Miami Hurricanes 50-1 Countdown: Ranking the top 50 post-spring players … No. 44 Justin Scott
The Miami Hurricanes have massively reshaped the roster from a year ago with five primary offensive starters gone (QB Tyler Van Dyke, RB Henry Parrish, WR Colbie Young, OL Javion Cohen and Matt Lee) along with seven on the defensive side (DT Leonard Taylor, DT Branson Deen, DL Jared Harrison-Hunte, S Kam Kinchens, S James Williams, CB Jaden Davis and CB Te’Cory Couch).
50. RB JORDAN LYLE … 49. RB CHRISTOPHER JOHNSON … 48. DE COLE MCCONATHY … 47. S ZAQUAN PATTERSON … 46. TE CAM MCCORMICK … 45. NY CARR
Which brings us to our annual series breaking down the top 50 players on the current roster. As we go along on this list you’ll get an idea of the overall depth of talent on Mario Cristobal’s team this year as he seeks Miami’s second 10-win season in the last two decades.
Today we are at No. 44:
NO. 44 DT JUSTIN SCOTT
Why He’s No. 44
Justin Scott wasn’t at Miami for spring ball as a summer enrollee, but given the Hurricanes’ depth issues inside on defense perhaps the true freshman can find his way onto the field for a decent amount of reps. While that’s unusual in Year 1 for a D tackle, Scott is anything but your usual prospect. An industry 5-star, On3 ranked him the nation’s No. 11 player regardless of position and the No. 2 tackle. On3 scouts make the college comparison to Clemson’s Christian Wilkins, who was a first-round NFL draft pick and notes that at 6-4 and 315 pounds he is “a light-footed, nimble athlete who moves like a much smaller player.” The other tackles on the roster are mainly transfers aside from redshirt freshman Joshua Horton (who missed spring injured) and third-year backup Ahmad Moten. NC State arrival CJ Clark and Michigan State’s Simeon Barrow are likely to have a leg up on starting, but behind them it’s pretty much wide open to get into the two-deep … while noting there was another transfer arrival this year in Marley Cook from Middle Tennessee. Ends Akheem Mesidor and Rueben Bain can play inside in passing situations.
What he needs to do to move up this list
Show up and show out. If Scott can display in fall camp that he’s a body mover on the inside and can refine his technique just a bit to make it work at this level, then there’s little reason he can’t get on the field and make a huge jump up this list. His skillset is off the charts, all that is missing is seeing him work against other Miami players in practices and then the need for consistency that comes with all freshmen.
Realistic season objective
Fans generally think a 5-star can just waltz right into a program and be a difference-maker right away. And sometimes that’s the case, with some of the easier positions at which to do it wide receiver and running back. At defensive tackle, though, you need to be mentally and physically ready for the wars that come with being on the interior in college football. It’s always hard to predict until a young players gets into games how they will respond. Now, with that said, given Miami’s depth chart it’s hard to believe that Scott won’t break onto the two-deep. This team needs a freshman to step up, and he’s the most game-ready as a first-year guy we have seen in a while.
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