Miami transfer portal priorities: Where are the Hurricanes most pressing roster needs?

A week before Miami put the finishing touches on its first losing season in 15 years, Mario Cristobal made a few pointed comments about the transfer portal. Mainly, he was going to have no problem telling players to hit the road.

“We have one obligation — do right by the players, do right by the program and be honest and transparent,” he said. “Every single coach in America has an obligation to load up their roster. I know we have the responsibility to make sure our roster is filled with hard-working, tough-minded, resilient, do the right things on and off the field, high-caliber, athletic and high-character individuals that want to be elite.”

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If anything’s been established through the first 48 hours since the transfer portal opened for Miami, it’s this: There’s plenty of opportunity to come in and play right away in Coral Gables. Outside of 12-game starter Darrell Jackson at defensive tackle, the other 13 players who entered their names into the portal are not players whom Cristobal had in his future plans. That has only opened up more scholarships for him to work with.

And, yes, we expect more departures.

Miami transfer portal departures (2022)

Here’s a look at Miami’s six biggest roster needs and where they stand at each position with recruits and other portal targets.

Defensive tackle

Miami’s depth on the defensive line was a strength, but after Jackson transferred to Florida State, the Hurricanes are in need of a starting-caliber big man to complement Leonard Taylor in their front four. The remaining scholarship inside linemen include Jared Harrison-Hunte, 2022 arrival Ahmad Moten and USC transfer Jake Lichtenstein, who will seek a seventh season of eligibility.

Miami picked up a commitment Sunday from 6-4, 285-pound three-star recruit Joshua Horton from Fairburn (Ga.) Langston Hughes High School, but are in need of at least two to three more big bodies to have the proper depth at the position.

On Tuesday, Miami offered a scholarship to Tunmise Adeleye, a 6-4, 290-pound former four-star recruit in Texas A&M’s 2021 class who started the first two games in 2022 before going down with a season-ending knee injury. Adeleye is reportedly visiting Michigan State this coming weekend. There are other defensive tackles deciding whether to enter the transfer portal whom Miami is also reaching out to through back channels.

As for high school recruits, Miami appears to be in the driver’s seat to land Miami Central four-star 2023 recruit Rueben Bain, who was also being pursued by Louisville and Auburn before coaching changes. Bain (6-2, 250) said he’ll be announcing his decision on Dec. 16. Miami and Florida State are his likely finalists.

Receiver

With Key’Shawn Smith and Romello Brinson in the portal, the Hurricanes are down to seven scholarship receivers and two 2023 commitments in four-star slot receivers Nathaniel Joseph (4-star, No. 132 in the 247Sports Composite) and Robby Washington (4-star, No. 173). Finding another playmaking standout on the outside remains a top priority.

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The Hurricanes have offered scholarships to 6-5, 198-pound former Texas A&M Commerce receiver Andrew Armstrong, an FCS standout with 62 catches for 1,020 yards and 13 touchdowns in 2022, as well as former Kent State receiver Dante Cephas (6-1, 186), who over the past two seasons caught 140 passes for 1,984 yards and 12 touchdowns.

Another name to watch: 6-5, 200-pound former Oregon receiver Dont’e Thornton, a 2021 four-star who had 17 catches for 366 yards and a touchdown this past season.

Running back

With 2021 leading rusher Jaylan Knighton and 2021 four-star Thad Franklin leaving via the portal, the Hurricanes are down to three scholarship running backs in Don Chaney Jr., Tre’Vonte Citizen and leading rusher Henry Parrish Jr. The Hurricanes have big plans for Citizen, an elite recruit lost to a season-ending knee injury in camp and think Chaney was the best of the running backs Cristobal’s staff inherited.

The lack of scholarship running backs should help the Hurricanes become even more attractive in their pursuit of 6-1, 225-pound four-star Mark Fletcher of Plantation (Fla.) American Heritage. There’s also a growing number of running backs in the portal who could become options if Fletcher, a former Ohio State commitment, decides to sign with rival Florida.

Linebacker

Former Washington State linebacker Francisco Mauigoa entered his name in the transfer portal Wednesday, and if the name sounds familiar it should. He’s the older brother of Miami five-star offensive tackle recruit Francis Mauigoa, who is expected to anchor the Hurricanes offensive line for the next few seasons.

The older Mauigoa (6-3, 215) is a pretty good linebacker. He finished tied for third on the team with 60 tackles, 5 1/2 for loss, 3 1/2 sacks, a pass breakup and an interception, and he has two seasons of eligibility left. There’s little doubt Miami — badly in need of a makeover at linebacker — is interested in pairing him with his brother. So far, Miami has netted four commitments in the 2023 class at linebacker (three-star Marcellius Pulliam of Tyrone, Ga., is the latest) and is also very much interested in flipping Louisville four-star commitment Stanquan Clark out of Miami Central. Clark (6-2, 215) could push his decision back to February amid the Cardinals’ recent coaching change.

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Offensive line

Cristobal wasn’t happy with how the Hurricanes performed across the board, but the offensive line is his passion. He wants big-bodied players to push the line of scrimmage and run the power-spread running game he’d like to establish, and there aren’t enough of those players on the roster. So far, there haven’t been any underclassmen on the roster who have entered the portal. That could change in the days ahead.

As it stands, Miami has five high school commitments on the offensive line — headlined by Mauigoa — and remains in hot pursuit of five-star Samson Okunlola (No. 18), who is also being wooed by Florida among others.

As for the portal, Miami — and just about everyone else in college football — is after former Alabama starting left guard Javion Cohen, who split playing time in 2022. At offensive tackle, Miami is pursuing UTEP and Conference USA all-league performer Jeremiah Byers (6-4, 315) and 2021 Oregon four-star Bram Walden, a 6-3, 304-pound former top-100 player out of Scottsdale, Ariz.

Cornerback

The Hurricanes have two commitments headlined by five-star Cormani McClain of Lakeland, Fla., the No. 2 overall recruit in the cycle. But Alabama hasn’t stopped pursuing McClain and pushing for him to take an official visit before he signs.

Miami, meanwhile, is trying to get his teammate at Lakeland, Pittsburgh three-star commitment Shadarian Harrison (6-1, 170), to visit Miami with McClain instead.

The Hurricanes’ top target aside from McClain and four-star commitment Robert Stafford is Plantation (Fla.) American Heritage four-star Damari Brown, whose older brother, Davonte, a former UCF starter, recently entered the portal. The Canes are also trying to flip Kissimmee (Fla.) Osceola four-star cornerback Ja’Keem Jackson from his commitment to Florida.

In the portal, former North Carolina three-year starter Tony Grimes and Fentrell Cypress, an All-ACC selection previously at Virginia, are players that have piqued the interest of Miami’s staff.

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Former Florida State defensive back Sam McCall — a teammate of McClain’s — is another name to watch.

(Top photo of Miami defensive lineman sacking North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye: Peter Joneleit / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

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