Ranking the Top 50 players on Miami’s roster coming out of the spring (2024)

Joyce was solid in his first season at UM, averaging 43.8 yards per punt and averaging 39.71 net punting yards.

Borregales has been one of the most consistent kickers in the ACC since joining the UM program in 2021. Last season, he converted 22-of-26 field goal attempts and converted 44-of-45 extra points. He also improved his depth and height on kickoffs.

With his combination of size and speed, Washington is an intriguing athlete to develop at linebacker. If Washington can learn how to play within the structure of the defense, he can be an impact player.

At 6-feet-2 and 230 pounds, Bryant is working at defensive end now as a pass rushing specialist. Bryant showed development during the spring and flashed the ability to get after the quarterback.

At 6-feet-1 and 230 pounds, Aguirre is the back-up middle linebacker to Kiko Mauigoa. Aguirre will be counted on in the special teams phase in 2024.

At 5-feet-10 and 190 pounds, Allen brings quickness to the backfield and he rushed for 361 yards and five touchdowns for the Hurricanes in nine games in 2023. Allen was held out of action during the month of spring football as he recovered from an injury. A fully healthy Allen can help the Hurricanes.

Pruitt is going to be a good linebacker at Miami because he is fast, physical, and cares about football. He needs to continue to add weight and strength to his frame, so in 2024 he projects as a back-up and contributor on special team units.

Miami needs Moten to take the next step and become a dependable rotation defensive tackle in 2024. In 2023, Moten played 146 defensive snaps. The Hurricanes will need him to play 300-350 defensive snaps in 2024.

Lightfoot made a big impact as a reserve in the spring game, but in order to earn a role in games, he needs to continue to add weight and strength to his frame. Lightfoot is still probably a year away from seeing the field in a significant way, but he will be an impact player in the future.

Scott just arrived at Miami as a summer enrollee freshman, so maybe it is unfair to rank him this high at this point, but his talent warrants this spot on the list. At 6-feet-4 and over 300 pounds, Scott arrives at Miami with a college ready body type. Can Scott be a true freshman who can contribute in the second half of the season? That's the big question.

Kinsler is a mountain of a man who is similar in size to starting right guard Anez Cooper. Kinsler has earned work at tackle and guard during UM practices and if the light comes on in terms of consistency, his size and strength can be a weapon on the line of scrimmage.

At 6-feet-6 and 300 pounds, McCoy looks the part physically. If McCoy takes the next step with his physicality and technique, he will have a big say in the competition for the fifth starting job on the offensive line.

Hill arrives at Miami with starting experience at Marshall, playing 671 defensive snaps as a starting cornerback for the Thundering Herd. Hill finished the 2023 season with 55 tackles, one tackle for loss, and one interceptions while defending ten passes. Hill is viewed as a versatile cornerback who can line up at different spots. He missed only four tackles in 2023.

Patterson is a talented true freshman safety who will have a big opportunity to earn significant playing time in 2024. Patterson showed development during the month of spring football, flashing his impressive athleticism and tackling ability. Once the game starts slowing down for Patterson—and he shows consistency defending the pass—he is going to be an impact player.

McCormick is a solid role player who plays to his strengths. McCormick embraces the challenge of playing with physicality as a blocker on the line of scrimmage and he is an experienced veteran at the college level who brings leadership to the locker room.

We are high on the talent of Lyle and think it is fair to rank him here because of his potential and because talented true freshman running backs can typically carve out a role. Lyle will arrive at Miami with the necessary size to handle the college level. His vision and contact balance will allow for a smooth transition as well.

Okunlola is competing to be one of Miami's starting five offensive linemen in 2024. Okunlola's true freshman season in 2023 was cut short by an injury to his knee that required surgery and he worked hard to be fully recovered for the month of spring football. During the spring, Okunlola took reps at both guard and tackle with the first team and did a solid job as he continues to improve his strength and technique at the college level.

At 6-feet-9 and 340 pounds, Bell is a massive offensive tackle with a ton of potential because of his physical gifts. Bell needs to continue to improve his technique and fundamentals—and if that area of his game develops at a rapid pace, he can be as good as he wants to be. Bell showed impressive development during the month of spring football and these summer months will be important. Bell projects as a rotational player this season and a starter in 2025.

Joseph is one of the fastest players on the team and that speed makes him an exciting player when he has the ball in his hands. Joseph projects as a back-up to slot receiver to Xavier Restrepo and should get an opportunity to show his athleticism on special teams in a returner role. He has a bright future at Miami because of his talent and work ethic.

