Elite DB Brody Jennings on Miami official: 'I had the time of my life'
https://www.instagram.com/b_br3dy/
Jacksonville (Fla.) Mandarin High School athlete Brody Jennings spent last weekend at Miami for his official visit under tragic circumstances.
His father, Bradley, passed away just before the trip was to begin for the family. The group would follow through and see Coral Gables once more as the Hurricane staff worked to make the weekend as uplifting as possible.
Advertisement
"My dad passed a few days ago, so I couldn't really think," Jennings told local media. "I came on the visit and had the time of my life. I came here to have fun. It was about football, but more about family and football at the same time. He (Mario Cristobal) is not just a football guy, he's a family guy -- all the coaches are family guys. Father figures.
"My dad wanted me to be strong. He liked Miami a lot. He liked the school a lot and I like it a lot. We wanted to still see everything."
Jennings has considerable connections to the area and Miami program itself, with two siblings attending UM, including his sister currently on the track team.
The bigger picture with the people and the place all came together for a memorable time on campus.
Advertisement
"It's been great," he said. "I don't know if any other schools are topping this official visit. Not even in just seeing everything, but the coaches. Coach Cristobal is a great coach. Coach (Will) Harris ad Coach (Zac) Etheridge -- great coaches, and the whole staff was great.
"I've been here multiple times before...But to see what the program is about is something serious. It's like that for real. It's a great program to play in with great people to be around. My family is from Miami. They've been down before and they enjoyed the visit, too. They enjoy the school and they're Miami Hurricanes fans already, so it would be great playing around the hometown of my parents."
CLASS OF 2026 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State
CLASS OF 2027 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State
TRANSFER PORTAL: Full coverage | Player ranking | Team ranking | Transfer search | Transfer Tracker
RIVALS CAMP SERIES: Rivals Five-Star heading back to Indy | Rivals Five-Star roster | Schedule/info
Jennings has of course been committed to play at Michigan for nearly one year. He remains on board with the Big Ten power, but all involved know this recruitment has more layers to be determined.
Advertisement
"It's gonna come down to the wire," he said. "That's not gonna stop Miami from recruiting me. Miami is coming really hard, Michigan is still coming hard. Miami wants me really bad.
"Miami is a great school. Academics, private school. I could be successful with the school and life after football. There is a lot to offer."
Florida is set to host Jennings this weekend. Georgia and Michigan get the next two weekends of official visits later this month.
The four-star recruit says Sherrone Moore and company are keeping an open mind as visits continue to go down.
"They know great players will visit other schools," Jennings said. "They know how hard I worked to get here, so they support me even though other schools will be on me."
Marcus Benjamin contributed to this report.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Times
44 minutes ago
- New York Times
NASCAR Cup Series at Michigan odds, expert predictions for FireKeepers Casino 400
The NASCAR Cup Series heads to Michigan this weekend for the FireKeepers Casino 400. The Michigan track draws plenty of racing pride and has real potential this year for a long shot to finish first. The usual suspects are favored in the odds, but our experts have some insight into other drivers who could claim their first win of the year. Advertisement As we do each week, we're bringing our burning questions about NASCAR controversies, power players and the race ahead to our motorsports experts, Jeff Gluck and Jordan Bianchi. Take it away, guys! OK, tell us about the in-season tournament and why Jeff was railing against the seeding system on Tuesday. We haven't touched on it much this year, and it's almost time! Should we be getting excited about this yet? Jeff: Save your excitement for a few more weeks, but I'm definitely looking forward to it when the time comes. Basically, NASCAR is taking the top 32 drivers in points and doing a single-elimination, March Madness-style bracket over five races. It's head-to-head matchups between drivers that will play out in each race (1 vs. 32, 2 vs. 31, etc.). My beef with it is how they're doing the seeding. Instead of doing it in the order of point standings, NASCAR is going to take a driver's top finish over the next three weeks and seed the drivers based on that. So the winner of the Mexico City road course is going to be a guaranteed top-three seed (depending on tiebreakers) while some big-name driver who has three bad races might be a seed in the high 20s or worse. That's going to confuse casual bettors, which is the whole point of this thing in the first place. Imagine seeing Kyle Larson as a No. 27 seed heavily favored in the odds against AJ Allmendinger as a No. 6 seed; is it really an 'upset' if Larson wins that first-round matchup? Of course not. Other than that, though, it should be a fun, breezy talking point during the often-dry summer months. Jordan: It's a fun concept that should hopefully add some intrigue during a time in the season