Miami Hurricanes Command Report
FLSportsDesk.com Briefing
Miami enters 2026 as the ACC favorite and a top-seven playoff contender, rebuilt through the portal at quarterback, receiver and edge rusher, with the season narrowing to two road trips — Clemson in October and Notre Dame in November — and riding on transfer chemistry converting August projection into September production.
The Canes carry a No. 7 ranking, the ACC Preseason Player of the Year at quarterback, the FBS receptions leader returning, and two defensive units independently rated in the top three nationally. Archived June futures made Miami the clear ACC favorite at -140, and the slate supplies margin with seven home games, one ranked opponent and a home-heavy finish. Every projection stays a projection until September: Mensah has yet to take a Miami snap, both defensive ratings are informed guesses, and the run game that averaged 4.3 per carry last year has no demonstrated repair. Week 1 at Stanford looks lopsided if 2025 form travels — the Cardinal scored 19 a game, ran for 2.6 a carry and surrendered 41 sacks — and the -24.5 spread agrees.
Mensah and Barkate earned their numbers at Duke, not in a Miami uniform, and every unit ranking stays a projection until September.
Mensah-to-Toney timing through the first three weeks, whether yards per carry clears 4.3, and the first real injury picture once ESPN posts one.
Five Rings
National champions. Miami history in full color.
Next Snap
Last Whistle
Season Sample
12 games are posted. Performance alarms remain gated until actual 2026 game data exists.
Market Expectation
Market context, not a team-performance grade. Movement will be monitored against the opener.
Official Availability
A zero means no official ESPN listing—not proof of perfect health.
Signal Since Last Drop
These 5 transfer portal additions will define Miami football season - Yahoo Sports These 5 transfer portal additions will define Miami football season Yahoo Sports
[560 WQAM] - JRS- Dolphins Buzz, NFL Updates, Heat Introduce Klay Thompson Wednesday’s Joe Rose Show is packed with the latest Dolphins buzz and NFL updates, including Miami’s roster and preseason storylines. The guys also break dow...
[USA Today] - Record predictions for every college football team in 2026: Who will win each conference? USA TODAY Sports has culled through depth charts and schedules to predict the final records for every team in the Football Bowl Subdivision.
[The Miami Hurricane] - Former Miami WR Cam Vaughn files lawsuit against UM and NCAA Former Miami Hurricanes wide receiver Cam Vaughn has filed a lawsuit against the University of Miami and the NCAA in Miami-Dade County, seeking a ruling to enter the NCAA transfer portal. “On August 17, 2026, Miami dismi
Five underrated Hurricanes who will play big roles in 2026 - Sun Sentinel Five underrated Hurricanes who will play big roles in 2026 Sun Sentinel
Game Week Mode
Next game is not inside the 7-day window yet. Monitoring remains focused on schedule, recruiting, portal, and TV/line changes.
Portal + Recruiting Watch
Transfer portal, official/projected depth chart, QB/depth, commitment, offer, and visit signals live in the Portal + Recruiting tab. Overview stays summary-only.
FLSportsDesk.com Briefing
The path is road-heavy in the defining spots and soft at the close, reducing the ACC race to two away hinges — Clemson in early October and Notre Dame in November — with enough cushion elsewhere to absorb one loss.
Seven home dates against five road trips, one ranked opponent and two overmatched September visitors (FAMU, Central Michigan) make this a favorable path for a top-ten roster. The season turns on a five-game run — at Clemson, then FSU and Pitt at home, then UNC and Notre Dame on the road — with the lone 14-day breather landing right before the FSU rivalry game. Duke, Virginia Tech and BC all visit Hard Rock after Notre Dame, so one loss in the defining stretch likely keeps Miami alive for playoff positioning.
Both defining games are road trips, and Notre Dame — ranked three spots higher — hosts the November meeting.
How Miami exits the five-game October stretch, and the trap sequencing of back-to-back road weeks at UNC and Notre Dame.
