By Manny Navarro and Cameron Teague Robinson
Miami’s 2024 recruiting class received a huge boost Wednesday night when five-star defensive lineman Justin Scott announced he has flipped his commitment from Ohio State to the Hurricanes. Here is what you need to know:
- Scott, who plays at St. Ignatius College Prep in Chicago, is ranked No. 12 overall and the No. 3 defensive lineman in the nation in the 247Sports Composite.
- He committed to Ohio State on July 2, picking the Buckeyes at the time over Miami, Notre Dame, Michigan and Georgia.
What does this mean for Miami?
Flipping a five-star defensive tackle from a program like Ohio State demonstrates why Mario Cristobal is so valued as a head coach. The Hurricanes made it a priority this summer to land a dominant man in the middle of their defense but struck out with a few huge targets. Now, the Hurricanes boast a top-five class and feature six top-100 recruits.
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Four-star Marquise Lightfoot (ranked No. 58 nationally) from Chicago’s Kenwood Academy will provide help on the edge. There are seven defensive line commitments in Miami’s class, and more could be on the way. — Manny Navarro, Miami beat writer
How much does this hurt Ohio State?
This is as big of a blow as it gets for Ohio State. One of the two positions it couldn’t lose an elite prospect at was the defensive line, and it just lost its top prospect at that spot. Scott was a key piece in a defensive recruiting class that was supposed to help fix some of the problems in the trenches. He was one of two five-stars along the defensive line, with Eddrick Houston. Scott’s decommitment amplifies Ohio State’s struggles to land elite talent on the offensive and defensive line.
It missed in the last cycle, and though the Buckeyes still have Houston on board, they weren’t able to land five-star edge rusher Dylan Stewart. Now Ohio State has to do everything it can to hold onto Houston and still add to the defensive line with the early signing period approaching. — Cameron Teague Robinson, Ohio State beat writer
Required reading
(Photo of Mario Cristobal: Mitchell Leff / Getty Images)
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