Advertisement
football Edit

Top 100 Recruit Raul Aguirre Commits to Miami over Alabama

The second level of the Miami defense has been one of the key issues of the program for the better part of the last decade. Sporadic NFL prospects like Denzel Perryman, Sean Spence and Shaq Quarterman have made Coral Gables home, but elevating play at the position is a must for Head Coach Mario Cristobal if success is to be sustained.

Bringing in veteran coach Charlie Strong to lead the position group and locking in Miami Central (FL) 2022 signee Wesley Bissainthe and 2023 Miami Palmetto 3-star Bobby Washington were exactly the steps needed for change.

Stealing Top 100 recruit Raul Aguirre from the likes of Alabama, Ohio State and Texas is a turning point for the program. The current depth chart is void of long, athletic thumpers like Washington and Aguirre. These two prospects aren't projects at the position.

They are not undersized and posses no glaring weakness against the run or passing attack. Aguirre is a strong based inside linebacker who flashes the ability to cover slot receivers up the field as a zone coverage dropper while scrapping the line of scrimmage as an enforcer inside the tackle box.

Aguirre immediately slots in as the highest-ranked player in the linebacker room and should immediate press for playing time. Miami currently has just ten linebackers in the fold, with just four that have the size to play on the inside.

Aguirre is already 6'2" 215 pounds before entering a college weight room. His athletic ability (he played wide receiver as a junior) mixed with frame, adds versatility and much needed depth.

Over the course of his recruitment, Aguirre took visits to Alabama, Clemson, Florida State, Georgia, Miami and Ohio State. He is the seventh blue-chip prospect to commit Miami in the last month, continuing an impressive climb up the team rankings.

This commitment brings 'Popo' back to his roots which are planted from Miami-Dade County.

"Cristobal and Coach Mirabal coached my dad at Columbus and had a great relationship with him. He's a great coach and person," said Aguirre. As a junior at Whitewater (GA), he averaged ten tackles per game.

Miami should add a third linebacker after adding Washington and Aguirre. The two most likely candidates to fill that spot are Orlando Jones (FL) four-star Malik Bryant and homegrown Miami Killian four-star Stanquan Clark.

Advertisement