The Canes Runway
- DraftKings: MIA -24.5 · O/U 48.5
- DraftKings: MIA -24.5 · Spread 24.5 · O/U 48.5
Postseason Path
FLSportsDesk.com Intelligence Assessment
Miami is the 2026 ACC favorite whose playoff fate will be decided on the road at Clemson and Notre Dame, contingent on transfer chemistry converting preseason projection into September performance.
The facts cohere into one read: a No. 7 ranking, a Preseason Player of the Year quarterback with second-in-the-nation passing production at Duke, the FBS receptions leader, two defensive units independently rated No. 3, and archived June pricing that made Miami the ACC favorite at -140. The schedule converts talent into a two-game season — Clemson on the road in October, Notre Dame in November — because seven home dates, one ranked opponent and a home-heavy close provide real margin, and a four-back running back room is built for the attrition of the five-game midseason run. Availability reads clean only because ESPN's injury feed has not activated. Week 1 at Stanford is a mismatch if 2025 form travels: the Cardinal scored 19 a game, ran for 2.6 a carry and surrendered 41 sacks against a front projected No. 3, and the -24.5 spread prices exactly that. The facts justify favorite status at preseason confidence, not certainty — Mensah has never taken a Miami snap, both defensive ratings are projections, and the run game has no shown repair in the two venues that will demand it most.
The entire favorite case is context transfer: Mensah and Barkate produced at Duke, both No. 3 defensive ratings are projections, and Notre Dame is ranked three spots higher and hosts in November.
Mensah-to-Toney timing by Week 3, yards per carry against the 4.3 benchmark, the first injury data once reporting activates, and how Miami exits the five-game October stretch.
Current Read
These 5 transfer portal additions will define Miami football season - Yahoo Sports These 5 transfer portal additions will define Miami football season Yahoo Sports
[560 WQAM] - JRS- Dolphins Buzz, NFL Updates, Heat Introduce Klay Thompson Wednesday’s Joe Rose Show is packed with the latest Dolphins buzz and NFL updates, including Miami’s roster and preseason storylines. The guys also break dow...
[USA Today] - Record predictions for every college football team in 2026: Who will win each conference? USA TODAY Sports has culled through depth charts and schedules to predict the final records for every team in the Football Bowl Subdivision.
[The Miami Hurricane] - Former Miami WR Cam Vaughn files lawsuit against UM and NCAA Former Miami Hurricanes wide receiver Cam Vaughn has filed a lawsuit against the University of Miami and the NCAA in Miami-Dade County, seeking a ruling to enter the NCAA transfer portal. “On August 17, 2026, Miami dismi
Former Miami WR Cam Vaughn files lawsuit against school seeking to enter NCAA transfer portal - On3 Former Miami WR Cam Vaughn files lawsuit against school seeking to enter NCAA transfer portal On3
Availability Watch
- No official Miami football injuries are currently listed by ESPN.
Recruiting Radar
- RAW's Duasso breaks down the next wave of elite prospects and Miami commitsREPORTED
- Top-10 Safety Includes Miami Football Inside His Top-Six SchoolsREPORTED
- Brysen Wright WR MandarinCHATTER
Brysen Wright is a future 4* or 5* WR at Mandarin. He’s a freshman and had 3 catches 69 yds and 2 TDs in his first game of his high school career. At 6-3 200lbs this is is one to watch in the coming years. Miami has offered.
- Maui "Walter" Tonata 5* OT from Orem, UT (Orem HS)CHATTER
MIrabal offered today. Seems to be rapidly rising up the rankings as he camps. Currently the #1 IOL in the nation, #1 recruit in UT for the 28 cycle. https://247sports.com/player/maui-tonata-46158028/
- Xavien "Dully" Littleton 3* TE from Douglas, GA (Coffee HS)CHATTER
The announcers said it best Xavien "is a problem". No UM offer at this point, but Tucker is reposting his highlights so I'm guessing a Canes offer is not far off. Got his offer on August 25, 2026. Xavien Littleton, Coffee , Tight End Xavien Littleton is a Tigh
Championship Odds — Live Market Pending
Current sportsbook futures could not be independently verified during this refresh. The archived June snapshot has been suppressed rather than presented as fresh data.
