Mario Cristobal and the Miami Hurricanes have been on a roll in their recruiting prowess for 2026. Miami was still up to four players in the class of 2026, ranking 12th in the nation. Now, a standout four-star cornerback joins the elite list. A high-level athlete with an ability to translate athleticism into sheer perfection on the field, with a balanced combination of height, speed, and arms, with 20 tackles, 6 PBUs, and a forced fumble under his belt as a sophomore, finally adds further value to Cristóbal’s high-octane recruitment streak. Guess who the prodigy in question is. Spot on! It’s time to welcome Jaelen Waters, the former Florida commit, to the UM!

”It’s been a long process, but I know where I am supposed to be!” CB Jaelen Waters said after breaking out the big move. Miami has been relentless in its pursuit of the blue-chip in-state athlete ever since he committed from Florida. They hosted him multiple times, giving him ample room to connect with the coaches and facilities they have to offer. After a lot of back and forth for months, it finally bore fruit.

Well, in this current era of the growing NIL market and the quick swipes of talents between programs, a verbal commitment can’t be taken more than a momentary upper hand. But if you study the actions of talent in the process, it’s safe to soft-predict good news. Solidifying that chance, insider Alex Donno said, “Jaelen Waters, according to Marcus Benjamin, previously had official visits scheduled with Florida State, LSU, and Florida, but after making his pledge to Miami last night, those visits have been canceled.”

Dismissing options is always a positive sign for a rousing talent like Waters. The top-tier cornerback holds a total of 54 offers from various schools in the country. Among them, he was lately focused on two in-state rivals, Miami and Florida, calling them home. However, finally, he kept Miami over Florida (where he previously had a stint) as Will Harris made the strategic move to Miami from Florida. Just a week after, Waters cut the ties. It was a foregone conclusion that he would follow suit with his favorite safeties coach. But backing his words with action speaks of the quality Miami is going to add to their roster.

”So, again, I know it; until you put pen to paper, I know you can say, Donno, you can’t take too many victory laps in March about someone who can’t sign until December. I get it, but action speaks louder than words, folks, and not only did Miami get the words and the verbal commitments from Jaelen Waters, but he’s also actively canceling other visits, focusing on Miami and focusing on the connection he has with Will Harris and Mario Cristobal, and that’s a very important thing when it comes to trying to get this one over the finish line, so Jaelen Waters is a Miami Hurricane,” Donno added, letting the Miami fans have their moment of glee.

But looking at the other side of the picture, Cristobal needs to be on his toes about recruiting another blueblood two-sport athlete, WR Jasen Lopaz.

Miami Cristobal is facing a challenge regarding an elite WR target 

Miami has his QB room bolstered with names like Carson Beck and three-star quarterback Dereon Coleman. But Cristobal wants to create a safety net for his QB gems, forming a stronger WR line. Whom does he have his eye on?

Miami is ramping up efforts to land the local WR recruit Jasen López. He had a recent visit on the Miami campus this Friday, and everything looks to be in sync between him and the school. But the fact that made the situation a bit dicey is his dual priority.

Jasen Lopez is straightaway taking both the gridiron and the hardwood to the storms with his rare two-sport expertise. In his sophomore year, he racked up over 1,200 receiving yards and 16 touchdowns. Talking about his basketball excellence, he dropped 25 points per game on the basketball court with ease.

He transferred to Chaminade-Madonna for his junior season and capped it off with a whopping 1,300 receiving yards and 14 TDs, garnering a series of D-I offers in both sports. 28 programs are currently chasing him down, but considering his basketball affinity and growing interest, the competition is tougher than usual.

“I think he had, what, 1,300-plus yards as a junior? I think 14 or 15 touchdowns and 70+ catches. And you mentioned two-sport star — he has true basketball offers to play hoops at places like Arizona State, TCU, South Florida, said analyst Simmons. Basketball schools like ASU, TCU, and South Florida are highly unlikely to let him slip out of their hands. Tough battle ahead for Cristóbal! Regardless, Miami has all the right to celebrate the 5th commit of their 2026 class right now before they ace it up even more.