July Player Performance Index top 30 deep dive: No. 8 WR Xavier Restrepo

CaneSport is breaking down the top 30 Miami players on the roster, and today we’re at No. 8, WR Xavier Restrepo.

THE BIG PICTURE

At this time a year ago, the expectation was that slot receiver Xavier Restrepo would be a frequent target in the passing game, a guy poised for a breakout season in his first year starting after working in 2021 as Mike Harley’s backup. It never came to fruition. The offense was a bad fit, Restrepo had an early-season injury slow him down, QB Tyler Van Dyke was hurt in mid-season, and things just never clicked. He had just 240 yards and two TDs. So why is he No. 8 on this list when he’s never put things together in his three previous seasons (625 career receiving yards)? Well, Restrepo still is a guy with the quickness to get open off the line with ease, and as Van Dyke’s roommate the two have a tremendous bond. So, much as was the case last year, we still believe in Restrepo and his potential to break out in Year 4 at Miami.

THE ANALYSIS

Restrepo’s first season as a starter in 2022 essentially stopped before it could begin due to an early season injury. So this year Restrepo is looking to make up for lost time, and in recent years of the Shannon Dawson system it’s the slot receivers that have led the way. So that poises Restrepo for a big year … although freshman speedster Ray Ray Joseph and returner Brashard Smith could steal some of his reps away. Restrepo’s background so far hasn’t really showcased his ability. He was a backup his first two seasons, then last year wound up starting just two games prior to the injury and playing off the bench in five others when he returned. Restrepo had a disappointing 21 catches for 240 yards and two TDs. As for his Pro Football Focus grades? In 221 reps last season he had a solid 74.7 overall grade (70 is considered good), including a 72.8 receiving grade. In 2021 he played 298 reps off the bench and had a 71.7 overall grade (71.9 receiving), and he played just 29 reps as a true freshman in 2020.

THE PROJECTION

Restrepo is a lead by example kind of receiver who dives for balls and gives all out effort. A tireless worker, he’ll catch anything in the vicinity. As Tyler Van Dyke’s roommate, the two have a great bond and Restrepo should be a frequent target in the Miami passing game. He has a knack for quickly getting open off the line of scrimmage and we think he’s in line for a breakout season. Would 800+ yards be too much to ask for? We don’t think so. This offense is going to be really good for a guy like this. The only caveat here is that Restrepo may wind up yielding reps to talented true freshman slot receiver Ray Ray Joseph, and Brashard Smith is another playmaker who works in the slot. As a reminder, the guy who worked in the slot last year for Dawson at Houston was Nathaniel Dell. All Dell did was end the season with 109 catches for 1,398 yards and 17 TDs.

THE JUMP HE NEEDS FROM SPRING TO FALL CAMP

Restrepo had a decent enough spring, but he wasn’t showing he can be that No. 1 threat. So perhaps this fall he’ll progress to that type of uncoverable guy (in one on one) off the line that Miami needs. Certainly Restrepo is a wily guy who always finds his way to open space, but in three years he just doesn’t have much to show for it. There’s no reason in this system under Shannon Dawson that he won’t thrive, so he has to show coaches that he deserves to be on the field all the time ahead of a Ray Ray Joseph or Brashard Smith (note that there will also be situations where Dawson will have four receiver sets that could include a pair of slot guys).

THE QUOTE

“I love it, a well-balanced offense, coach Dawson is going to get the ball in the playmakers’ hands and just let us be explosive.” -Xavier Restrepo, on first-year coordinator Shannon Dawson’s new offense

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