As Mario Cristobal builds a top-tier 2027 class, the Miami Hurricanes battle SEC and ACC rivals for explosive Santaluces standout Jayvon Dawson to bolster their elite defensive front.
Miami, FL. – The Miami Hurricanes were home to a couple of star edge rushers in Akheem Mesidor and All-American Rueben Bain Jr. They were selected as first-rounders in the 2026 NFL Draft. The program currently has a couple of in-house talents looking to take over on the edges, such as junior Marquise Lightfoot and redshirt freshman Hayden Lowe, plus transfer portal acquisition Damon Wilson II.
However, there may be an opportunity to develop another homegrown defender in Jayvon Dawson. He currently attends Santaluces Community High School, a public institution located in Palm Beach County. Dawson has logged 114 total tackles, 82 solos and 32 assists, 27 tackles for loss, 12 sacks, and an interception in 19 games over two seasons as a sophomore and junior.
The three-star recruit has narrowed down to five programs: North Carolina Tar Heels, Georgia Bulldogs, Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, Purdue Boilermakers, and Hurricanes.
Dawson is listed at 6-4, 215 pounds, and ranked 503rd nationally, 42nd among edge rushers, and 44th in the state of Florida for the 2027 class, according to 247Sports Composite. He received interest and scholarship offers from other programs, including the Florida State Seminoles, South Florida Bulls, LSU Tigers, North Carolina State Wolfpack, Pitt Panthers, Kentucky Wildcats, Rutgers Scarlet Knights, Vanderbilt Commodores, and West Virginia Mountaineers, among a few others.
The Florida native has not made an official or unofficial visit to the Coral Gables campus and facility. There are no reports yet about any future scheduling.
Dawson has future official visits aligned throughout the summer:
- North Carolina: June 5
- Georgia: June 12
- Kentucky: June 19
The Hurricanes went from having one of the worst scoring defenses in college football to the fifth-best in the Football Bowl Subdivision this past season. Mesidor and Bain Jr. were significant factors in the team’s success and reaching the National Championship game. Regardless of falling short, the historic College Football Playoff run established a new winning culture and standard, especially on the defensive side of the field.
If the opportunity presents itself to visit the program, Dawson would have an opportunity to meet defensive line coach and Pro Football Hall of Famer Jason Taylor. He played a significant role in Mesidor and Bain Jr.’s development into college football stars.
The Hurricanes currently have 11 commits, including five-star cornerback Donte Wright after flipping from Georgia. They are on pace to have a top-10 recruiting class, but there is more work to be done, especially ahead of five-star offensive tackle Mark Matthew’s official announcement on Friday night. The commitment will be streamed live on CBS Sports College Football at 6:30 p.m. Eastern Time.
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