Miami Hurricanes 50-1 Countdown: Ranking the top 50 post-spring players … No. 5 Matt Lee
CaneSport is breaking down the top 50 post-spring players on the Miami roster, a list that doesn’t include any post-spring roster additions. Today we break down No. 5, Matt Lee.
NO. 5 MIAMI C MATT LEE
Why he’s No. 5
A quick trivia question: Based on Pro Football Focus grades, who is the nation’s top returning center? Yes, he’s on the Miami roster. That would be center Matt Lee, who transferred in from UCF after earning an 82.5 overall PFF grade (the No. 2 center on the list was West Virginia’s Zach Frazier at 80.8 followed by Michigan’s Drake Nugent). Lee steps into an immediate starting role at Miami, with the position struggling with Jakai Clark (a four-year starter) not the strongest/most physical guy in the middle. Lee has strength, smarts and experience – he started the last two years at UCF and has a reputation as a very hard worker. A closer look at his PFF grades: Last year he was at an elite 90.6 pass blocking level with a very strong 80.6 run blocking grade and played 1,059 reps (note that 70 is considered a good grade). He also graded out at 75.6 in 705 reps in 2021 (81.7 pass blocking, 70.8 run blocking). He’s rated No. 5 on this list for a reason. He’s a huge upgrade in the middle of Miami’s line, and maybe a comparison could be made to a K.C. Jones/Brett Romberg/Bobby Garcia type player who does whatever is needed to get things done.
What he needs to do to move up this list
He’s shown ability as a solid run and pass blocker, and his physical attitude is big for a team that didn’t have much of that on a struggling offensive line a year ago. But the question is after playing a UCF schedule (Louisville, Cincinnati, Memphis, Tulane and Duke were the toughest games) whether Lee can continue to perform at a consistently high level against the kinds of opponents Miami is facing with the ACC schedule plus Texas A&M as a nonconference game. An offensive line of Zion Nelson, Samson Okunlola or Jalen Rivers at LT/Javion Cohen LG/Lee C/Anez Cooper RG/Rivers or Francisco Mauigoa at RT is going to be a big upgrade from a year ago. And it needs to be considering Miami ranked No. 108 in the nation in sacks allowed (3.0 per game) and No. 95 in rushing offense (128.1 yards per game).
Realistic season objective
Lee as a big upgrade at center over a multi-year starter (Clark). Based on what we stated previously in this article, the OL could be a group that has maybe one returning starter from last year on it (Jalen Rivers). So it will be a new look, and that’s what Miami needed after last year’s performance up front on offense. Lee’s a great addition and will be a big impact as the new starting center. We’ll let OL coach Alex Mirabal have the final word here. “He has all the intangibles, is a heck of an athlete,” Mirabal said during the spring. “Great feet, can bend, can twist. Our offensive line is where it is from a chemistry standpoint, preparation standpoint because of Matt Lee. He is a difference-maker.”
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