Miami Hurricanes’ 2018 recruiting class leaps to No. 1 with IMG Academy commit Brian Hightower

Don’t blink.

Who knows? By the time you open your eyes the University of Miami might have another high-profile prospect committed to play football for the Hurricanes.

On Wednesday night, Bradenton IMG Academy receiver Brian Hightower, rated by ESPN.com as the nation’s fourth-best junior receiver in the recruiting class of 2018, the sixth-best in 247Sports’ composite rankings and No. 8 by Rivals.com, committed to Miami’s star-studded list of prospects for that season.

Hightower’s commitment lifted the Hurricanes’ 2018 class to No. 1 in the nation in 247Sports’ team rankings. Fourteen players have now committed for 2018.

Hightower, 6-3 and about 200 pounds, made his pledge just four days after his IMG quarterback Artur Sitkowski, another four-star rated player, committed to the Hurricanes for 2018.

According to Max Preps, Hightower caught 13 passes for 336 yards and four touchdowns last season in nine games played.

Just two days ago, the Canes got another top-notch player, but this one for the 2017 season, with a pledge by FCS All-American cornerback Dee Delaney, who plans to transfer to UM after he graduates from the Citadel in May.

And there soon could be another big addition in Coral Gables for his final season. Canesport.com reported Thursday that Clemson running back Tyshon Dye, a four-star back coming out of high school, said Miami is now his frontrunner.

“I can’t say how big a lead it is, but I just know they’re in the lead right now,” Dye told CaneSport.

Dye told the recruiting website that he also plans to visit Georgia Southern and SMU but that “I haven’t set up dates yet.”

This story was originally published March 2, 2017 at 10:08 AM with the headline "Miami Hurricanes’ 2018 recruiting class leaps to No. 1 with IMG Academy commit Brian Hightower."