July Player Performance Index top 30 deep dive: No. 21 CB Damari Brown

CaneSport is breaking down the top 30 Miami players on the roster based on projected production, and today we’re at No. 21, Damari Brown.

THE BIG PICTURE

Brown arrived at Miami last season as a highly touted 4-star, and by the end of the season started to show some flashes – he started the final four games and ended with 14 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss. With little returning cornerback experience and the team losing starters Te’Cory Couch and Jaden Davis, we expect Brown to start at either boundary corner or nickel (the latter if Washington transfer Mishael Powell moves to safety given the need there). Daryl Porter, Jr. is the team’s lone full-time returning starting corner, and Brown is the only other CB on the roster that’s started games at Miami. So he has a leg up on a starting job and should be better for his experience in year 1 … but will also need to hold off Marshall transfer D’yoni Hill and others like returner Jadais Richard. Brown missed most of the spring coming off injury, so we’ll get our first real glimpse at his progress in fall drills.

JULY PLAYER PERFORMANCE INDEX: No. 30 Elijah Alston, No. 29 Josh Horton, No. 28 Raul Aguirre … No. 27 D’yoni Hill … No. 26 Samson Okunlola … No. 25 Jaden Harris … No. 24 Markeith Williams …No. 23 Akheem Mesidor … No. 22 Jaylin Alderman

THE ANALYSIS

Brown did some good things but also had some freshman mistakes, as you’d expect in Year 1. He ended the season starting four games with the aforementioned 14 tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss. Per Pro Football Focus he played 331 reps and graded out at 63.0 percent overall with a 65.3 cover grade and low 43.4 tackle grade. He was noted missing five tackles, and when targeted allowed 19 of 32 completions for 193 yards with two TDs. He also was called for two penalties. Brown is in a good spot to emerge as a starter at corner or nickel, but will have to earn it this fall. The only guy in the secondary whose job appears safe at this point is Porter.

THE PROJECTION

We think it’s likely that Brown is a starter at either corner or nickel, and he’s got the ability to succeed at either. A big factor here, though, is Brown has to show he’s taken a step up from his Year 1 play. Getting interceptions and creating pass breakups are something we didn’t see much from him in 2023. That has to change this year. We can see him with around 30 tackles, a handful of pass breakups and a couple of interceptions … assuming he wins the starting job. He’s got ability but it’s unclear just how effective he can be since he missed spring ball and was a true freshman in 2023.

THE JUMP HE NEEDS FROM SPRING TO FALL CAMP

At 6-2 and 195 pounds, Brown has the length and athleticism you want in an elite shutdown cornerback at this level. But he missed spring practice so it’s hard to gauge the strides he’s made from Year 1 at Miami. Fall camp is going to be hugely important for him, as if Brown doesn’t show out he’ll be passed by a guy like Hill or Richard. Showing consistency and making plays on the ball are going to be big for Brown when August hits.

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