that sometimes needs more of it. Heightening the novelty is the fact that the five tracks comprising the tournament include a superspeedway, two road/street courses and one of the most iconic tracks in all of motorsports. However, as Jeff noted, the only hangup with all this is how the seeding is determined, as it's not nearly as straightforward as it should be, potentially turning off the casual fans NASCAR hopes to attract. This may be one of those things where it takes a year to work out all the kinks before taking off in Year 2. Advertisement You've been covering Carson Hocevar, who almost won last week. How long until the 22-year-old gets his first Cup win? What's his biggest weakness/obstacle at this point? Is his perceived aggressiveness on the track a pro or a con? Jeff: It sure seems like Hocevar and Spire are on the doorstep of something special. I wrote a profile of Hocevar this week that I'd love for you to check out, as he has quite a unique personality and doesn't run from his roots as a true NASCAR fan. But he's also obviously run afoul of many veteran drivers, who keep calling him out and getting angry with him, and it's seemingly going to come back to bite him at some point. That's not unusual for a young driver who bursts onto the NASCAR scene, though; veterans often try to get a brash new driver to adapt to the series' on-track code (which is ever-evolving), and sometimes it can result in fireworks. Overall, though, the saying in the garage is it's easier to pull the reins on a fast driver than to try and make a slow driver go faster. Jordan: Certainly feels like it could happen soon, especially if Spire Motorsports can continue fielding fast racecars as it's been doing on a seemingly near-weekly basis. And this week's race at Michigan, Hocevar's home track, represents a good place for him to get that first W, as it shares similar characteristics with Nashville and Charlotte, sites of the previous two races, where Hocevar was in contention for the victory. You talked a bit in our preview last week about Bubba Wallace's recent tough trend. What does he need to do to start improving? What's off for him, after what felt like an optimistic start? Jeff: He rebounded to a top-10 finish last week at Nashville, so that's progress. Honestly, at this point, he just needs to string together some good finishes, especially with the road course season coming up (which hasn't been his strong suit, although he's improved lately). He's still inside the playoff picture, just not quite as securely as before. Michigan is a place that has fit him well before, so he's very capable of leaving with back-to-back top-10 runs that would get his season back on track. Jordan: Maintaining track position up front and avoiding miscues are the two areas Wallace's No. 23 needs to improve upon. During his three-race stretch of poor finishes, issues on pit road cost Wallace several positions, dropping him back in the field and making him vulnerable to getting swept in crashes, which is exactly what happened. At Nashville, Wallace again had an issue on pit road — he was penalized for speeding — but he was able to rally back to finish inside the top 10. He's a winning driver and his team is capable, and Michigan is a track where he's nearly won previously, so a mistake-free race on Sunday could manifest into Wallace getting his third career win. Who is your favorite to win this week? Who does the track advantage? Jeff: This is NASCAR's only remaining two-mile oval (RIP Fontana, sniff sniff) and is the fastest track in the Cup Series. Teams will need to bring their best stuff, get their engines tuned up and nail their setups to rip around Michigan. There's a lot of manufacturer pride racing near Detroit, but it's mostly been a Ford show. Until Tyler Reddick and his Toyota won last season, Ford had won nine straight Michigan races (nine!). Chevrolet hasn't won a Michigan race since 2017, and Hendrick Motorsports hasn't won there since 2014. How crazy is that? Advertisement Anyway, I'll be honest: For some reason, I'm thinking we could see RFK Racing show up with some speed this week, and they're not even close to the favorites. Chris Buescher is +2000, and Brad Keselowski is +2500. And both drivers rank in the top three for average finish at Michigan in the three Next Gen races there. Hmm… Jordan: Ford has typically dominated races here in recent years, and Sunday feels no different, especially with how strong Team Penske has performed on intermediate tracks this season. Any one of Ryan Blaney, Joey Logano, Austin Cindric or Josh Berry could win, and it would in no way be a surprise. But among this quartet, Blaney is the pick. His consistent speed has been impressive, and Michigan, with its tendency for long green-flag runs, favors his driving style, where he is often the fastest over such runs. Look for Blaney to get his second win in as many weeks. Who is a long shot you like? Jeff: Speaking of RFK, Ryan Preece is +6000. Heck, Austin Cindric is +6000 (what??). And so is Erik Jones, who has shown strength at Michigan. They are all +190 to secure a top-10 finish, so maybe you could sprinkle a bit there and see if you end up getting two of the three correct. Jordan: Chris Buescher checks a lot of boxes. He drives a Ford (winner of nine of the past 10 races here) and has a Michigan win on his resume. His smooth driving style is a good fit here, where managing pace goes a long way to achieving success. And he's listed as high as +2200 on some boards, which means he offers a good return if he can find victory lane on Sunday. Betting/odds links in this article are provided by partners of The Athletic. Restrictions may apply. The Athletic maintains full editorial independence. Partners have no control over or input into the reporting or editing process and do not review stories before publication. (Photo of Tyler Reddick, who won at Michigan last year: Chris Graythen / Getty Images)
