Point / Counterpoint: CaneSport staff weighs in projecting the Miami Hurricanes starting WRs, CBs
The Miami Hurricanes loaded up in the transfer portal this cycle, adding 14 to the roster. Four of the new faces were cornerbacks (Jaden Davis, Davonte Brown, Ja’Dais Richard and JUCO arrival Demetrius Freeney), and two were wide receivers (Tyler Harrell, JUCO Shemar Kirk). That means more depth at both positions, and competition to start.
At cornerback, both starters from a year ago are gone – Tyrique Stevenson and DJ Ivey.
At wideout? The team didn’t lose talent, but also didn’t get a lot of production a year ago from anyone. The top wide receiver production-wise in 2022 was Colbie Young with 367 yards.
Not great.
In statistical terms?
Miami’s DBs last year even with Stevenson and Ivey ranked No. 101 in team passing efficiency defense (142.52) and No. 79 in passing yards allowed (233.6).
The Hurricanes’ passing offense? That ranked No. 59 in the nation (239.0 yards), and UM was No. 84 in team passing efficiency (128.65).
So both positions need vast improvement and are extremely important to Miami’s success under new coordinators on both sides of the ball. Lance Guidry likes to leave his corners down the field one-on-one to get as much pass pressure as possible. Shannon Dawson’s top receiver last season at Houston was a guy who really made the offense go – Tank Dell had 1,398 yards and 17 TDs. Dawson likes a top WR to take pressure off the run game and beat the pass rush.
Today the CaneSport staff weighs in on projecting the starting Miami wide receivers and cornerbacks:
GARY FERMAN
This challenge is actually kind of fun because these are relatively wide-open positions with a lot of candidates and coaches who are a bit anxious to identify, coach and develop guys who can help lead to victories this season. Let’s start at wide receiver. You have to assume that Tyler Harrell was not added late via the transfer portal to sit on the sideline. He provides deep 4.24-second speed on the outside that Shannon Dawson needs to make his system work. Colbie Young, in better condition than a year ago, would be my other pick to land in the starting lineup on the outside. I expect the third starter to be Xavier Restrepo in the slot. Restrepo is the most consistent guy practice after practice. He and Tyler Van Dyke have tremendous chemistry. But Ray Ray Joseph, Jacolby George and Brashard Smith will play a lot as well Isaiah Horton and Shemar Kirk, another transfer portal arrival. Things are not looking so great for Frank Ladson and Michael Redding.
Cornerback is a far bigger challenge. I have to think transfer portal Davonte Brown claims one starting spot. But I would not bet on Daryl Porter, who started in the spring game, being able to hold off transfer portal addition Jaden Davis, who got a lot of experience at Oklahoma. Porter disappointed last season and just the aggression that the Miami staff showed in the portal since then in picking up Davis and Demetrius Freeney shows their hand that they felt they needed more in the coverage game. For that reason I would also not sleep on Vanderbilt import Ja’Dais Richard beating out Te’Cory Couch when Miami needs a slot corner.
MATT SHODELL
These are probably the two positions on the team that have the most players that will be competing this fall with legitimate chances to start. First let’s talk receivers. In the slot you can go ahead and pencil in Xavier Restrepo, that’s the only easy one. But he will yield reps to Brashard Smith and explosive freshman Ray Ray Joseph (Dawson might also use four-receiver sets to get two of those guys on the field at the same time). The outside receiver spots are the ones that really are going to be interesting. In 2022 Frank Ladson and Colbie Young were the guys that got the most reps of all the receivers (468 and 395, respectively per Pro Football Focus), but they just weren’t very productive. Was that partially the fault of some QB issues and a not-great offense under Josh Gattis? Sure. But you also weren’t seeing these guys getting consistently open and making plays with the ball in their hands. So in the fall Miami coaches have to figure out where Tyler Harrell, Shemar Kirk, Jacolby George and Isaiah Horton fit in. They want to have the most explosive, best group of receivers on the field most of the time. So when it comes to the starting wide receiver group my projection is Restrepo (probably would have broken out last year if not for his own injury and Tyler Van Dyke’s injury), Harrell (his 4.24 second 40 time is hard to ignore despite him never having a real breakout season at Louisville and not playing much off injury last year at Alabama) and I’m going with George as the other outside starter (looked like a different guy in the spring). I also want to see Joseph get a lot of reps, and if I had to pick a No. 5 guy that will be a factor I’m actually going with Horton over Young. I thought he flashed a lot in the spring, too. Young might also break out, but he was just too inconsistent last year.
