Miami is giving Ryan Day a hard time. The Hurricanes are still trying to pry 5-star 2027 pass-rusher DJ Jacobs away from Ohio State despite his commitment. And while that fight is still in the background, Mario Cristobal landed a pair of recruiting victories over the Buckeyes on Wednesday. One win came in the 2029 class while the other arrived in 2028. Both involved blue-chip prospects and came at OSU’s expense.

As 247Sports reported, the first domino fell when elite Carrollton (Ga.) QB CJ Cypher announced his commitment to Miami over a loaded list of suitors that included Ohio State, Georgia, Alabama, Florida and Notre Dame. That’s a blow for the Buckeyes who not only offered him but Ryan Day reportedly placed the Georgia standout on an exclusive shortlist alongside Texas star Ty Snell as one of their priority QB targets in the 2029 cycle.

It’s easy to understand why. As a freshman playing in Georgia’s highest classification, CJ Cypher threw for 2,178 yards, 26 touchdowns and just three interceptions while leading Carrollton to a 14-1 record. His performance earned him Georgia Freshman Player of the Year honors and MaxPreps Freshman All-American recognition. But after multiple visits to Coral Gables this offseason, Miami won the relationship battle.

“Honestly, everything about Miami,” he told 247Sports’ Tom Loy. “The coaches, our relationships was perfect about them. We hit it off from the beginning. Coach Dawson is a great guy. Coach Cristobal, on and off the field, they make everything feel like home.”

That feeling began before a game-day atmosphere could influence him. It started with his first visit in spring where he saw the relationship between the players and the coaches. 

“I saw how hard the players work,” he said. “I saw how much the coaches care. The coaches are great. I just love the leadership there. The competitiveness down there is what I want to be a part of.”

While this update hurts Ryan Day’s Buckeyes, it’s a foundation for Miami. CJ Cypher becomes the Hurricanes’ first commit in the 2029 class. And as it turns out, he wasn’t the only Carrollton star Miami beat out Ohio State for. 

If CJ Cypher gave Mario Cristobal a future QB, Kweli Fielder may have given the Hurricanes a future cornerstone in the trenches.

Miami hits Ryan Day twice with another Carrollton recruiting win

Just hours after landing CJ Cypher, Miami secured a commitment from elite 2028 OL Kweli Fielder, beating Ohio State, Georgia, Texas A&M, Clemson and several other major programs. The massive Carrollton prospect stands 6’4.5 and weighs over 310 pounds while possessing an impressive 81.5-inch wingspan. Recruiting services already view him as one of the top IOL prospects in the 2028 cycle.

Mario Cristobal didn’t win this one by accident. Kweli Fielder spent plenty of time around Miami this summer, making multiple visits and working directly with OL coach Alex Mirabal during camp sessions. Those face-to-face interactions proved decisive as much as the Canes’ recent O-line development under the two coaches.

“I needed to see how they coach, and I really love it,” he told InsideTheU. “The way they coach me, that’s really important to my recruitment… If you watched last year and when Cam Ward played the year before, they obviously had the best O-line. I’m not even a bandwagon, but I’ve been saying that since I came here the first time. They did really good, and it’s really showing. They’re really improving. Miami wasn’t like that until Cristobal came, so I’m trying to get better with him.”

Ohio State still remains one of the sport’s recruiting giants and continues to stack elite classes. But on this particular day, Miami walked into two recruiting battles featuring the Buckeyes and walked away with both prizes.