College football recruitment toppers should learn a thing or two from the guru, Mario Cristobal. He’s not up in the elite ranks yet, but he doesn’t have to be. Cristobal goes for talent first and then ratings when it comes to making his picks in the recruiting cycle. “If you can’t identify and recruit, your value to a college football program is very little. It just is,” the Miami HC said. Cristobal has a proven track record with this pattern and is on track to repeat those successes again. However, these prospects can stand to test him a little in the future.

Cristobal has many recruiting success stories that are proof of his insane talent to spot the best in the lot. Jackson Cantwell, for example, ditched Georgia and Oregon when Miami made the push. Carson Beck, who was the transfer portal’s top player when he left Georgia, picked Miami. And then we have Cam Ward, the phenomenal QB who ended his career as a No. 1 draft pick with the Hurricanes after starting as a zero-star prospect in college football. Miami is hoping to do the same with another 2026 player, being the first Power 4 school to offer him.

A possible addition to Cristobal’s diamond-in-the-rough trend in recruiting is WR Saphir Miller. He is a local prospect for Miami, being an Orlando recruit. Miller is committed to Brown, but when it comes to Mario Cristobal, it isn’t that big of a problem. The WR, meanwhile, is stoked about his first Power 4 offer. Receivers coach Kevin Beard reached out to him over the phone, and hopefully, this conversation will lead to good things for Cristobal. “[Coach] Beard said he wanted to stay connected,” Miller told CaneSport. “So just from that I definitely want to get down to campus for sure.”

Miller, who recorded 10 receptions for 129 yards last season, is expected to be a rising star. He told CaneSport that he is still committed to Brown but is open to exploring his options. Miami entered the race for Miller a little late, and the WR is taking things cautiously at the moment.

“I know Miami is a very iconic name, and they’ve got a culture and a program that’s definitely desirable, so there’s definitely interest there,” he said. Cristobal will have to truly wow Miller to get him over at Coral Gables, because not many would want to forgo a future at an Ivy League school.

Mario Cristobal may be a little late to this party, but he’s jumping into battle early for one special talent, who is yet to even begin his prep career.

Mario Cristobal gets in line early for 13-year-old QB

Miami knocked the socks off by offering to a QB who is just 13 years old. Anthony ‘Deuce’ Woods Jr. has every reason to celebrate. Because this is the Miami Hurricanes, a marquee football program, showing its interest in him. This is his very first college football offer, which officially kicks off his recruitment! Woods will reach his peak in this prep career 5 years later, being a class of 2030 prospect. Yep, the Hurricanes know what they’re getting into, because they’d have to be relentlessly at this to hopefully keep Woods on their side until then.

“WOWWW!!! Blessed to receive my first Offer from The University of Miami🙌🏾!!!” the 13-year-old shared on his X account. What would help Mario Cristobal immensely is that, like Miller, Woods is also a Florida prospect. His being an in-state prospect and the HC’s recruiting genius seem like a combination ready to give Miami the results it wants. The QB is also a basketball player and a track star. Another field athletics star at this age was Jackson Cantwell, who is going to crush defenses from 2026 onwards.

At 13, no kid really has a clear idea about their football future, and here in Miami, they are placing a wager on Woods. He has played in competitive camps with his group, the AK Boyz. He’s also a well-rounded athlete, having run an impressive 4.72 in the 40-yard dash. He’s just 13, after all, and there’s all likelihood that he punches in a better number by the time he’s 18. It’ll be a story to tell for some time if Cristobal ends up signing Woods after being in the trenches for him for five long years.

Mario Cristobal knows when to pursue which guy in the recruiting cycle. He knows which players he has to unleash the NIL factor on. The HC has a record of producing Round 1-2 draft picks almost every year, which is further proof that he knows recruitment like the back of his hand. Whether he’ll be able to recreate this trend with Miller and Woods will be a tough test of time.