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
Michigan Running Back's Groundbreaking NIL Deal Redefines College Football
Michigan Running Back's Groundbreaking NIL Deal Redefines College Football originally appeared on Athlon Sports. When Justice Haynes traded crimson for maize and blue, Michigan fans expected game-changing runs. What they didn't expect? A business move just as explosive. Advertisement Haynes, the former Alabama running back and one of the top transfers of 2025, has inked a unique NIL deal with Loom Juices, not just as a brand ambassador, but as an equity stakeholder. That's right: the Wolverines' rising star now owns part of the brand. 'This partnership exemplifies how athletes can leverage their platforms for meaningful, long-term brand engagements,' said Haynes' agent, Dan Everett. In a landscape flooded with apparel deals and one-off endorsements, Haynes' agreement stands out. According to On3's Pete Nakos, the deal positions the 5-foot-11, 205-pound back not only as a face of Loom's health-focused mission, but as a strategic partner. For Loom, which targets a younger, wellness-conscious demographic, Haynes is the ideal match. Michigan Wolverines running back Justice & Blue Review The move reflects a growing NIL trend: equity over appearance. Instead of cashing short-term checks, Haynes is playing the long game, something fans and athletes alike should take note of. Advertisement It's a bold step for the sophomore, who tallied 715 total yards and nine touchdowns over two seasons at Alabama. After entering the portal this winter, Haynes chose Michigan over South Carolina and Ole Miss, eager for a bigger stage and a larger role. He now enters a wide-open RB competition for a team hungry to rebound from a disappointing 10-3 finish in 2024. With Haynes bringing both his downhill running style and entrepreneurial mindset to Ann Arbor, it's clear: this isn't just about football anymore. This NIL deal isn't just a contract. It's a statement about athlete empowerment, brand strategy, and the evolving landscape of college sports. If Haynes breaks out in the Big Ten like many expect, Loom Juices won't just have a new face. They'll have a stake in a star. Advertisement Related: Former Kentucky Great Has Words About NIL: 'I'm Glad I Didn't Play in That Era' Related: Bill Belichick Breaks Silence on NIL Chaos This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 5, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Yahoo
Blockbuster NBA Trade Idea Has Hawks Swap Trae Young for Three Former Lottery Picks
Blockbuster NBA Trade Idea Has Hawks Swap Trae Young for Three Former Lottery Picks originally appeared on Athlon Sports. There could be a change for the Atlanta Hawks this offseason after missing the NBA playoffs for the second straight year. The Hawks haven't been competitive, despite having Trae Young, the league's leader in assists per game. With the lack of a competent roster, it could be time for Atlanta to trade Young. Advertisement Last season, the Hawks had a 40-42 record and lost in the Play-In Tournament. The organization hasn't been in the conversation of being a playoff team for a while. Bleacher Report's Andy Bailey suggested that it's time for the Hawks to consider trading the All-Star guard. Given that the front office hasn't been able to give Young enough help to contend, Bailey suggested that a fresh start with a different franchise could be the next step. Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young is guarded by Orlando Magic center Wendell Carter Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images According to Bailey, the team that would benefit from Young would be the Orlando Magic. In the postseason, it became clear that the Magic need a point guard who's capable of being an elite floor general. Advertisement The blockbuster trade idea would send Young to the Magic in exchange for Jalen Suggs, Anthony Black, Jett Howard and a top-10-protected 2027 first-round pick. Acquiring the three former lottery picks could be the perfect fit for what Atlanta is trying to do. "The Hawks have never been able to figure out how to surround him with a workable defense that can cover for his shortcomings on that end," Bailey argued. "And they're brewing their own little positionless philosophy that could benefit from Jalen Suggs' defense and a few more on-ball opportunities for the likes of Jalen Johnson, Dyson Daniels and Zaccharie Risacher." The Hawks have a promising young core in Zaccharie Risacher and Dyson Daniels. Young is the only player who doesn't fit the Hawks' timetable. With the Hawks, Young has developed into a four-time All-Star and one of the best facilitators in the NBA. He has averaged 25.3 points, 3.5 rebounds and 9.8 assists in seven seasons. Related: Hawks Legend Speaks on Kevin Durant's Legacy This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 6, 2025, where it first appeared.
