American Heritage Plantation (FL) is a national brand in the high school realm. The school is considered a factory of future NFL talent and the Patriots have collected several state championships along the way. Since 2012, the program notched 111 wins and five state titles. The resume of the Patriots compares to any school in the country.
That high level of success and yearly allotment of Patriots transitioning to the FBS ranks, have not steered prospects to Coral Gables until 2020. Miami was able to grab two former Heritage stars (offensive lineman Kai-Leon Herbert and defensive tackle Nesta Silvera). Both of those 'recruiting wins' ended in transfer portal applications.
The tide seems to be turning in the Canes favor more and more as of late. Five-star safety James Williams joined Miami's 2020 class and former West Virgnia star cornerback Daryl Porter Jr., jumped in the portal to join Miami this off-season.
Several Miami targets remain at the national powerhouse. Four-star 2023 cornerback Damari Brown headlines that group, and the future is bright for the potential Heritage to Coral Gables pipeline in 2025 and 2026.
Heritage is now on its third head coach within the past decade, as former college and NFL stars Mike Rumph and Pat Surtain Sr. took promotions; Rumph to the Hurricanes as defensive backs coach and Surtain to the Miami Dolphins as a defensive assistant.
Despite losing two high school coaching legends and recognizable faces, the most consistent piece of the American Heritage dynasty is now leading the charge.
New head man Mike Smith is what you would call a 'Heritage Man'. His devotion to Heritage has stretched longer than anyone currently in the program. He has been part of every championship and was a key mentor for future impact NFL players like Tyson Campbell, Isaiah McKenzie, Sony Michel, Pat Surtain Jr., and more.
His tenure at Heritage allowed him to experience several different Miami coaching staffs. He shared his thoughts on Miami's current staff:
"I just think they build a better relationship with the kids. It seemed like in the past out-of-state schools knew more about us than the guys in our own backyard but they have definitely reached out and attempted to build a better relationship with the kids that we have here."
The 2023 class was seen as a potential goldmine for Miami. A lack of pursuit from the previous staff, and a lack of on-field success, took the Canes out of the race for the majority of the blue-chip group.
Top wide receiver Brandon Inniss and powerful running back Mark Fletcher both committed to Ohio State. Four-star safety Daemon Fagan is heading to NC State leaving Brown as the last Miami target for 2023. A big 2022 season could potentially change the minds of both Fletcher and Inniss.
I asked Smith how his locker room feels about Miami:
"It's definitely positive, because they're showing us love. Before, it was they'd come around once in a while and kids would be like, 'Coach, why Miami doesn't come around? That's the home-team.’ Now they're calling and they're building those relationships. I know a lot more of our kids went down there this off-season where in the past a kid might have went down there, maybe not. They have caught the interest of our kids. Just going down there more and being around Miami more is the biggest difference I see."
Miami has a chance to redeem its 2023 losses with Heritage's 2025 and 2026 elite prospects. 2025 future Top 100 running back Byron Louis is the top target for nearly every big-time program across the country. Already 6'0" and 200-pounds, he has the opportunity to be part of a 2000+ yard backfield this season for the Patriots. Miami has already offered the young workhorse and will compete with Auburn, Georgia, Ohio State, and Texas A&M for his talents.
The 2026 class is multiple years away, but an early focus on Heritage's young group of wide receivers will be vital.
Malachi Toney has NFL pedigree. Despite just getting to high school, Toney has a complete game and the opportunity to be the second option to Innis this season.
Inniss was an early varsity impact player himself and stated "He is going to have the best freshman season we have seen in a long time." His game is reminiscent of another Miami recruiting miss - Elijah Moore.
Toney is a smooth route runner, who is already beating veteran defensive backs. With soft hands and a knack for finding the soft spots in zone coverage, his 2022 production should be eye-popping for a first-year varsity player.
The other two future stars with a chance at key varsity playing time this season are Brandon Bennett and Jeffar Jean-Noel. Bennett is a Junior Olympic champion in the 200-meter race, running a 21.6-second time and ran a 10.8 100-meter time as an 8th grader. He could be the next Anthony Schwartz for Heritage.
Jean-Noel is a long, two-way player who has a similar skillset to 2024 blue-chip athlete Joshisa Trader. He is a natural catcher of the football, who has a sky-high ceiling at cornerback while playing a big role as a freshman at wideout.
When asked if he feels the staff will solidify a pipeline, Smith stated:
"Absolutely because at the end of the day, kids want to go to Miami. It's like I said, when your home-team isn't showing you the love that other schools out of state are showing you, it was tough for all those years. With this new staff, they're making a better effort to keep those kids here and build a relationship with them. That's the biggest thing. I just don't feel we had those relationships in the past. Now, Mario (Cristobal) and DVD (DeMarcus Van Dyke), who I have known well for a long time, those guys, they reach out. It is definitely different now."
To achieve championship-level success, the Heritage pipeline will have to be a priority. Building the U 'back' and teaching the history of Miami's successful past will take time, but is needed with this next generation of talent.
Miami has not won a major bowl game since the 2004 Peach Bowl (27-10 over Florida). There is not a single player in the Heritage program old enough to remember a single play from the game. Smith has noticed the 'Old Miami' coming back with the new staff and feels it makes a huge difference with the South Florida stars of tomorrow:
"You see it. They're getting back to the old stuff, and it's kind of like what we are doing here. The old stuff is seeing a lot of the old Canes coming back and that's a big deal because it's a family thing. You start bringing those guys back and you start bringing the interest back around here in South Florida. It starts to become again about the 'State of Miami'. For the kids who don't know what that is, they're starting to find out. It lets them know about the history. Kid's growing up now, they don't really know about that history."
The opportunity is there. A failed pipeline opportunity over the last decade seems to be changing. The interest, the familiarity, and the relationships are starting to emerge with this new staff, not just at Heritage, but South Florida at large.
The new staff understands to win the battles on the field, the battles in recruiting must be won and defensive back coach Jahmil Addae said it best regarding Heritage:
"We're on it and it's important for the right reasons. It's important because one of the top school schools in the country is in our backyard, and some of the best players in the country are in our backyard. We have to do well there. That's a school you have to win, you have to dominate. There are five or six schools you have to win, and if you do, will help our program tremendously. That school happens to one of them and they have a couple players right now that can flip the program. We are in constant communication and almost living in that place to make it happen. You have to keep the others out, because everybody is in there."