Now let’s move to the cornerback spot. Te’Cory Couch will be pushed at nickel by transfer arrival Ja’Dais Richard, but I don’t see Richard winning that job – he was good enough at Vanderbilt but Couch has been solid at the STAR position and that role hasn’t changed a lot under Guidry (although with more blitzes probably). Richard is getting in a bit late to really understand the position under the new coordinator, but he can also work at boundary corner, so he’s versatile. Which brings us to the guys I think will replace Stevenson and Ivey. Note that in the spring it was mainly Davonte Brown and Daryl Porter, Jr. with the first team. But it spoke volumes that coaches went out after the spring and added Richard, Jaden Davis and Demetrius Freeney. So who starts? I don’t see young guys like Chris Graves or the true freshmen being ready. And Malik Curtis struggled last year and hasn’t shown he’s ready, either. So for me, while Jaden Davis struggled in a bad Oklahoma defense, I think he might be the best option at one spot. He has a lot of physical potential and I think Jahmile Addae will get the most out of him. And I think Brown will start on the other side (Porter, Jr. struggled last year and didn’t stand out in the spring). The UCF transfer Brown is experienced and has the speed to stick with guys down the field … he just has to shore up some technique and be more consistent. I think he’ll show up this fall and perform well. I’ll also add that I think the WR position will be much improved overall, but I have serious concerns at cornerback. There are 11 guys there, but I’m just not sure there’s “that guy” who can be a lockdown corner. And in a defensive system that really requires at least one lock-down guy, that’s worrisome.
IZUBEE CHARLES
Wide receiver and defensive back were two positions of need that Miami had to address this offseason, and they did just that, bringing in six players in total to both of those position groups. At cornerback, I’m confident Davonte Brown will get the nod on one side of the field after watching him during the spring game and some of his tape at UCF. That leaves the other cornerback position wide open, which I think will be a battle between Daryl Porter, Jr., Ja’Dais Richard, and Jaden Davis. Entering the spring, it seemed like the position was Porter’s, but the Hurricanes adding three additional defensive backs in Richard, Davis, and JUCO transfer Demetrius Freeney says otherwise. At the end of the day, I have to go with Davis getting the nod across from Brown due to the experience he is coming in with from Oklahoma, but I do think it will be one of the tightest position battles during fall camp.
On the offensive side of the ball, I think Xavier Restrepo is an easy answer for Miami in the slot and will play a big role in the Hurricanes’ offense under Shannon Dawson at the position. Restrepo is the most consistent and proven receiver and the leader of that wide receiver room. Alongside Restrepo, I’m going to have to go with Tyler Harrell and Colbie Young as the outside receivers for the Hurricanes in 2023. Young flashed a bit during the 2022 season and showed some signs of that in the spring, so I can see the upward trajectory continuing as he heads into his second year in Coral Gables. With Harrell, I think it’s hard to keep his elite-level speed off the field, and if he’s healthy, he brings something to the table that Miami lacked last season. In addition to those three, I think guys like Brashard Smith, Isaiah Horton, Nathaniel Joseph, and Jacolby George could turn some heads this season, but for now, I’d have to go with Restrepo, Young, and Harrell as my starting wideouts.
STEPHEN WAGNER
Miami wouldn’t have added the talent it did in the transfer portal if it felt good at the receiver and cornerback positions, and I think that means Harrell and Kirk will have roles in next year’s offense — but to what degree is another question, particularly because none of Miami’s receivers or corners are indisputable starters with depth chart security at the moment. However, I feel like Xavier Restrepo is ready to take a step forward this season after a strong spring, so I’m willing to pencil him in as one of Miami’s starting receivers, and I’ll pair him with Isaiah Horton and Tyler Harrell. Harrell has proven his ability as a receiver when he’s been able to stay healthy, which frequently plagued him at Louisville, and I think Horton can fight his way into a starting spot if he has a promising fall camp.
Cornerback is much more concerning given Miami’s instability at the position recently. I like Ja’Dais Richard to work his way onto the field this season, and I don’t think Jaden Davis was brought in from Oklahoma to sit on the bench, so it wouldn’t surprise me if the Hurricanes’ starting secondary is littered with transfers. I’ll also go with Davonte Brown in the final starting spot, who I actually liked at UCF and had a chance to watch a few times casually on TV before he entered the portal.
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