Miami Hurricanes CB Ja’Dais Richard has gotten work at safety, nickel and corner, is valuable piece for D this season

Miami Hurricanes CB Ja’Dais Richard came on board this off-season as a transfer from Vanderbilt, and he’s a valuable piece of the secondary who could have a big impact this season helping at boundary corner as well as nickel/STAR … or even safety.

He’s gotten work at those this fall.

“My transition has been great,” Richard said. “I am really just taking on any role that coach G (Lance Guidry) and coach (Jahmile) Addae want me to do. Being at Miami, it’s a great experience for me now.”

What does Richard add to the program?

Well, let’s start with he was a four-star prospect in the Class of 2022 (at one point he was a TCU commit, and Louisville and Baylor were his other finalists) and was a Vanderbilt starting cornerback this spring before transferring. His 6-2, 200-pound frame is big for a corner, yet he ran 11-flat 100 meter races in high school.

Richard has three years of eligibility remaining, and he joins fellow transfers Davonte Brown (UCF, transferred in January), Jaden Davis (Oklahoma, summer arrival), JUCO arrival Demetrius Freeney and Daryl Porter Jr. (West Virginia, transferred last year) as Miami’s cornerbacks along with Malik Curtis and freshmen Damari Brown and Robert Stafford.

“Really I’m playing any position that they need me at whether safety, nickel or corner,” Richard said. “Wherever they need me at (I’ll play). I feel I’m dominant at all of them, playing all of them – in high school I played safety and at Vandy I played safety, nickel and corner.”

Out of West Monroe, La., Richard played in 11 games last year as a freshman and had six tackles, a TFL and two pass breakups. His Pro Football Focus grades? In 203 reps he had a 62.4 overall grade with a 60.3 tackle grade and 60.3 cover grade as well. Per PFF he was targeted 13 times and allowed nine receptions (69.2 percent) for 211 yards with two TDs.

He has good physicality and athleticism, and appears to have a high upside for Miami at several spots in the secondary.

“I had a great first year at Vanderbilt, am ready to take on my new role here,” Richard said.

Richard’s final takeaway on the Guidry style of defense this year?

“It’s a similar scheme (to Vanderbilt),” Richard said. “Here I’d say more of when I’m at nickel I’m more of a blitzer, and at corner I’m just covering. So it’s not really too much different.”

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