Miami (FL) football is bolstering the backfield through the 2026 class. And won over this new four-star addition over a push from Southeastern Conference heavyweights Alabama and Florida.
Javion Mallory is the newest member of the Hurricanes, making his announcement Saturday evening on X. The Crimson Tide and Florida were in the final running for Mallory. But Miami also beats out Atlantic Coast Conference rival Clemson for the RB, Hayes Fawcett of On3 revealed.
Mallory’s verbal pledge to Miami becomes a new, massive recruiting win for Mario Cristobal and company. The head coach and his Miami staff keep a local talent home — as Mallory stars for West Boca High in Boca Raton.
The 5-foot-11, 200-pounder has scored 34 touchdowns on varsity since his freshman year, per MaxPreps. He played 10 games last season, yet still averaged more than 10 yards a carry and crossed the end zone 10 times.
Why 4-Star chose Miami over Alabama, Florida
Mallory was a wanted prospect on the recruiting trail. He reeled in 50 reported scholarship offers — with Notre Dame, Georgia, even North Carolina with Bill Belichick all pursuing him.
Mallory, however, constantly visited the Coral Gables campus and held multiple conversations with the Miami staff, Inside the U 247Sports reporter Gaby Urrutia revealed. The incoming ’26 RB then dove into why Miami won out in the end.
“The culture that [Mario] Cristobal is implementing into the program,” Mallory began. “It just felt like a family every time I went down there like they had my best interest at heart.”
Mallory adds: “Miami is a school that I feel like I can go into day one and compete for an impactful role early on.”
He hails from the South Florida region — a place that’s long served as a major recruiting pipeline for the ‘Canes. Miami already features past South Florida talent Mark Fletcher, Chris Wheatley-Humphrey and Jordan Lyle. Mallory includes he played in a youth football league featuring Fletcher and Lyle. Mallory sent one more message to Hurricanes fans about the type of RB Miami is getting.
“I’m a three down back. I don’t need to come off the field. I can run through you, past you, around you, and I can catch out of the backfield and block. They getting a dog,” Mallory said. “They’re going to get a good teammate in me as well. Nice, humble guy who just wants to come in and work day in and day out.”
Miami sits at six verbal commitments now. Mallory becomes the fourth four-star addition and first RB commit for this current class.
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