Watchable Players & Matches for the Miami Hurricanes Spring Exercise A Miami Hurricanes defender has been named one of college football’s next generation of stars.
In anticipation of spring practice, which position battles are you most looking forward to, and who do you believe will be the breakout player? In addition to Chris Johnson being my breakout star, I’m most interested in watching how the left side of the line develops! -Chicago resident Andrew
I believe that the contests for starting left guard, second cornerback, both safety positions, starting defensive tackles, and third wide receiver will be the most significant.
When spring ball starts, I can’t wait to see if Samson Okunlola is fully involved. A lower body issue kept him out of action for the majority of last year, but he seems to be back to full health, or very nearly so. Though he may end up starting at left guard, he was once a 5-star offensive tackle. He’ll be up against competitors like Tommy Kinsler and Matthew McCoy, and I’ll be closely observing both of them.
Damari Brown, Ja’Dais Richard, Robert Stafford, and other players may compete fiercely for the other cornerback spot this year, even though Dale Porter Jr. is practically guaranteed to start again at that position. Porter was really appreciative of Richard when I chatted with him on Saturday. Maybe the former transfer from Vanderbilt will be one of the athletes you inquired about making a breakthrough.
Candidates exist to fill the position of third-string wide receiver.I’ll be watching players like Ray Ray Joseph, Joshisa Trader, and Isaiah Horton fight for a starting slot or at least important rotational spots because Xavier Restrepo and Jacoby George are probably going to start again this season. I think Horton will be a big star this year in particular.
I concur with your selection of Chris Johnson Jr., a second-year running back. He has a big year ahead of him. There is a speed that cannot be taught. He ran the 200-meter dash in 20.40 seconds as a high school senior, shattering the Florida state record.
Transfer quarterback Cam Ward has already made a big impact over the last two seasons, and with all the hype about him, it would be silly to leave him off our list. When I arrive at practice on Monday morning, I will start my search for him right away. I haven’t personally witnessed Ward throwing.
Concurrently, it should be entertaining to witness the competition for backup quarterback between Albany transfer Riley Poffenbarger and Jacksonville native Jacurri Brown.
Remember, we’re discussing spring balls here. Though many of these fights won’t be resolved until August, the competitions begin this week. Just one mile will separate us from the season opener against Florida on Monday.
Rueben Bain Jr., a Miami Hurricanes defender, was nominated to ESPN’s Way-Too-Early All America Team this week, positioning him as one of college football’s next wave of superstars.
The top-ranked rookie edge rusher from the previous campaign appears to be on another watch list before to the 2024 campaign. In his Hurricanes debut, the former top player from Miami Central High School recorded 44 tackles, 7.5 sacks, and three forced fumbles. Of all the Miami defenders that played at least 100 snaps, he had the highest Pro Football Focus grade of 84.1.
Bain is one of the 16 players on Chris Hummer of 247Sports’ list of prospects who will become the next big thing in college football.
“Bain expects to only get better heading into his sophomore year in college. He is a skilled edge rusher, and his ability to surge off the line is his superpower. Ten more pressures than any other first-year Power Five player, Bain generated 45 last season.
For a club that will have a lot of excitement going into 2024, he is a dominant edge player. Learn to love hearing his name. It won’t be long until others learn about him.”
Of course, next season, Bain will be a key component of Miami’s defensive line. Nyjalik Kelly and Akheem Mesidor, two edge rushers who have both recovered from injuries, will also provide reinforcements for the Hurricanes. To help cover Leonard Taylor’s void on the inside, the Hurricanes added former Middle Tennessee State Blue Raider Marley Cook and defensive lineman CJ Clark from NC State.