Miami already has its 2026 quarterback recruit in the fold and he’s a gem.
Dereon Coleman is a Rivals’ 4-star recruit coming off a stellar opening performance with four passing touchdowns to lead Orlando (Fla.) Jones to a 43-21 victory over Sanford (Fla.) Seminole.
For those continuing to see Coleman pass the football, it’s not a surprise he lit up Seminole’s defense. He’s been playing quarterback before entering middle school and shining along the way. Accuracy and next-level decision-making were and are his hallmarks.
Coleman’s June OT7 performance represents another example. For teams playing soft coverage, Coleman hits his underneath receivers and methodically works the football down the field.
When defenses challenge his receivers with man coverage, that’s when Coleman passes for big strikes down the field, as well as connecting on crossing routes. Most importantly, he’s as cerebral as he is athletically gifted to complete accurate and on-time throws; Coleman steps and fires a pass with confidence because he understands what the defense is attempting to do.
To gain more perspective, here’s Coleman’s quarterback trainer Baylin Trujillo , who operates his own business called BTruQBTraining , defining what Coleman’s talent is like.
“Seminoles’ defense is one of the best in the area and he shredded them,” Trujillo stated about Coleman’s first game of the year.
“His arm is elite. It’s unreal what this kid can do. He can make every throw on the field look so easy. It’s not even a question anymore. The way he plays the game, he’s elite. He throws such a pretty ball and he’s so calm. It’s awesome man!”
Here's a video of Coleman from last night's game:
Trujillo is not the only person who’s very high on Coleman, as Trujillo denotes about a text message.
“(Miami offensive coordinator) Shannon Dawson texted me and said, ‘We got the right one.’”
Here’s another reason that Coleman receives praise for such a young signal-caller.
“Dereon is calling protections out there which I’ve never seen (him do) before, which is keeping him safe. And when you give that kid time, you can forget about it. He makes every throw look effortless and he’s so accurate. It’s crazy.”
When discussing Coleman’s best attributes overall, here’s what Trujillo has to say.
“Well, he’s fundamentally sound. He’s accurate, but he’s also so cool and calm in the pocket that nothing fazes him. If you watch him play, it’s almost like everyone has to play to his tempo.”
He also talks about Coleman’s pocket presence.
“He doesn’t get rattled. He’s so cool and calm, and the way he plays is slow. When you do that, and you’re a calm and confident player in the pocket, I mean the sky is the limit. It’s the hardest thing to do because you’re worried about who’s coming after you or how you can evade if you have to. He lives and breathes in that pocket.
“When you feel comfortable in there, you can do some serious damage because that’s where a quarterback is the safest actually. He just sits there in the pocket and is very in control of the situation.” Speaking of dealing with a pass rush, that subject leads to the one question about Coleman that needs to be addressed.
The question with Coleman is size. It’s a legitimate concern but he is trending in the right direction. In June, Coleman mentioned being up to 6-foot-1 and 165 pounds. He is just now starting his junior season so there's time for growth.
By the time he enrolls at the University of Miami, he should be well over 180 pounds, if not 190 pounds. There’s plenty of time. Trujillo agrees.
“In two years, we are obviously betting on him gaining 20 pounds, maybe growing one or two more inches, getting faster, smarter, and stronger. I mean, he’s not going to get any smaller than what he is right now and he’s already an elite quarterback. It’s only going to get even better.”
Miami’s 2026 quarterback commitment is one for Canes fans to be excited about. He’s certainly off to a fantastic start for Jones and AllHurricanes will monitor his high school progress until he graduates and then enrolls in Coral Gables.
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