Miami continues expanding its 2028 recruiting board, and the Hurricanes have entered the race for one of North Carolina’s top defensive backs.
Miami extended an offer to four-star cornerback Domonic Williams Jr. on Wednesday, adding another national contender to a recruitment that has grown throughout 2026.
Williams plays for Jacksonville High School in Jacksonville, North Carolina. The 5-foot-11, 185-pound cornerback has already developed into one of the highest-ranked defensive backs in the 2028 cycle.
The latest Rivals rankings place Williams No. 46 nationally, No. 6 among cornerbacks and No. 3 among North Carolina prospects. Those rankings give Miami another blue-chip target at a position Mario Cristobal and his staff continue to prioritize heavily on the recruiting trail.
Williams produced 45 tackles, four tackles for loss, three interceptions, 16 pass breakups and one forced fumble during his sophomore season. He also contributed on kickoff and punt returns, giving college programs another look at his athleticism with the ball in his hands. His production during the 2025 season helped accelerate his recruitment.
That recruitment already includes some of college football’s biggest programs.
Ohio State, Clemson, Florida, Florida State, Auburn, Tennessee, Penn State, NC State, Duke, Maryland and others have pursued Williams. Wake Forest gave him his first scholarship opportunity before his recruitment expanded well beyond the region.
Clemson made a significant early push. Williams earned his Clemson offer after working out at Dabo Swinney’s camp in June and returned to Death Valley this month for the Tigers’ home opener. Clemson defensive backs coach Mike Reed has built an early relationship with Williams as the Tigers attempt to establish themselves before his recruitment reaches its later stages.
Williams also spent the offseason visiting NC State, North Carolina, Duke, Clemson, East Carolina and Charlotte before Florida State entered his recruitment in July.
Miami now gets its chance to build that same type of relationship.
The Hurricanes’ offer fits their approach under Cristobal. Miami has consistently pushed into national recruitments early rather than waiting until prospects approach their senior seasons. With Williams entering only his junior year, Miami has plenty of time to get him to Coral Gables and establish relationships with the coaching staff.
Williams brings traits that fit what Miami has targeted in the secondary. His frame gives him enough size to challenge receivers outside, while his ball production shows his ability to disrupt throws rather than simply stay attached in coverage. His experience on offense and special teams adds another layer to his evaluation.
The competition won’t slow down. Williams recently identified Florida, Texas A&M, Louisville, Indiana, Maryland, Duke, Ohio State, Virginia, Virginia Tech and Tennessee among the programs recruiting him hardest, while NC State, Clemson, Virginia Tech, Florida and Wake Forest have made strong early impressions.
Miami now has more than two years before Williams can sign.
The Hurricanes used Wednesday’s offer to get into the race early enough to matter. Their next challenge involves getting Williams to Coral Gables and turning that offer into a genuine relationship with one of the top cornerbacks in the 2028 class.
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