Nick Lennear gave Miami fans exactly the kind of highlight that turns a summer 7-on-7 event into must-see material.
At the annual “Battle of 305” invitational 7v7 Tournament in Miami, where programs from across Miami-Dade County gathered for one of the offseason’s final tune-ups, the top Hurricanes commit delivered the kind of play that reminds everyone why he’s so highly regarded. Lennear, a five-star prospect and one of the headliners in Miami’s 2027 recruiting class, came away with a ridiculous acrobatic grab that had people buzzing.
The catch was impressive even with tight coverage in front of him. The defender did a solid job staying on the play and put Lennear in a difficult spot physically, but the Carol City product still found a way to haul it in. That’s the sort of moment that lines up with the reputation Lennear already carries: 247Sports Composite has him ranked as the No. 12 overall prospect in the country and the No. 2 wide receiver.
For Miami, the bigger picture is just as exciting. The Hurricanes’ 2027 class sits in the top five on both 247Sports and Rivals/On3, and more than 70 percent of the group is already tagged as blue-chip talent with at least a 4-star rating. That doesn’t even include some of the other prospects in the class who may not have the same ranking label but still bring plenty of upside.
As Steve Wiltfong, the Rivals/On3 VP of recruiting, put it: "They pour into those five stars and blue chippers, but then you also talk about a guy like Andre Hyppolite, who is in the Rivals 300, but Miami recruited him like a five-star target. A local guy that we would not be surprised if we saw him become an All-American type player in the secondary,"
Lennear stands out in that group without any debate. At 5-foot-11 and 175 pounds, he projects as one of the best pass catchers in the country, and he joins 4-star wide receiver commit Eli Woodard in giving Miami a future at receiver that looks loaded. The Hurricanes will have to wait for Lennear and Woodard to get to Coral Gables, but the idea of them eventually lining up with Malachi Toney and Joshua Moore is enough to make the offense look dangerous on paper.
For now, though, Miami fans can just enjoy the clip from this weekend and picture what it might look like when Lennear is making those kinds of plays at Hard Rock Stadium.
In Other News...
Miami Fans May Be Sleeping On One Freshman In Jai Lucass Rebuild
As Jai Lucas keeps reshaping Miamis mens basketball roster with transfers and a few key returners, one freshman worth keeping an eye on is Christopher Birden Jr. The Louisiana native arrives as a 6-10 frontcourt piece with enough versatility to fit in different spots, giving the Hurricanes another option as they try to build a team that can matter in the ACC and beyond.
Birdens appeal goes beyond simple size, which is part of why he could be easy to overlook in a crowded rebuild. His perimeter shooting gives him a chance to stretch the floor, and his ability to handle multiple frontcourt roles could make him useful if Miami needs depth or injury cover as the season unfolds, especially with a path to minutes still blocked by the players already ahead of him. [Read more 🡒]
Miami May Finally Have The Tight End Fans Have Waited For
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Miami also likes the fit of whats ahead for Lofton. The Hurricanes plan to involve him more heavily as they adjust to changes at quarterback and in how the offense wants to attack, and that could open the door for the kind of production fans have been waiting on. The question now is how quickly that expanded role turns into real volume once the season starts. [Read more 🡒]
ACC Just Sent Miami A Loud Message About 2026
A preseason ACC ballot can say as much about perception as it does about production, and Miami is sitting right in the middle of that conversation heading into 2026. InsideTheUs David Lake put together his projected order of finish and all-conference picks, and the Hurricanes showed up prominently across the board, a reflection of how much talent is expected to drive the programs next run even before a snap is played.
FanDuel Sportsbook has Miami as the league favorite, and Lakes ballot leaned into that expectation with multiple Hurricanes landing on his preseason teams, including Darian Mensah at quarterback. The list also included key names across the roster such as Mark Fletcher, Malachi Toney, Damon Wilson, Ahmad Moten, Justin Scott, Mohamed Toure, Xavier Lucas and Bryce Fitzgerald, with Wilsons 2025 production at Missouri standing out as one of the more notable additions. Of course, these preseason forecasts are mostly for fun and have a long history of missing the mark, but they still offer a useful snapshot of how loudly the ACC is already talking about Miami. [Read more 🡒]