July Player Performance Index top 30 deep dive: No. 17 DE Jahfari Harvey

CaneSport is breaking down the top 30 Miami players on the roster, and today we’re at No. 17, DE Jahfari Harvey.

THE BIG PICTURE

It will be a very interesting fall battle between Harvey and Nyjalik Kelly/Rueben Bain to determine the starter opposite Akheem Mesidor (with guys like Chantz Williams/Cyrus Moss/Jayden Wayne/Collins Acheampong probably a bit behind them). Kelly’s been making a move this offseason, and Harvey (who missed spring ball) will need to prove to new coordinator Lance Guidry why he should be the first team guy. Harvey has started 13 games in his Miami career, so he certainly has experience. But he also hasn’t been that game-changer who demands double teams. With that said, he did grade out per Pro Football Focus as the ACC’s seventh-leading edge rusher (at 76.2 with Mesidor first). If Harvey has made strides from a year ago he can be in that 6-10 sack range and be a difference-maker. But Miami needs him to be better than what we’ve seen previously in his career. If he can’t do that then Miami coaches will find someone else to get the job done.

THE ANALYSIS

Since Harvey’s Miami career began in 2019 he’s started 13 times and has totaled 19.5 TFL and 9.5 sacks. After playing four games off the bench in 2019 as a true freshman he started one game in 2020 and ended with 18 tackles and 1.5 sacks, then in 2021 started five times and had 26 tackles with 7 TFL and 2.5 sacks. This past season he was part of a heavy end rotation in Kevin Steele’s system and started seven times, ending with 31 tackles, 7.5 TFL and 5.5 sacks. His Pro Football Focus grades show 2022 was his best season – he graded out at 76.2 overall (70 is considered a good grade) with a 76.4 run defense grade, 74.9 tackle grade and 71.1 pass rush grade. That was in 412 reps. In 2021 he played 425 reps and graded out at 65.6 overall (66.9 run defense, 57.5 tackle, 65.2 pass rush), and in 243 reps in 2020 he graded out at 68.1 percent overall (70.9 run defense, 66.9 tackle, 65.4 pass rush).

THE PROJECTION

This will all hinge on if Harvey is the starter of course, and right now it’s going to be a touch-and-go battle with Nyjalik Kelly the most likely other option. It also remains to be seen how new coordinator Lance Guidry will split reps between starters and backups as well off Kevin Steele’s rotation heavy system. Harvey has never been a real difference-maker to this point, so that will need to change and perhaps Guidry’s system suits him better in terms of his pass rushing skills begin pretty good. So we can see him in that 6-10 sack range … assuming he emerges as the starter.

THE JUMP HE NEEDS FROM SPRING TO FALL CAMP

Harvey didn’t compete in spring drills coming off injury, but with the departure of senior Mitchell Agude (who shared starts with Harvey last year) the team needs someone to really step up opposite Akheem Mesidor. So this fall is going to be a huge one for Harvey as he’ll have to hold off Nyjalik Kelly and high-flying true freshman Rueben Bain, who flashed in the spring. Harvey will have to use his veteran presence to be a leader while also showing game-changing ability. If he can do that remains to be seen, so this will be a huge fall camp for him in a new defensive system after he was out for spring ball.

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