, Williams originally committed to South Florida, but decided to follow former USF wide receivers coach, Ron Dugans, to Miami after he was hired by the Hurricanes.

Eating dinner with?? @MarkRicht pic.twitter.com/fxgMhXuxWK
— CursedWithABlessing☦ (@LastKingTrill) January 16, 2016

I've officially committed to The University of Miami??#CaneGang??? pic.twitter.com/Nz3q8xCmeM
— CursedWithABlessing☦ (@LastKingTrill) January 17, 2016

Of all the Miami commits, James may be the most intriguing. The 6-1, 185-pound safety is the nephew of former NFL running back, Edgerrin James, and has no star rating on the major recruiting sites because he did not play football until his year at Olympia High in Orlando, Fla.

Extremely Blessed?? To Have This Opportunity To Announce I'm Verbally Committed To The University Of Miam???#TheU ? pic.twitter.com/cOu9eOYHxK
— Jeff James (@_liljeff) January 16, 2016

James recently told the Orlando Sentinel that he needed some time to get his act together but feels he is on the right track.

Per the Orlando Sentinel:

“I was a trouble kid. Nobody wanted to deal with me and people kind of were giving up on me. I wasn’t doing the right things,” James said. “Coach Hayes and my family told me I can’t keep doing this or I would be going nowhere, and that I was going to be in jail someday if I kept it up. It was little things like fighting, not going to school, being class clown, spending a lot of time in ISS [in-school suspension].

“It made me realize I had to mature.”

James, who also played receiver, was named to the all-state second-team.