Fresh off a historic season and EA Sports cover appearance, the Miami Hurricanes' homegrown star faces an unexpected challenge for statewide supremacy from a rival Gators basketball standout.
MIAMI, Fla. – Regardless of professional or collegiate, several great athletes are from or developed in the Sunshine State. There’s always a debate about which state produces the best athletes and it usually comes down to California, Texas, and Florida.
Within the Miami Hurricanes football program, many household names come to mind: Ed Reed, Michael Irvin, Ray Lewis, Sean Taylor, Warren Sapp, etc. They’ve established the foundation for what “The U” represents today. In the present, others are looking to leave a similar imprint on the program, including rising star wide receiver Malachi Toney.
Coming off a historic freshman season, the local Liberty City native is emerging as one of college football’s most prolific players. He caught a nation-high 109 passes for 1,211 yards, scoring 13 total touchdowns–receiving, rushing, and passing.
Toney delivered an immediate impact and proved to be a threat on the field in a variety of ways.
As the 18-year-old climbs the nation’s ranks, he was featured on the cover of EA Sports College Football 27. After growing up playing the game, Toney is now a significant part of it. He’s become an inspiration among the youth in the state of Florida, but it might not be as recognized as some would think.
In an interview with 247Sports, University of Florida basketball assistant coach Jonathan Safir labeled senior forward Thomas Haugh “the most popular athlete in the entire state of Florida.”
Despite having NBA first-round projections, the 22-year-old National Championship winner decided to pass on the opportunity and return to Gainesville. Haugh’s coming off an All-American season: 17.1 points, 6.1 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.1 steals, and a block, starting in 34 games. He’s emerging as one of the Gators’ best basketball players to ever come through the program, but it doesn’t hold the same extent as Toney.
For starters, Haugh isn’t from Florida–born in New Oxford, Pennsylvania. Also, college basketball doesn’t hold the same relevancy as college football.
Meanwhile, Toney is a local product and plays for the more popular sport, which provides a bigger platform. There have been videos posted on social media of young Florida kids swarming him. Toney’s electrifying plays on the field are a bigger influence than Haugh on the court.
Although both players are likely to be professional first-round selections in their respective sports, one’s impact outweighs the other.
Toney’s season will start two months ahead of Haugh's, but both are chasing National Championships.
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Anthony Aguirre is the Miami Hurricanes beat writer for Roundtable Sports. Contact info: [email protected] | 305-987-3290 | Follow on Instagram/X: @AnthonyA_Sports
