Senior year is one of the most exciting but stressful years. For me I think it was more stressful. Unfortunately, whenever you’re faced with choosing a school to commit to, the outside opinions, influences, and expectations are inevitable.
My recruiting experience was normal at first. Some decent schools found out about me and decided to take the chance. Louisville was my first dream school, I was a fan all my life, but as I approached my last year of high school football, things didn’t go the way I thought.
It was probably the worst time things could’ve stirred up, as we were just about to play Manual, our district rival. Miami Defensive Coordinator, Corey Heatherman was coming to watch me play and the pressure was on. But it wasn’t just him, Louisville and Vanderbilt also showed up. It was never really a problem up until then, and for whatever reason I felt guilty.
When I decommitted I figured it was no big deal… until it got 1.1 million views in less than a day. People really don’t understand what goes into recruiting, and how it can go wrong. By the time it was almost over, things weren’t the same it didn’t feel like home.
While the post got over a million views, it means over hundreds of comments of adults get to express their opinion. Now at the time I wasn’t as strong minded as now. It was tough to read through and brush it off. It made me feel guilty to leave the place, as if it wasn’t my choice in the first place.
I remember someone at Louisville telling me I’m crazy for wanting to go visit Miami. Read over that sentence again. Who in their right mind would think that. Anyway, as I didn’t yet have a home, the days till signing day were not slowing down. Games only got tougher, and pressure only rose.
You can say it’s all a privilege, and I should stay grateful. Of course I’m thankful to be in this position, but would the same go for a rich person? Are they not allowed to complain about the pressure and the endless everyday pursuit for success?
College athletes get a lot of benefits, and definitely have it easier in certain parts of life, but sometimes it feels like people just oversee all the work that goes into it. A moment that hit me was on spring break when a kid from a different state goes, “Dang you’re going to Miami, life on easy mode.”
Things like that is what made me realize I just need to mature. To quit worrying about people trying to intervene.
This is ultimately what helped me move on and choose Miami, which I felt maximized my potential for the coming years.
The University of Miami, a private school with around 12,000 full time students, is a top choice for many that have the ability to either get accepted or on an athletic scholarship. Elite schools have to have elite standards for their students.
Miami is known to have one of the greatest teams ever in 2001 that featured 17 future first round draft picks. They haven’t been the same until what they did last year. Miami shocked the country with a team with young talent, showing me that they aren’t afraid to play the freshman.
Miami’s deep run in the CFB playoff was the last thing that helped me know flipping from Louisville was the best decision I could’ve made. Miami is something special and will continue the run and will not come up short. The moment they lost in the championship didn’t overlook the grit and determination it took to get there.
Similar to St. X, Miami’s are very special to them especially in the football program, which is one of the things I paid attention to when choosing schools. Not many people get to talk with first round draft picks, NFL hall of famers like Warren Sapp, or sit in the film room with the greatest linebacker of all time, Ray Lewis. I grew up watching Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson in so many movies and came to find out that Miami’s own football locker room is funded by him.
A little over a week ago I went to visit for the second time and loved everything about it. My favorite thing about it is how lowkey it is, it’s the perfect place to lock in on school and football while being away from south beach and the city. But, as many people know, there’s a lot of opportunity for fun, and Coral Gables is about 10-15 minutes away from “Miami life”.
I got to talk to a hopeful future Hall of Fame linebacker, Lavonte David. He just retired after 14 years in the league and now lives in Miami.
His message to me was simple but powerful, “Stay disciplined, remember what the priorities are and where you want to be.” He didn’t go to Miami but is still a name to know in the area, and will be a guy to look up to as I develop in college.
I met Reuben Bain and Akheem Mesidor, who were both just drafted in the first round to Tampa Bay and LA. Mesidor was busy taking pictures with fans but I got to hear a little more about Bain’s perspective.
I asked him how he keeps a strong mind through all the criticism.
“At the end of the day it doesn’t matter,” Bain said, “they don’t see the work you put in behind closed doors, it’s just people saying whatever they want to say.”
At the time, it was a tough decision to leave here, but after I got to see the place a second time, it only makes sense for it to be the place I spend the next few years. I mean who wouldn’t want to live in Miami? Miami is bigger than its nightlife. It’s a place where people with aspirations can thrive and find the right people to surround themselves with who share the same passion.
