5-Star EDGE Prospect Jayden Wayne Commits to Miami over Alabama, LSU, Georgia, More

Photo Credit: Brandon Huffman, 247Sports

The Miami Hurricanes added one of the best defensive players in the entire 2023 recruiting class Saturday.

Defensive lineman Jayden Wayne announced he will attend Miami during an appearance on CBS Sports HQ.

Wayne, who checks in at 6’5″ and 245 pounds, is a 5-star prospect, per 247Sports’ composite rankings. He is also the No. 30 overall player, No. 5 EDGE and No. 9 player from the state of Florida in the 2023 class.

One look at the list of schools that offered him scholarships during the recruiting process underscores his overall talent level.

A laundry list of some of the top programs in the country was interested, including Alabama, Georgia, LSU, Michigan, Notre Dame, Oregon, Oklahoma, Florida, Auburn, Penn State, Texas and USC.

It is no surprise so many schools wanted to add him to their defenses.

After all, Adam Gorney of Rivals was so impressed with Wayne’s play at the Pylon 7on7 Tournament that he compared the pass-rusher to Oregon’s Kayvon Thibodeaux. It was quite high praise considering the Ducks defensive end has been widely considered the best prospect for the 2022 NFL draft for some time.

Brandon Huffman of 247Sports pointed to Arizona Cardinals star Chandler Jones as a pro comparison for Wayne and highlighted the prospect’s “length and quickness to beat blockers off the ball and the explosiveness at the LOS to quickly get into the backfield.”

Huffman suggested Wayne’s athleticism alone gives him the ceiling of an elite pass-rusher as someone who could quickly develop into a key playmaker on his new team’s defensive front.

Defenses need athletic linemen who can use their speed and burst both against the run and to prevent quarterbacks from establishing a rhythm in the no-huddle, fast-paced offensive approach so many take in today’s college football.

If Wayne lives up to his potential, he will be just that for the Hurricanes.

Miami head coach Mario Cristobal and his staff are building up a strong roster of good, young prospects going into their first season with the program.

Even before Cristobal’s arrival, the previous coaching staff did a good job of bringing in talent. The Hurricanes finished in the top 20 of 247Sports’ national team rankings in 2021 and 2022.

Cristobal has already secured 13 commitments for the 2023 class. Wayne and offensive tackle Francis Mauigoa, teammates at IMG Academy, are 5-star recruits on their way to Miami next year.

It will be on Cristobal and his coaches to maximize the potential of high-ceiling players like Wayne to get the program back among the nation’s elite.