FLSportsDesk.com Briefing
This roster is starter-heavy at the positions that decide games — quarterback, receiver, running back, defensive front and secondary — with the portal replacing lost production at quarterback, receiver and edge while recruiting builds future pipelines rather than patching current holes.
The top end is genuinely elite: Mensah won league-wide preseason recognition, Toney and Barkate form two independently proven 1,000-yard receivers, and Fletcher Jr. (1,192 yards, 5.5 per carry) headlines a running back room with four Power-4 starter-caliber options in five bodies. Wilson II imports nine sacks from Missouri to restock an edge that lost an unusually disruptive group; Moten Sr. and Scott anchor the interior with Lightfoot and Blount as the designated breakout bets. Below the starters, the record thins: offensive line, linebacker and tight end quality rest on watch-list recognition rather than demonstrated production, and the Vaughn dismissal trims receiver depth.
Mensah's production came in Duke's offense; calling him a settled top-five quarterback before a Miami snap overstates the record.
Safety turnover, Toure's role fit, whether Lightfoot and Blount convert pedigree into snap-share production, and how receiver reps redistribute after the Vaughn dismissal.
Transfer Portal Board
- Miami Hurricanes QB Room: Mensah's Camp, who locked down QB2 and QB3 Race
- On Myson Johnson-Cook
Miami is obviously heartbroken. Myson Johnson-Cook has rare physical tools and they spent a lot of time recruiting him. But this ultimately came down to GM Dennis Smith making tough roster construction decisions. I agree with the approach. If we stay stocked w
- These 5 transfer portal additions will define Miami football season - Yahoo Sports
These 5 transfer portal additions will define Miami football season Yahoo Sports
- [560 WQAM] - JRS- Dolphins Buzz, NFL Updates, Heat Introduce Klay Thompson
Wednesday’s Joe Rose Show is packed with the latest Dolphins buzz and NFL updates, including Miami’s roster and preseason storylines. The guys also break dow...
- [USA Today] - Record predictions for every college football team in 2026: Who will win each conference?
USA TODAY Sports has culled through depth charts and schedules to predict the final records for every team in the Football Bowl Subdivision.
Official Depth Chart
No official Miami depth chart is published in the current source pull. Official-depth scraping starts daily during the 7-day window before gameday. The report will not substitute projections as official.
Projected Depth Chart
Late-August 2026 projection. Ourlads is weighted as the primary current two-deep source; 247Sports/InsideTheU, Miami Herald, Sun Sentinel, CanesWarning, and State of The U are supporting context. This is not an official Miami depth chart.
| Pos | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th / rotation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Offense — Air Raid | ||||
| WR-X | Joshua Moore (SO) | Vandrevius Jacobs (RS JR/TR) | — | — |
| WR-Z | Cooper Barkate (GR/TR) | Daylyn Upshaw (RS FR) | — | — |
| WR-SL | Malachi Toney (SO) | Vance Spafford (FR) | — | — |
| LT | Samson Okunlola (RS JR) | Jaden Wilkerson (RS FR) | Jacob Hawks (SO/TR) | — |
| LG | Max Buchanan (SO) | Seuseu Alofaituli (SO) | Johnathan Cline (RS JR/TR) | — |
| C | Ryan Rodriguez (RS SR) | Rhys Woodrow (FR) | — | — |
| RG | Jackson Cantwell (FR) | Ben Congdon (FR) | Jamal Meriweather (RS JR/TR) | — |
| RT | Matthew McCoy (RS SR) | Juan Minaya (RS SO) | — | — |
| TE | Elija Lofton (JR) | Gavin Mueller (FR) | Luka Gilbert (SO) | Owen Ruskavich (RS JR) |
