Miami Hurricanes have several players rated as top returners in nation based on metrics

The Miami Hurricanes perhaps don’t have a lot of depth at various positions, and the team’s coming off a disappointing 5-7 season.

But there’s no disputing some of the top end talent on the roster.

Pro Football Focus has taken note, with the metrics to back it up.

At safety the team has the nation’s top two returners in coverage grade over the last two seasons – Kam Kinchens and James Williams are both tied at an 89.9 percent cover grade in that span. Kinchens is rated the nation’s No. 2 returning safety for this coming season by PFF behind USC’s Calen Bullock; Williams is fourth behind Georgia’s Malaki Starks.

Kinchens led the nation with a 90.7 cover grade in 2023; Williams was 11th with an 88.5 grade (while Kinchens had an elite 90.0 overall grade, Williams was at 73.5 percent overall).

Also notable per Pro Football Focus?

A couple of the team’s offensive linemen.

And, specifically, transfer center Matt Lee jumps out on the rankings.

He’s the highest graded returning center at 82.5 percent, followed by West Virginia’s Zach Fazier and Michigan’s Drake Nugent.

In 1,059 snaps at UCF in 2023, Lee had a 90.3 pass blocking grade (best of returning centers and No. 3 regardless of class last year) and 79.1 percent run blocking grade.

Also of note: Last year Javion Cohen was tied as the No. 65 overall guard when it comes to grading out at 72.6 percent. He also was No. 45 in pass blocking grades (80.8). Cohen, of course, started at Alabama last season before transferring to Miami.

Then there’s top national talent at defensive tackle and end for Miami.

PFF rates Leonard Taylor as the nation’s No. 6 returning tackle with an 87.3 grade. Per PFF he had a 19.5% pressure rate and 16.2% pressure rate, which trailed only Pittsburgh’s Calijah Kancey (a first round NFL selection with pick 19) among Power Five interior defensive linemen. Ranked ahead of Taylor: Illinois’ Jer’Zhan Newton, Cincinnati’s Dontay Corleone, LSU’s Mekhi Wingo and Michigan’s Kris Jenkins. Taylor also had an 85.5 pass rush grade (4th best).

Also on the list?

Transfer Thomas Gore. He comes in at No. 7 with an 84.8 grade. Gore was down the depth chart this spring but hopes to emerge in the fall.

Undersized at 6-0 and 280 pounds, Miami brought in Thomas Gore this spring as a Georgia State transfer defensive tackle. He was All-Sun Belt Conference honorable mention in 2021 and played in every game there since the 2020 season, tallying 93 career total tackles, 11 sacks and two forced fumbles as a defensive lineman. He also has 76 career pressures. He had a career high 2.5 sacks in a game against Old Dominion last season and had eight tackles for loss in 2022. He was a three-star high school recruit out of Brentwood Academy (TN) without a Power Five offer but developed at Georgia State.

At end?

The team has back Akheem Mesidor, who per PFF is the nation’s No. 5 returning edge rusher behind Penn State’s Chop Robinson, Washington’s Bralen Trice, UCLA’s Laiatu Latu and Marshall’s Owen Porter. Mesidor finished last season with 10.5 TFL and seven sacks, and PFF also credited him with 16 QB hurries.

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