July Player Performance Index top 30 deep dive: No. 4 OL Javion Cohen
CaneSport is breaking down the top 30 Miami players on the roster, and today we’re at No. 4, OL Javion Cohen.
THE BIG PICTURE
Cohen is a big part of a reshaped offensive line room – a necessity after Miami ranked No. 108 in the nation in sacks allowed and No. 95 in rushing offense a year ago. Cohen will start at left guard, the same position where he was a starter for Alabama. Bringing in a piece from a program that competes every year for the national title is never a bad thing, right? Cohen will be joined by another interior line transfer at center, Matt Lee from UCF, and either Jalen Rivers or Anez Cooper will complete the interior of the starting line (Rivers could also start at LT depending on the development of 5-star freshman Samson Okunlola). 5-star freshman Francis Mauigoa is expected to start at right tackle. So this truly is a new-look line, and Cohen brings size, strength and athleticism that Miami was missing up front a year ago. He is expected to be one of the ACC’s top linemen.
THE ANALYSIS
It was a huge coup for Miami to be able to land Cohen out of the portal. He arrived and this spring was the team’s starting left guard and very much looked the part of a top lineman. After Cohen only played 28 reps at ‘Bama as a true freshman in 2020, he became a full-time starter at left guard there in 2021, then this past season started 10 games and earned second team All-SEC honors. His Pro Football Focus stats show that in 2021 he accounted for 21 knockdown blocks and played 1,073 snaps over 14 games. Then this past season he played 554 total snaps and had 17 knockdown blocks with 1.5 sacks allowed, four pressures, four quarterback hits and three penalties called against him. His PFF grades? With 70 a good grade, he graded out at 72.5 percent in 2022 including a stellar 80.5 pass blocking grade (and 68.9 as a run blocker). In 2021 he graded out at 61.8 percent overall (49.8 pass blocking, 64.9 run blocking). At 6-4 and 305 pounds he’s agile and strong enough to bully defenders in the run game. And that’s something Miami didn’t see a lot of last year. Cohen’s addition is one major cog in the machine that’s expected to help the new Miami offense flourish under Shannon Dawson.
THE PROJECTION
Cohen has the tools to be an All-ACC type performer after he started for two years at Alabama and fared well. Adding Cohen and fellow UCF transfer Matt Lee at center plus the two 5-star signees really reshape this line from the struggles of 2022. Now you have Jalen Rivers, Zion Nelson (if he can get healthy) or 5-star Samson Okunlola at LT, Cohen at LG, Lee at center, either Rivers or Anez Cooper at RG and 5-star signee Francis Mauigoa at RT. That line has a lot of potential to spring holes for the run game and protect Tyler Van Dyke a heck of a lot better than a year ago.
THE JUMP HE NEEDS FROM SPRING TO FALL CAMP
Cohen was solid in the spring and just has to continue to mesh with his fellow linemen and keep leading by example in fall drills. He already has played at the highest level against some of the nation’s best teams in the SEC, so there’s every chance he will dominate even more than he did with the Crimson Tide with another year under his belt. He is a steady force on the interior line and should be one of the ACC’s top linemen. There really is nothing that should hold him back.
THE QUOTE
“Everybody has a collective goal, which is getting The U back to its standard.” –Javion Cohen
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