Three Predictions: Miami, USC, Pitt
Rivals national recruiting analyst John Garcia Jr. has predictions on a key recruiting win for the Miami Hurricanes, a USC commit sticking with his pledge and the Pittsburgh Panthers losing out on one of their recent commitments.
1. MIAMI WILL KEEP TOP RECRUIT IN SOUTH FLORIDA
The Hurricanes work to keep top talent home and it finally broke through last cycle with Bryce Fitzgerald, the first No. 1-ranked prospect in Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties to pick the program since James Williams in the class of 2021.
Derrek Cooper holds that honor in the 2026 Rivals250 and for several parts of the cycle, it looked like he would follow Jeremiah Smith (2024), Brandon Inniss (2023) and Marvin Jones (2022) to depart the area for out-of-state programs.
But the momentum may be in Miami‘s favor here. Georgia, which briefly held Cooper’s commitment, remains a primary contender as do national powers Ohio State, Texas and others, but the local pull with The U has increased some confidence inside the building in Coral Gables.
Cooper has a long way to go in his recruitment and he has expanded his visit list in recent weeks, perhaps muddying the water a bit – all the better compared with the most familiar option on the list in Mario Cristobal‘s program.
2. KEENYI PEPE STICKS WITH USC COMMITMENT
Keenyi Pepe has been at IMG Academy in Florida for his prep football and two of the teams in his current state have been in contact with him since his decision to play for Lincoln Riley came in — Miami and Florida. The Hurricanes were neck-and-neck with USC for the latter part of this recruitment and Florida made up ground on several suitors with its consistent approach among the programs closest to the blue-chipper’s Sunshine State home.
Still, the pull at USC was not only always strong — but the most recent trip offered an element that no other campus visit had prior in Pepe’s mother attending the visit. That simple contrast to every other visit Pepe had been on since his recruitment kicked off many years ago changed the perspective of the big man’s plans while back out near his native Los Angeles.
UM and UF, as well as many others in the coming seven months ahead of National Signing Day, will work to flip the big and polished pass protector but the advantage the Trojans have built in for their side of the argument feels unmatched.
3. JACOB THOMAS’ PITT COMMIT WON’T LAST
Pitt does a great job working early inroads in the Sunshine State, where it currently holds four of its seven total verbal commitments between the senior and junior class, but the moves also signal the alarm for other programs to get eyes on a given recruit. This has absolutely been the case for speedy wide receiver Jacob Thomas, who has added scholarship offers from more than one dozen programs since coming off the board for the Panthers.
Now the South Florida native has begun taking trips elsewhere. Miami, which was a dream school for the rising-junior, is turning up the heat here but so is Auburn, Florida State, Kentucky, Purdue and others. With so much time left before December of 2026 and an early open mind for Thomas as he navigates new interest and offers, it may be a large uphill battle for the Panthers to hold onto the pledge it looked so smart for attaining to kick off the month of March.