| QB | Darian Mensah (RS JR/TR) | Luke Nickel (RS FR) | Judd Anderson (RS SO) | — |
| RB | Mark Fletcher Jr. (SR) | CharMar Brown (RS JR/TR) | Girard Pringle Jr. (SO) | Jordan Lyle (JR) |
| Defense — 4-2-5 | ||||
| LDE | Damon Wilson II (SR/TR) | Armondo Blount (JR) | — | — |
| NT | Justin Scott (JR) | Keona Davis (JR/TR) | — | — |
| DT | Ahmad Moten Sr. (RS SR) | Jarquez Carter (SO/TR) | — | — |
| RDE | Marquise Lightfoot (JR) | Herbert Scroggins III (SO) | Booker Pickett Jr. (RS SO) | — |
| WLB | Chase Smith (RS SR) | Cam Pruitt (JR) | — | — |
| MLB | Mohamed Toure (RS SR/TR) | Kamal Bonner (RS JR/TR) | Kellen Wiley Jr. (RS FR) | — |
| LCB | Romanas Frederique Jr. (JR) | Damari Brown (RS JR) | Chris Ewald Jr. (RS FR) | — |
| SS | Bryce Fitzgerald (SO) | JJ Dunnigan (FR) | — | — |
| FS | Zechariah Poyser (RS JR/TR) | Dylan Day (JR) | — | — |
| RCB | Xavier Lucas (JR/TR) | Ethan O'Connor (RS JR/TR) | Ja'Boree Antoine (SO) | — |
| NB | Omar Thornton (JR/TR) | Camdin Portis (FR) | Isaiah Taylor (GR/TR) | — |
| Special Teams | ||||
| PT | Dylan Joyce (SR) | Tucker Tevepaugh (RS SO) | — | — |
| PK | Jack Olsen (GR/TR) | Jake Weinberg (RS SO/TR) | Will Rocha (RS JR) | — |
| KO | Jake Weinberg (RS SO/TR) | Jack Olsen (GR/TR) | Will Rocha (RS JR) | — |
| LS | Adam Booker (RS SR/TR) | Vance Diepenbrock (FR) | — | — |
| H | Dylan Joyce (SR) | Tucker Tevepaugh (RS SO) | — | — |
| PR | Malachi Toney (SO) | — | — | — |
| KR | Girard Pringle Jr. (SO) | Jordan Lyle (JR) | — | — |
Projection source ledger
- Ourlads — primary current projection scraped daily · 08/23/2026 4:03PM ET
- 247Sports / InsideTheU — fall-camp projection · 2026-07-25
- Miami Herald — position-by-position context · 2026-08-16
- Sun Sentinel — position preview context · 2026-06-25
- CanesWarning — two-deep projection · 2026-08-05
- State of The U — WR-room context · 2026-08-07
Recruiting Board
- RAW's Duasso breaks down the next wave of elite prospects and Miami commitsREPORTED
- Top-10 Safety Includes Miami Football Inside His Top-Six SchoolsREPORTED
- Brysen Wright WR MandarinCHATTER
Brysen Wright is a future 4* or 5* WR at Mandarin. He’s a freshman and had 3 catches 69 yds and 2 TDs in his first game of his high school career. At 6-3 200lbs this is is one to watch in the coming years. Miami has offered.
- Maui "Walter" Tonata 5* OT from Orem, UT (Orem HS)CHATTER
MIrabal offered today. Seems to be rapidly rising up the rankings as he camps. Currently the #1 IOL in the nation, #1 recruit in UT for the 28 cycle. https://247sports.com/player/maui-tonata-46158028/
- Xavien "Dully" Littleton 3* TE from Douglas, GA (Coffee HS)CHATTER
The announcers said it best Xavien "is a problem". No UM offer at this point, but Tucker is reposting his highlights so I'm guessing a Canes offer is not far off. Got his offer on August 25, 2026. Xavien Littleton, Coffee , Tight End Xavien Littleton is a Tigh
Portal / QB Watch
- Miami Hurricanes QB Room: Mensah's Camp, who locked down QB2 and QB3 Race
- On Myson Johnson-Cook
Miami is obviously heartbroken. Myson Johnson-Cook has rare physical tools and they spent a lot of time recruiting him. But this ultimately came down to GM Dennis Smith making tough roster construction decisions. I agree with the approach. If we stay stocked w
- These 5 transfer portal additions will define Miami football season - Yahoo Sports
These 5 transfer portal additions will define Miami football season Yahoo Sports
- [560 WQAM] - JRS- Dolphins Buzz, NFL Updates, Heat Introduce Klay Thompson
Wednesday’s Joe Rose Show is packed with the latest Dolphins buzz and NFL updates, including Miami’s roster and preseason storylines. The guys also break dow...
