Miami Hurricanes 50-1 Countdown: Ranking the top 50 post-spring players … No. 28 Jaylin Alderman
The Miami Hurricanes have massively reshaped the roster from a year ago with five primary offensive starters gone (QB Tyler Van Dyke, RB Henry Parrish, WR Colbie Young, OL Javion Cohen and Matt Lee) along with seven on the defensive side (DT Leonard Taylor, DT Branson Deen, DL Jared Harrison-Hunte, S Kam Kinchens, S James Williams, CB Jaden Davis and CB Te’Cory Couch).
50. RB JORDAN LYLE … 49. RB CHRISTOPHER JOHNSON … 48. DE COLE MCCONATHY … 47. S ZAQUAN PATTERSON … 46. TE CAM MCCORMICK … 45. NY CARR … 44. JUSTIN SCOTT … 43. OT Markel Bell … 42. RB AJAY ALLEN … 41. TE RILEY WILLIAMS … 40. OL MATTHEW MCCOY … 39. LB CAM PRUITT … 38. DT JOSHUA HORTON … 37. LB RAUL AGUIRRE … 36. S MARKEITH WILLIAMS … 35. S JADEN HARRIS … 34. QB EMORY WILLIAMS … 33. WR JOJO TRADER … 32. D’YONI HILL … 31. RAY RAY JOSEPH … 30. ISAIAH HORTON … 29. MARLEY COOK
Which brings us to our annual series breaking down the top 50 players on the current roster. As we go along on this list you’ll get an idea of the overall depth of talent on Mario Cristobal’s team this year as he seeks Miami’s second 10-win season in the last two decades.
Today we are at No. 28:
NO. 28 LB JAYLIN ALDERMAN
Why He’s No. 28
Alderman was a portal addition off his first year starting at Louisville, and it was a solid stat line for him there in 2023 – he had 58 tackles, seven for losses, with 1.5 sacks. He redshirted in 2022 buried down the depth chart, and in 2021 was primarily a backup with a highlight a 66-yard interception return for the game-winning touchdown in a 42-35 win over UCF (he was passed by Dorian Jones on the depth chart that year). He ended 2021 with 17 tackles, sharing one for a loss. A 6-1, 230-pound junior, Alderman can play middle or outside linebacker, and the expectation is he’ll push Wesley Bissainthe to start at WILL while at worst providing good depth across the board. As for his Pro Football Focus grades? In 606 reps this past season he graded out at 65.6 percent overall (62.1 percent run defense, 54.0 tackle grade with six QB hurries and 12 missed tackles). In 2021 he played 206 reps and graded out at a lowly 45.9 percent overall (41.8 run defense, 52.4 tackle grade). He missed 16 tackles that year and was noted with eight QB hurries. Alderman has also struggled in coverage in his career, allowing 27 completions on 33 targets for 331 yards with three TDS and one INT. Alderman is a former 3-star prospect out of Valdosta, Ga., who was lightly recruited – his other offers along with Louisville out of high school were from Appalachian State, East Carolina, FIU, Charlotte, Akron, Cincinnati and Middle Tennessee.
What he needs to do to move up this list
Win the starting job. Bissainthe has been inconsistent the last two years starting, with few real difference-making plays, and Alderman will get every chance this fall to show he should be starting next to Francisco Mauigoa. But Alderman will have to prove he can function well in a Lance Guidry system that also calls on linebackers to cover fairly often … that’s been a weak point for Alderman. His coverage numbers last year: QBs hit on 19 of 24 passes when he was targeted one on one last for 282 yards and three TDs, per PFF.
Realistic season objective
Miami is lacking depth across the board at linebacker behind the two returning starters, Wesley Bissainthe and Francisco Mauigoa. This spring it was freshman Cam Pruitt and the second-year Raul Aguirre that were the next two up. So adding Alderman made a lot of sense, and at worst he will get the numerous reps that went toward Corey Flagg and KJ Cloyd a year ago – they combined to play 785 reps in mainly backup capacities. So Alderman will be on the field quite a bit regardless of his starting status, and we’d expect decent production given how he performed last year for the Cardinals.
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