Miami lands commitment from four-star edge rusher

Based on the tape, Lightfoot could be an early contributor for head coach Mario Cristobal come the fall of 2024. With a quick first step and a propensity for finishing the play with speed and power, the rising senior at Kenwood Academy is the prototypical hybrid edge.  

Lightfoot’s commitment is the culmination of a busy June for new Hurricanes defensive line coach—and local legend—Jason Taylor. Per Manny Navarro of The Athletic, the program hosted eight top-100 defensive linemen last month. 

That work paid off with the 6-foot-5, 220-pound Lightfoot, who immediately becomes the highest-rated 2024 Miami commit—15 spots ahead of Alabama running back Kevin Riley.

Cristobal and co. still have work to do on the recruiting trail, though. Miami’s 2024 class is currently 18th nationally, per the 247Sports Composite, behind in-state rivals Florida and Florida State and ACC stalwart Clemson.

Whether their 2024 class shoots up the board even further likely depends on how this fall plays out for the Hurricanes. Miami trudged to a 5-7 season in Cristobal’s debut last year, with decisive home losses at the hands of Middle Tennessee, Duke, Florida State and Pittsburgh.

With a soft schedule to open 2023—the only power five nonconference opponents the Hurricanes face is Texas A&M (coming off a 5-7 season of its own) in Miami, and Georgia Tech visits town for the first ACC contest—it is possible that Cristobal gets off to a hot start in year two.

That would certainly spark things on the recruiting front.