CORAL GABLES – Scores of Miami Hurricanes legends made their presence felt as they watched high schoolers showcase their talents on Thursday (June 22).
Held at the Carol Soffer Indoor Practice Facility, we had scores of underclassmen from many places giving their best efforts from start to finish.
On our particular end, we had several local high school football players in attendance from both Palm Beach County and the Treasure Coast.
A standout performer was Somerset Academy Canyons 2025 wide receiver Waden Charles, who currently has an offer from the Miami Hurricanes.
Watch his highlight clip for yourself below.
Charles on the UM Legends Camp:
“The time I spent at the UM Legends Camp was a lot of fun,” the 6-foot-3, 185-pound athlete said. “Started off with stretches. Then it led to everyone breaking up into different conditioning groups. It was fast paced and very intense. The legends and Miami coaches pushed me and other recruits to give max effort.”
Charles went further into it.
“Then we went to individual work and I felt fluent coming in and out of my breaks and also working with Coach KB [Kevin Beard],” Charles continued. “He’s a great coach and mentor towards his players. Then we transitioned into 1-on-1’s and that’s when I really started going crazy. I ran a fade from the slot and caught the ball with one hand and made everyone in the building jaws drop. It caught the attention of fans, recruiting reporters, legends, and head coach Mario Cristobal. I won more reps throughout the day and coach at the end picked the best wideouts to throw with the best QB’s.”
Charles was one of the top wideouts chosen.
“On my way outside, I was stopped by Lamar
Thomas, who once played in Palm Beach County,” Charles said. “I also stayed after and had great conversations with Coach Cristobal and Coach Beard.”
Another performer at the UM Legends Camp was Martin County 2025 running back Dominic Lucci. You can watch Lucci’s clip for yourself as well.
Lucci provided his own commentary on how this experience went for him at Miami.
“This was my second Miami Legends camp,” the 5-foot-10, 195-pound running back said. “I think they are really cool because we have the opportunity to meet and hear from the Legends. It was awesome meeting Coach Mario Cristobal for the first time.”
As far the performances went, Lucci had three reps in the RB vs. LB 1-on-1’s. He shared his thoughts on how he did.
“I dominated the linebackers, using my speed during my go routes, while also using my quick feet and change of direction to cut up during my option route,” Lucci said. “I think the drills are very fast paced and challenging. It was a little tight inside because of the storm so we didn’t get to go outside this year. I worked hard during the drills and showed off my speed, agility during the 1-on-1’s. I got to meet the new running backs coach Tim Harris. The coaches we worked with challenged us and shared a lot of tips on how to improve our skills. Overall, it was great experience.”
Also at UM Legends Camp was St. Edward’s 2025 linebacker Ethan Ball, who appeared for the first time.
Ball spoke on his personal experience at the event.
“It was awesome,” said Ball, who got to see former Hurricanes greats such as Andre Johnson and Gino Torretta. “I liked how they brought back all the old players “legends” to coach their position groups. I also thought they ran the 1-on-1’s very efficiently. That’s why I was able to go four times. Since we were indoors, we didn’t have to worry about the weather. This was unlike FAU, where we had to cancel. In the end, I thought it was a great experience and I definitely got better.”
For Benjamin 2026 wide receiver/safety Brandon Garland, his time at UM Legends Camp was one to remember in more ways than one.
“The camp was awesome,” Garland said. “It was very well organized and just fun overall. I got to meet some legends and also talked to Coach Cristobal, which was cool. I got to see Jason Taylor. He’s huge. And he gives good words of encouragement.”
And for King’s Academy 2024 wide receiver/free safety Reggie Workman, he generally shared the same sentiment.
“The UM Legends Camp was a great experience,” said Workman, who caught two passes in three reps for the 1-on-1’s. “I learned a lot as a wide receiver. There was also a lot of competition in the 1-on-1’s. I had a good time competing and getting better.”
Other locals who performed at the UM Legends Camp were:
•Gabriel Avin – Treasure Coast 2025 wide receiver/defensive back
•Tristen Gooden – Pahokee 2026 defensive lineman
Photo credit: Alec Miller/AJMVisuals_ (Instagram)
•Caden Gordon – Santaluces 2025 athlete
•Jake Jocks – Martin County 2025 offensive lineman/defensive lineman
PLEASE NOTE: If there were any Palm Beach County and Treasure Coast underclassmen that we missed, please direct message us on our New Era Prep Twitter account.
PHOTO CREDITS: Alec Miller
VIDEO CREDITS: Alec Miller
TWITTER CREDITS: Marcus Benjamin and Frank Tucker/Canes County