Williams enters the 2024 season as the top back-up on the roster. At 6-feet-5 and 220 pounds, Williams has impressed the UM staff with his ability to get the ball out quickly with accuracy while being comfortable in the pocket. Williams played in five games in 2023, completing 44-of-71 passes for 470 yards with three touchdowns and one interception with his best performance coming in a win over Clemson.

Cook arrives from Middle Tennessee State as a transfer who was productive at the Group of Five level, totaling 60 tackles, 19 tackles for loss, 10.5 sacks, one interception, two forced fumbles, and 96 pressures. In 2022, Cook was a big time pass rusher from the interior, generating 49 pressures and 6.5 sacks. Cook will look to step up and produce in a rotational role at Miami in 2024.

Harris projects as a starter safety for the Hurricanes in 2024 and the UM staff is excited about the consistency he can bring to the back end. Harris doesn't make many flashy plays, but he will execute what is asked of him. Harris finished 2023 with seven tackles and half a tackle for loss while playing 130 defensive snaps.

Trader flashed his big time talent during the month of spring football as an early enrollee freshman. In 2024, he projects as a rotational receiver who will get to learn behind proven veterans like Jacolby George and Sam Brown. We'd still expect Trader to make some plays in a small role in 2024, setting him up for a productive 2025.

Williams played 316 offensive snaps as a true freshman in 2023 and caught eight passes for 72 yards to lead the production at the tight end position group. Williams was thrust into a big role as a freshman because of injuries that limited expected starter Elijah Arroyo. At 6-feet-6 and 260 pounds, Williams took a nice step forward during the month of spring football. He is an all-around tight end who can make plays in the passing game and help block on the line of scrimmage.

At 6-feet-2 and 195 pounds, Richard has the physical traits and talent to rank higher on this list and if he puts it all together with consistent performances, Richard can be a top 20 player on the team. Richard had plenty of encouraging moments during the spring, but he also showed some areas that need to improve. Richard will play a big role at the cornerback position for Miami in 2024.

Carpenter arrives as a transfer from Indiana who will take center duties for Matt Lee, who is off to the NFL level. Carpenter arrives with 1,895 offensive snaps of experience between his time at Indiana and Michigan. During the 2023 season, Carpenter was credited with allowing eight pressures and two sacks. Carpenter did a solid job during the month of spring football handling the center duties.

Horton was one of the breakout players of the spring for the Hurricanes as he continues to improve his conditioning and speed to make plays downfield. In 2023, Horton played 292 offensive snaps as a rotational player and he totaled 168 receiving yards and one touchdown. Horton flashed his talent against Texas A&M, generating a 52-yard touchdown that sparked a win over the Aggies. Horton has continued to improve and develop from that point.

At 6-feet-2 and 250 pounds, Alston is looking to translate his production at the Group of Five level to Miami. Alston played at Marshall in 2023, totaling 45 tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss, six sacks, and one interception while generating 35 pressures. At Miami, Alston projects as a situational pass rusher who can affect the quarterback with his guile and determination to get in the backfield.

At 6-feet-1 and 230 pounds, Alderman has played 606 defensive snaps, totaling 62 tackles, seven tackles for loss, and 1.5 sacks. Alderman projects as UM's third linebacker in the playing rotation, which boosts the overall depth at the position group and gives the Hurricanes some versatility with playing three linebackers in certain situations.

Clark is a veteran nose tackle who arrives as a transfer from NC State. At 6-feet-3 and 300 pounds, Clark has played more than 1,500 defensive snaps in the ACC and has shown the ability to control the interior of the line of scrimmage with his size and effort. In 2023, Clark totaled 22 tackles, four tackles for loss, one sack, and 13 pressures. Clark adds beef and experience up front as the Hurricanes look to continue to be strong against the run.

During the month of spring football in 2023, Rueben Bain was the impressive early enrollee freshman that flashed major talent. Lofton was that early enrollee freshman of spring football in 2024. At 6-feet-1 and 240 pounds, Lofton is a unique playmaker who can make acrobatic one-handed catches as a tight end, be an effective short-yardage running back, and play with physicality as a blocking H-back. Lofton can be a valuable weapon for the Miami offense in the red-zone that opposing teams will need to account for.

Powell is a veteran defensive back addition from Washington who can provide experience at nickel or safety. Powell played 876 defensive snaps for a Huskies team that played in the National Championship game and totaled 38 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss and three interceptions. During the month of spring football, Powell primarily lined up at nickel, but he may have to shift to safety once the season starts because Savion Riley left the program to transfer to Colorado. Powell brings experience and leadership to a secondary in need of some vocal leadership.

