There’s a lot on Mario Cristobal’s mind. Beyond facing the Gators this Saturday, he’s aiming to shake up the recruiting landscape for both the SEC and Big Ten. The Miami Hurricanes, already stronger in the trenches than last year, are making bold moves to disrupt the supply lines of elite EDGE rushers. Sometimes greed is good—especially when it could land two top-tier talents.

The most coveted target is five-star Anthony ‘Tank’ Jones, a summer prize for Dan Lanning and Oregon. The Ducks won out over Alabama, Miami, and Texas A&M to land him, but his commitment is already being tested. National analyst Marcus Benjamin sized up the odds of a flip and told it’s 50/50 to Rivals. “With all the buzz surrounding the program. I mean, it’s definitely a place where it’s intriguing. It’s a program that’s building. So, I definitely see Tank Jones continuing to be on the radar for the Miami Hurricanes.” Jones, ranked as the No. 18 overall player and No. 4 EDGE in the 247Sports Composite, represents the type of recruit who almost never stays off the market until the ink is dry.

The second push is aimed at the SEC’s Alabama, where No. 3 DL Nolan Wilson has emerged as a priority. Wilson, already on record as having visited Miami, is another toss-up in recruitment. “I don’t blame them at all. I would definitely, you know, take a visit to Miami or take multiple visits to Miami. Who wouldn’t?” said Benjamin. The gravitational pull is clear for both players.

“Especially with Jason Taylor as one of the staff members of the Miami Hurricanes. He’s a Hall of Famer. That’s always intriguing for any recruit to be taught by a guy with a gold jacket. So, I think that’s always going to be a factor, especially for defensive linemen and edge rushers that are kind of looking around and not 100 percent locked in to their program.”

Taylor is Miami’s ace card, and Mario Cristobal knows it. Recruits dream of NFL stardom, and when a gold-jacket mentor is right there in their position room, recruits rarely waste travel, capitalize on schools they’ve written off, and both edge rushers are circling back to Coral Gables for a second look.

There’s also an A&M twist. “Anthony Jones is taking a visit to Texas A&M as well. So, it’s not only Miami, Tank Jones, but the fact that the both of these guys are returners or return in to Miami for games definitely bodes well for the Hurricanes and the staff to flip those big-time edge rushers.” That’s the part that should keep Oregon and Alabama sweating.

The Hurricanes aren’t fighting solo—they’re competing against fellow heavyweight Texas A&M, another NIL-rich program with plenty of recruiting clout. This weekend feels like a crossroads. Both Jones and Wilson may be in the stands when Miami faces Florida, and if Cristobal’s team can deliver a statement win under the lights, the impression could stick.

Hurricanes favored to storm past Gators

The latest betting line has Miami favored by 7 ½, and the experts are leaning big toward the ‘Canes. Adam Lichtenstein didn’t hesitate with his prediction: “Miami 38, Florida 20.” He broke it down simply—this one comes down to which version of Florida shows up.

“If Florida continues to look discombobulated, undisciplined and mistake-prone, Miami will run away with this game. If the Gators finally harness their talent, it will be relatively close. But even if UF manages that, No. 4 Miami is still likely the better team,” he predicted. Between Carson Beck’s efficiency and Miami’s dominance in the trenches, the Hurricanes look ready to turn this rivalry into a statement win.

It will be a great first impression for recruits watching if they win. Just like last year, when coach Mario publicly shouted on the mic his “message to recruits”— that if they want to win, “Miami is the place to be” when they were going undefeated.