Miami DL transfer Simeon Barrow isn’t a superstar, but Hurricanes don’t need him to be

Miami transfer defensive lineman Simeon Barrow, the Hurricanes’ newest addition to their 2024 roster who was snagged from Michigan State, probably won’t single-handedly elevate Miami’s defensive tackle position to one of the country’s deepest this season. But the Hurricanes don’t need him to be an immediate superstar.

The 6-foot-3, 290-pound redshirt junior originally from Georgia joins Miami defensive line transfers Marley Cook and C.J. Clark as new tackle additions since the end of the 2023 season as the Hurricanes continue to overhaul their defensive line and work to build a front seven capable of helping Miami compete for a conference title and College Football Playoff berth.

But with Cook and Clark both looking like reliable defensive linemen this spring, a player like Barrow should hopefully give the Hurricanes the depth they need to be able to rotate defensive tackles without fear of a substantial drop off in level of play.

Barrow finished last season with 36 total tackles (14 solo), 3.5 sacks and a forced fumble at a Michigan State program that fired its head coach about a month into the season. He recorded a season-high six total tackles and four solo tackles in a 27-12 loss at Minnesota and took snaps at both defensive tackle and nose guard, although he looked far more comfortable at defensive tackle and will probably be most effective as a three and/or five technique in Coral Gables. Barrow appeared in all 12 games last year and started 10.

His production in a given game was typically a good barometer for how well Michigan State’s defensive line played as a unit in a given game. Barrow recorded at least half a sack in each of MSU’s four wins but struggled against offensive lines like Washington, Michigan, Ohio State and Penn State, who were easily the four best teams the Spartans faced last season. He did show an ability to penetrate and shoot gaps on powers, counters, buck sweeps and most run plays that involved pulling guards. He is also experienced enough to understand at times that a defensive tackle occasionally needs to create chaos on the interior.

Barrow is more of a bull rusher than anything else when asked to rush the passer but has good play recognition and understanding of defensive assignments. He plays with decent hands and has an ability to shed interior offensive linemen when guards or centers are asked to block him one-on-one, and he typically plays with decent pad level.

He experienced a few ups and downs last season but can typically be relied upon for two-to-five tackles per game and one or two solo tackles, which is really what the Hurricanes need at this point. Five-star 2024 defensive tackle signee Justin Scott will also arrive this summer, but after not being able to enroll early and participate in spring workouts and practices, he likely won’t yet be ready for a high volume of meaningful snaps just yet.

However, there shouldn’t be much doubt that Miami’s interior defensive line as a whole should be improved from a season ago. The Hurricanes moved off Jared Harrison-Hunte, Colins Acheampong, Jahfari Harvey, Georgia State transfer Thomas Gore and lost veterans Leonard Taylor and Branson Deen to graduation and the NFL draft, but with young talent coming in and a slew of new transfers (not to mention rising star Rueben Bain returning), Miami’s group, as a whole, should be ready to take a step forward this fall.

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