Barrow arrives from Michigan State as a spring transfer portal addition who is expected to bring physicality to the interior of the defensive line. Barrow is an experienced player with 1,500 snaps at the college level and has totaled 110 tackles, 18.5 tackles for loss, and 10.5 sacks. With a strong season, Barrow has NFL Draft potential.

Bissainthe took a nice step forward in 2023 and continued that momentum during a strong month of spring football. Bissainthe played 445 defensive snaps in 2023 and totaled 44 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, and two sacks. He continues to put on the necessary strength and weight year-over-year and during the month of spring, Bissainthe was playing with improved confidence in instincts. Bissainthe looks poised to take a step forward in 2024.

Arroyo have the talent to rank higher on this list, but injuries have limited his production at UM during his college career. At 6-feet-4 and 245 pounds, Arroyo is an athletic pass catching threat and he finally looked fully healthy during the month of spring football and made plenty of plays. Tight ends didn't play much of a role for the offense in 2023, but with Arroyo healthy, that production should improve in 2024.

Brown was a starter for the Hurricanes in the final month of the 2023 season and did a solid job as a true freshman in that role. On the season, Brown allowed 19 receptions for 193 yards and two touchdowns while totaling 14 tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss. At 6-feet-1 and 200 pounds, Brown brings a strong, long body type to the secondary and he will play an important role for the Hurricanes in 2024.

Porter isn't the biggest or the fastest cornerback, but he plays with strong technique and fundamentals, which allows him to be sticky in coverage. Porter was UM's most consistent cornerback in 2023, allowing only 12 receptions for 114 yards and zero touchdowns on the year. Porter was also a consistent tackler, with only one missed tackle, according to Pro Football Focus.

If George can raise his focus level, he can end up ranked higher on this list at the end of the season. The ceiling and talent that George brings to the wide receiver group is clear, but untimely drops and silly penalties make him a frustrating player at times. George took a big step forward in 2023, totaling 864 yards and eight touchdowns, including 100-yard performances against North Carolina and Florida State. George is a smooth route runner who can get open with ease against man coverage. He should have a monster year while catching passes from Cam Ward.

At 6-feet-6 and 330 pounds, Cooper is a massive presence on the interior of the UM offensive line who played 878 snaps at right guard in 2023. According to Pro Football Focus, Cooper allowed 12 pressures and one sack last season. This offseason, Cooper continues to improve his conditioning and is poised to emerge as one of the top interior offensive linemen in the ACC in 2024. Cooper is also emerging as a vocal leader on the offensive line.

Fletcher flashed a lot of potential as a true freshman in 2023 as he totaled 514 rushing yards and five touchdowns. At 6-feet-2 and 225 pounds, Fletcher is a big back who runs with solid contact balance and vision. Fletcher forced 33 missed tackles and averaged 3.81 yards per carry after contact. Fletcher is coming off a lower extremity injury that was sustained in the Pinstripe Bowl, but he is expected to be healthy for the 2024 season. If Fletcher is able to make a full recovery this year, he will form a strong duo with transfer addition Damien Martinez.

Rivers is a versatile offensive lineman with a NFL future. He served as the starting left tackle in 2023 and was solid in that role, allowing 15 pressures and three sacks while facing the best pass rusher on the opposing team week after week. Rivers played left tackle during the month of spring football as well and offensive line coach Alex Mirabal was pleased by his progress there. At the NFL level, Rivers likely projects as an interior offensive lineman.

Brown arrives at Miami as a transfer from Houston, totaling 815 yards and three touchdowns for the Cougars in 2023. At 6-feet-2 and 200 pounds, Brown adds downfield playmaking ability to the offense along with yards after catch potential in the short passing game. Brown played for Shannon Dawson at Houston in 2022 and he now gets to work with talented gunslinger Cam Ward. Brown has NFL Draft potential if he is able to produce for the Hurricanes.

If there was not injury questions for Mesidor to answer in 2024, he would rank higher on this list. Mesidor was shut down after two games in 2023 and needed surgery to repair injuries to his feet. Mesidor was held out of action during the spring but is expected to be a full go for the start of fall camp. The last time Mesidor was fully healthy for the Hurricanes was the 2022 season, when he totaled 38 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, seven sacks, and 28 quarterback pressures in 11 games. Mesidor plays with an impressive motor and he brings versatility to the defensive line with his ability to play on the edge and in the interior.

Restrepo returns to Miami in 2024 after totaling 1,092 receiving yards and six touchdowns while working out of the slot. At 5-feet-10 and 200 pounds, Restrepo is a dependable receiver who simply finds a way to consistently make plays. This 2024 season will be Restrepo's second in the Shannon Dawson system and he will get an upgrade at quarterback with the addition of Cam Ward from Washington State. Restrepo was a star for the Hurricanes during the month of spring football and it looked like he is going to continue to level up in 2024.

