Hurricane Warning: Miami Football Stuns LSU to Land 4-Star TE Israel Briggs and Keep Recruiting Wave Rolling”
Miami Football Leaves LSU Behind, Lands 4-Star TE Israel Briggs as Cristobal’s Momentum Builds Toward Playoff Contention
The Miami Hurricanes are not just building—they’re storming toward college football’s elite tier. Head coach Mario Cristobal has secured another major win on the recruiting trail with the commitment of 4-star tight end Israel Briggs, delivering a stinging blow to LSU and signaling that Coral Gables is becoming a prime destination for top-tier talent once again.
According to On3’s Hayes Fawcett, Briggs—a 6-foot-5, 210-pound athletic freak from Visalia, California—committed to Miami over offers from LSU and several other national powers. The tight end becomes one of the centerpieces of the Hurricanes’ already loaded 2026 recruiting class, which currently ranks No. 7 nationally and shows no signs of slowing down.
A Resurgent Program Backed by Results
This isn’t just a recruiting splash in a vacuum. The momentum behind the Briggs commitment is directly tied to the program’s on-field resurgence. In just his third year at the helm, Cristobal flipped the script, guiding Miami from a 7-6 finish in 2023 to a 10-3 season in 2024, ending the year ranked No. 18 in the country.
Yes, there was heartbreak in a late-season loss to Syracuse that dashed the Hurricanes’ playoff hopes, but the message was clear: Miami football is back on the rise.
And the Briggs commitment reinforces that reality.
Who Is Israel Briggs?
Standing at 6’5″ and weighing 210 pounds, Israel Briggs is more than a traditional tight end. He’s a matchup nightmare. With elite size, a massive catch radius, and after-the-catch ability, Briggs has been tearing up defenses across the West Coast. Rated a 4-star prospect by multiple recruiting outlets, Briggs possesses the athleticism to line up in the slot, out wide, or in tight, making him a perfect chess piece in modern offensive schemes.
In an era where dynamic tight ends like Brock Bowers and Kyle Pitts are changing the NFL, Briggs fits that mold—and Cristobal just made sure Miami will be part of that future.
Outdueling LSU on the Trail
Beating out LSU is no small feat. The Tigers have long dominated the tight end market in the SEC and beyond. But Cristobal’s staff identified Briggs early, built the relationship, and closed strong. The win is more than symbolic—it’s a direct message to the rest of the nation: Miami is no longer losing battles it used to concede.
That change is critical for a program aiming to stack blue-chip classes and break into the College Football Playoff.
Big-Time Quarterbacks, Big-Time Targets
Briggs’ future at Miami looks even brighter when paired with the kind of quarterback talent Cristobal is bringing in through the transfer portal.
In 2024, Cam Ward arrived from Washington State and set the ACC on fire. The West Columbia, Texas native went on to become ACC Player of the Year, a First-Team All-American, and the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. Ward’s success not only elevated the program, but also proved that Cristobal knows how to maximize elite QB talent.
Now, the torch passes to Carson Beck, the former Georgia Bulldogs quarterback and two-time national champion. Beck brings a championship pedigree and elite SEC experience, ready to lead the Hurricanes into the new 12-team College Football Playoff era.
For Israel Briggs, that means he won’t just be arriving at a rising program—he’ll be stepping into a system built for offensive production, supported by high-level quarterback play and national exposure.
The Vision: Contend, Win, and Keep Building
With every recruiting win, Mario Cristobal is pushing Miami closer to where the program once stood in its glory days: a perennial national contender. The Briggs commitment helps solidify the 2026 class and extends a recruiting hot streak that’s becoming harder to ignore.
-
Top-15 class in 2025
-
Top-10 start to 2026
-
Elite transfers at quarterback
-
On-field wins and postseason relevance
The blueprint is working. And it’s just getting started.
SEO Key Phrases for Maximum Reach:
-
Israel Briggs commits to Miami
-
Miami football recruiting news
-
4-star tight end chooses Miami over LSU
-
Mario Cristobal 2026 class
-
Miami Hurricanes top prospects 2026
-
Carson Beck Miami quarterback
-
Cam Ward NFL Draft 2025
-
ACC football playoff contenders
Final Word
This commitment isn’t just about landing a tight end. It’s about sending a message. Miami is done playing catch-up. With a clear vision, elite coaching, NFL development, and now, big-time recruiting wins, the Hurricanes are officially back in the spotlight.
Watch this space—because Israel Briggs won’t be the last blue-chip recruit to ride the wave to Coral Gables.
Leave a Reply