
The Miami Hurricanes have taken advantage of the fact that the Penn State Nittany Lions don't have a long-term plan at head coach right now.
It's always open season whenever a head coach is fired, and that has absolutely been the case at Penn State. James Franklin was fired in mid-October, and multiple recruits have since backed off on their pledges to the Nittany Lions.
One of those recruits was three-star defensive tackle Isaac Chukwurah from Bear, Delaware. The 6-foot-2, 265 pounder had been committed to PSU but broke that off when Franklin was fired.
He re-opened his recruitment and strongly considered NC State and Syracuse, but ultimately decided to commit to the Hurricanes after a visit this past weekend.
“Talking with the coaches their plan for me matched everything I want to do in life in terms of schooling and ultimately going to the NFL. I think Miami is the right place for me," Chukwurah told Steve Wiltfong of Rivals.
BREAKING: Miami flips defensive lineman Isaac Chukwurah from Penn State adding to @Rivals Top 10 recruiting class.
— Steve Wiltfong (@SWiltfong_) November 11, 2025
“Miami they have a lot of rich history putting d-linemen in the draft, having a lot of players come out of Miami and being successful."
Story:… pic.twitter.com/UDL4N4Cppm
According to the 247Sports Composite, Chukwurah is the No. 60 defensive line recruit in the 2026 class. Notably, Rivals is much higher on him, ranking him as the No. 29 defensive lineman in the country.
Ultimately, it was Miami head coach Mario Cristobal and his intensity that sealed the deal for Chukwurah.
“I could tell he’s a winner,” Chukwurah said of his new head coach. “He wants to win. That’s what I want to be. I want to be a winner in everything I do. Talking to him was one of the most appealing things in this process and made me want to come join him and continue to build what he’s building.”
Chukwurah is Miami's 28th 2026 commitment. The class is starting to look elite, as it's right on the edge of a top 10 ranking.
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