Mauigoa was a true freshman All-American in 2023, who took his lumps at times, but was solid and dependable while starting at right tackle for the Hurricanes, playing 866 offensive snaps and allowing 23 pressures and five sacks. Mauigoa played the majority of the 2023 season with a shoulder injury, but gained valuable experience regarding the technique that is necessary to have success at the college level. Mauigoa is a big time talent and should be expected to take a step forward in 2024.

At 6-feet-5 and 260 pounds, Baron is a big time presence on the edge. Baron played at Tennessee in 2023, totaling 28 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, and six sacks. Baron was one of seven pass rushers from the SEC to generate at least 40 quarterback pressures in 2023. Baron is also a dependable edge setter when defending the run, with his ability to corral ball carriers because of his length. Baron earned a solid 72.0 run defense grade in 2023 and was credited with missing only two tackles on the year. The addition of Baron gives the Hurricanes a NFL Draft level talent and improved the depth at the line of scrimmage.

At 6-feet and 230 pounds, Martinez is a true workhorse back transferring in from Oregon State. Martinez ran for 1,185 yards and nine touchdowns for the Beavers in 2023 while forcing 57 missed tackles and averaging 3.82 yards per carry after contact. Martinez also showed some ability to generate explosive runs, totaling 17 carries that went for at least 15 yards. Martinez ran for at least 100 yards in six games. One underrated trait Martinez brings to the backfield as well is the ability to protect the football. Martinez fumbled the ball just once in 2023. Pairing Cam Ward and Martinez gives the Miami attack impressive balance on offense.

Mauigoa was a game wrecker for the UM defense in 2023, totaling 82 tackles, 18 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks, one interception, two forced fumbles, and generating 25 quarterback pressures. At 6-feet-3 and 230 pounds, Mauigoa is a prototypical between the tackles linebacker who can get downhill and generate negative plays. UM's run defense took a big step forward in 2023 and the addition of Mauigoa from Washington State was a big reason why. Mauigoa is expected to be the leader of the 2024 defense and continue to be an important presence on that side of the ball.

Ward arrives at Miami as a transfer from Washington State as one of the most productive returning quarterbacks in the country after throwing for 3,736 yards with 25 touchdowns while completing 66 percent of his attempts while also rushing for eight touchdowns. Ward dazzled in the spring while leading the UM attack, displaying impressive anticipation as a passer and a knack for understanding how to extend plays with his innate pocket presence. Ward is a perfect fit for the Shannon Dawson 'Air-Raid' offense. Ward has plenty of weapons to distribute the ball to and has a strong offensive line to work behind. He is expected to be Miami's best quarterback since Ken Dorsey.

Bain was the best true freshman defensive lineman in the country in 2023, generating 7.5 sacks and 45 quarterback pressures while playing an impressive 627 defensive snaps. That type of impact is rare for a true freshman on the line of scrimmage. He is expected to be even better in 2024 after another year in the strength and conditioning program and another year of working at his craft with Jason Taylor. Bain's ability to play on the edge and kick inside in situations makes him a versatile weapon to hunt match-ups that are favorable too. Bain is poised for a massive 2024 season. He is still a year away from being draft eligible, but he is on a trajectory to be a first round pick in 2026.

Is Miami's roster poised to win big in 2024? Just take a look at the top ten.

The top ten players listed in this ranking features the following…

- A quarterback who threw for more than 3,700 yards and totaled 25 passing touchdowns while running for eight more touchdowns at the Power Five level in 2023.

- A running back who ran for more than 1,100 yards at the Power Five level in 2023.

- A receiver who totaled more than 1,000 yards at Miami in 2023.

- A receiver who totaled more than 800 yards at the Power Five level in 2023.

- A left tackle who projects as a NFL Draft talent and played 878 snaps in 2023 for Miami

- A right tackle who was a Freshman All-American in 2023.

- A defensive linemen who generated 45 pressures and 7.5 sacks as a true freshman in 2023.

- A pair of versatile, veteran defensive linemen who have NFL Draft talent and will look to impress during their final seasons at the college level.

- A middle linebacker who totaled 17.5 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks, and 25 quarterback pressures at Miami in 2023.

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That's a strong top ten of proven production and talent. Miami's depth is also strong thanks to back-to-back top ten recruiting classes that Mario Cristobal has delivered.

Putting a championship level roster is easier said than done, but it must feature top end talent AND depth. The Hurricanes check both of those boxes in 2024—and now it is time to put it all together on the field and earn results.