Miami missed on one of its top 2027 offensive tackle targets Tuesday when five-star St. Peter’s Prep standout Oluwasemilore Olubobola committed to Notre Dame.
Olubobola chose the Fighting Irish over Miami and Texas A&M, giving Marcus Freeman and offensive line coach Joe Rudolph one of the nation’s premier trench prospects. The 6-foot-6, 295-pound tackle ranks as the No. 17 player and No. 2 offensive tackle in the 2027 class, according to 247Sports. The 247Sports Composite lists him as the No. 15 player, No. 3 offensive tackle and No. 1 player in New Jersey.
The decision stings for Miami because the Hurricanes had become a real factor late in the process. Texas A&M looked like the team to beat earlier, but Miami pushed into the race before Notre Dame got Olubobola on campus for its spring game. That late Irish move proved enough.
The Hurricanes lost a national battle at a position Mario Cristobal and Alex Mirabal use as the foundation of the roster. Olubobola carried the type of size, movement skills and long-term left tackle upside Miami has targeted since Cristobal arrived in Coral Gables.
Notre Dame sold development, academics and comfort. Olubobola told 247Sports that Notre Dame fit him and his family, and he pointed to offensive line development and the school’s academic standard as key factors in the choice. The formula beat out Miami’s push this time. Now, the Hurricanes need to make sure one miss does not become two.
Five-star Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas offensive tackle Mark Matthews will announce his decision Friday, and Miami remains in the thick of that recruitment. Matthews ranks as the No. 3 overall player and No. 1 offensive tackle in the 2027 class by 247Sports, and Miami has battled Texas A&M at the front of his recruitment.
Miami already holds 11 commitments in the 2027 class, which ranks No. 11 nationally by 247Sports. The Hurricanes also have two offensive line commitments in Sean Tatum and Tyler Ford.
Matthews would give the Hurricanes the headliner they still need up front in the 2027 class.
Cristobal has already proved Miami can recruit elite offensive linemen. The Hurricanes signed five-star tackle Jackson Cantwell in the 2026 class and continue to build around size, power and high-end traits. But Olubobola’s Notre Dame commitment shows how fierce these battles have become.
Miami does not need to panic after one loss. It does need to respond.
A Matthews commitment would erase much of the disappointment from Tuesday and give Miami one of the best offensive tackle wins in the 2027 cycle. Another miss would leave the Hurricanes searching for answers at a position they expect to dominate.
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