Matt Merritt, Miami Hurricanes strengthening Tampa-area RB connection

Miami has already landed one elite Tampa-area running back in the 2025 cycle, but another four-star Tampa-area back in the 2026 class is on the Hurricanes’ radar.

Tampa (Fla.) Carrollwood Day four-star 2026 running back Javari Barnett is gaining interest in the Hurricanes and visited Miami at the end of last month. He’s continuing to build on an already-existing relationship with running backs coach Matt Merritt , the No. 172 overall prospect in the On300 told CaneSport. Barnett previously had a relationship with Merritt during his time as USF’s running backs coach and has felt like a priority since coaches became permitted to directly call and text 2026 prospects in mid-June.

He is currently the No. 12 running back in the 2026 cycle and No. 27 prospect in Florida.

“Me and coach Merritt already had a close relationship, so me coming here and seeing him and meeting some new coaches, it was just like any other day,” Barnett said. “Out here when I was (seeing Miami’s facilities), they were treating me like I was already there like a player. It’s been all love from coach Merritt and the coaches.”

Merritt had been working to get Barnett to campus for several months and impressed him on his first trip, he said, adding his experience in Coral Gables was different from anything he’d seen on other campuses. He also visited Florida, UCF and USF.

“It was cool,” Barnett said. “It was an experience that I’ve never experienced at any other college. It was just like family. I just felt home.”

Barnett said he’s not specifically looking to stay in Florida for college but is open to the idea of staying close to home if he feels the right opportunity is close to home. He added he still wants to visit other programs this fall and next spring, although he’d like to return to Miami for a game-day visit with four-star Carrollwood cornerback DJ Williams.

CaneSport’s Take

Merritt deserves a ton of credit for spotting Girard Pringle as an unheralded three-star prospect, landing Pringle’s commitment and taking advantage of his Tampa-area ties, and he looks poised to do something similar in the 2026 cycle. Barnett is an intriguing prospect we expect the Hurricanes to keep a close eye on this fall. Miami could easily turn up the heat around the start of the year if Barnett has a breakout season this fall.

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