Mario Cristobal’s recruiting machine at Miami just hit an unexpected snag, and it’s coming from a place he knows well: the NFL. Miami’s 2027 target, Mark Matthews, has been heavily linked to the Canes. However, the OL player is yet to make up his mind. The reason is surprising, to say the least. 

“(Miami offensive line) coach (Alex) Mirabel may go to the NFL. Coach (Mario) Cristobal might go to the NFL,” Matthews told 247Sports. “That’s why I haven’t committed super early and am just keeping my options open.”

There has been no indication that the Miami head coach may go to the pros. There will be more interest in his name since the Canes have made it to the national championship game. But that doesn’t mean Cristobal will choose that over building his legacy at Coral Gables.

To make matters worse for Miami, in-state Florida has emerged as a strong contender to land Matthews’ commitment.

“They [Florida] definitely want me to commit,” Matthews said. “You know, the GM, he’s a cool guy. Especially the head coach, now Jon Sumrall. He’s a great guy. One of my teammates played for him at Tulane, so I know he’s a good coach. I’m going to be taking a lot of spring visits, and Gators will be one of them.”

The five-star OL from Fort Lauderdale High School admitted that there’s a “100%” chance of fluctuation and was unsure where he would commit. Florida entering the mix and going hard for Miami’s 2027 target looks concerning; however, this is not it. Matthews also stated that Ohio State and Texas A&M are the two programs that will provide tough competition for Miami. 

Though things look complicated around their 2027 top-tier target, Mario Cristobal and Alex Mirabal are already in the prime position for the offensive tackle Mark Matthews.

Mark Matthews sang a different tune last month

Steve Wilfong of On3, before Christmas Eve, logged a prediction that the Hurricanes are most likely to end up with the five-star OT Matthews. The Rivals’ industry ranking also listed the No. 1 offensive tackle prospect of the 2027 class in favor of Miami by 93.6%. Matthews has also talked about the impact Alex Mirabel made during his visit.

“On my visit, [Mirabel] preached that he was a teacher,” Matthews said. “He teaches O-line, and that means a lot to me. I need to learn the position. I need to develop. I just started freshman year, so I have a lot left to learn. And that means a lot to me that he could teach me, teach me how to read a linebacker, read a safety, and teach me how to pull on this play, just simple stuff that I can get better at.”

“Just everything is looking like it’s clicking. They have a good team and a good defense. Probably one of the best defenses in the country—a really good offense, a really good O-line, and a really good O-line coach.”

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The 6-foot-5, 301-pound tackle has spent a ton of time on the Miami campus over the past year and attended three games at Hard Rock Stadium this past season. However, the latest report is a source of concern for Miami fans. The only positive is that the Canes are currently in the national championship final. They’re in a much better position than their in-state rivals. Matthews is probably also seeing how much the line of scrimmage means for the head coach.