The Elite 11 Finals have brought in 20 top quarterback recruits this week to Los Angeles, California, pitting them against one another in a skills-based competition. Among them is 2026 Miami (FL) QB commit Dereon Coleman, who is looking to gain even more attention from scouts.
With a season remaining at Jones High School in Orlando, Florida, the three-star has been a hard commit for Mario Cristobal and the Hurricanes since last July. While its looking like Coleman will be QB1 in Coral Gables following Carson Beck’s departure, Coleman’s skills has the college football recruiting world talking.
Dereon Coleman Could Be Next QB In Line For Mario Cristobal, Miami Hurricanes
Coral Gables, Florida, has become a signal-caller destination recently, especially after Cam Ward boosted himself into being the No.1 pick in this year’s NFL Draft following a storybook season with the Miami Hurricanes.
Coleman, who committed to the Canes last July, hopes he can parlay his time with the program into something similar. He may get on the field quickly for Miami — according to 247Sports’ composite rankings, Coleman is the No. 13 overall quarterback in the Class of 2026 and the No. 203 player nationally.
“Regardless of Carson Beck’s production this fall, Coleman will be able to deliver the dynamism that Miami showcased with Cam Ward at the helm, which will make the Hurricanes much more difficult to defend,” ESPN’s Tom Luginbill wrote Tuesday.
“Coleman is the type of player Miami will prefer at quarterback in the long run. He has moxie, a gunslinger’s mentality, and a live arm capable of making off-platform plays look routine. Remind you of anyone?”
According to statistics on MaxPreps, Coleman threw for 3,412 yards, 28 touchdowns, and four interceptions last season for Jones. He completed nearly 73% of his passes on the way to a 10-3 record and a state semifinals appearance. He compared himself to Ward when he talked to 247Sports’ Tom Loy and Andrew Ivins recently.
KEEP READING: Miami’s Next Cam Ward? 4-Star QB Commit Predicts Hurricanes National Championship
“I mean, they see what Cam did, and they only got a year of that,” Coleman said. “So just imagine me being there 3-4 years. That says it all. We’re gonna go win a national championship.”
“One of the best pure passers in the country,” Ivins wrote Tuesday. “Lacks the ideal size for the position, but finds ways to get the job done with his lightning-quick release and exit velocity. Might be a dark horse to take home MVP honors as he dominated in this type of setting since he was a youngster.”
Ivins compared Coleman to Tyler Huntley, who earned first-team All-Pac 12 honors at Utah in 2019. Huntley threw for 3,092 yards and 19 touchdowns that season. He also went for 290 yards and five scores on the ground. A strong showing at the Elite 11 event could gain even more respect for the passer.
