Corey Hetherman has landed his first linebacker as the defensive coordinator at UM with 2026 JJ Edwards out of Orlando, Florida; flipping him from Rutgers.
A 6’1, 200 pound linebacker, Edwards excels with how he reads the game. He’s one of those linebackers that has discipline in following the ball, not getting overly caught up in the blockers.
Moreover, one of the intriguing aspects of his profile is his speed. Edwards ran a 4.57 verified time at the Under Armour camp, and it translates to game speed. He’s able to hold his own with receivers and keep up well, while simultaneously having the strength to shed blockers in the run game.
His testing numbers are elite across the board, combine that with his measureables and it becomes clear why Edwards was a must-get for the linebacker room. Edwards is seriously going to rise throughout his senior season all the way up to his arrival on campus next year.
The Edgewater product was offered after his unofficial visit back in April, and felt Miami “shocked him” upon his visit.
When speaking to him after his unofficial visit, Edwards elaborated on that shock factor and why Miami jumped to the top of his recruitment.
“They [Coach Cristobal and Hetherman] loved my film, and I loved their plan for me.”
He also gave insight to the roles that linebackers under Hetherman have, especially with how they’re spread across the field. Edwards loved what Hetherman had in store for him.
As previously mentioned, Edwards committed to Rutgers in early June, but the staff felt extremely positive about a flip back to Florida for the Orlando product who officially visited last weekend. This was a flip I also felt was inevitable, especially considering how Rutgers typically doesn’t let their commits take OV’s to other schools.
He becomes the fourteenth commit in Miami’s rapidly growing 2026 class, joining Jordan Campbell in the linebacker room. I expect more movement for the Hurricanes in the coming week, especially on the offensive side of the ball.
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