- [USA Today] - Record predictions for every college football team in 2026: Who will win each conference?
USA TODAY Sports has culled through depth charts and schedules to predict the final records for every team in the Football Bowl Subdivision.
FLSportsDesk.com Briefing
Miami's roster strength starts with nationally recognized players at quarterback, receiver, running back and every level of the defense; the championship question is whether its younger linemen turn pedigree into replacement production.
Miami has three Walter Camp Player of the Year candidates in Darian Mensah, Malachi Toney and Mark Fletcher Jr., tied for the second-most selections of any program. Their production is substantial: Mensah threw for 3,973 yards and 34 touchdowns at Duke, Toney caught 109 passes for 1,211 yards at Miami, Fletcher rushed for 1,192 yards, and Biletnikoff candidate Cooper Barkate arrives after a 1,106-yard season. The defensive spine carries comparable recognition: nine-sack Missouri transfer Damon Wilson II and Ahmad Moten Sr. made the Bednarik list, Bryce Fitzgerald made the Thorpe list, and Mohamed Toure made the Butkus list. The projection becomes less certain behind them, where Marquise Lightfoot and Armondo Blount must grow into larger edge roles and Justin Scott must turn five-star talent into consistent interior disruption while the front replaces a unit that ranked fourth nationally in sacks per game.
Mensah, Barkate and Wilson earned their best production elsewhere; their fit at Miami is strongly supported but not yet demonstrated in a 2026 game.
Mensah's timing with Toney and Barkate; Wilson's pressure rate against Stanford; and whether Lightfoot, Blount and Scott earn enough snaps and disruption to preserve Miami's 2025 pass-rush standard.
Current Roster — 100 Active Players
| # | Player | Pos | Size | Year / Elig | Hometown |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| QB — 6 players | |||||
| #10 | Darian Mensah | QB | 6' 3" · 205 lbs | JR · 1 elig | San Luis Obispo, CA |
| #18 | Joe Borchers | QB | 6' 3" · 230 lbs | JR · 1 elig | Sarasota, FL |
| #15 | Judd Anderson | QB | 6' 7" · 230 lbs | SO · 2 elig | Gray, GA |
| #11 | Dereon Coleman | QB | 6' 1" · 175 lbs | FR · 3 elig | Lakeland, FL |
| #18 | Vinny Gonzalez | QB | 6' 2" · 200 lbs | FR · 3 elig | Miami, FL |
| #5 | Luke Nickel | QB | 6' 2" · 220 lbs | FR · 3 elig | Alpharetta, GA |
| RB — 5 players | |||||
| #4 | Mark Fletcher Jr. | RB | 6' 2" · 225 lbs | Senior | Fort Lauderdale, FL |
| #2 | Jordan Lyle | RB | 6' 0" · 205 lbs | JR · 1 elig | Fort Lauderdale, FL |
| #6 | CharMar Brown | RB | 5' 11" · 220 lbs | JR · 1 elig | Omaha, NE |
| #0 | Girard Pringle Jr. | RB | 5' 10" · 190 lbs | SO · 2 elig | Tampa, FL |
| #21 | Javian Mallory | RB | 5' 11" · 210 lbs | FR · 3 elig | Fort Lauderdale, FL |
| WR — 12 players | |||||
| #18 | Cooper Barkate | WR | 6' 1" · 195 lbs | Senior | Newport Beach, CA |
| #8 | Vandrevius Jacobs | WR | 6' 0" · 182 lbs | JR · 1 elig | Fort Pierce, FL |
| #81 | Riply Luna | WR | 6' 2" · 215 lbs | JR · 1 elig | Kellogg, ID |
| #86 | Kolby Luna | WR | 6' 2" · 215 lbs | JR · 1 elig | Kellogg, ID |
| #1 | Malachi Toney | WR | 5' 11" · 188 lbs | SO · 2 elig | Liberty City, FL |
| #3 | Joshua Moore | WR | 6' 4" · 215 lbs | SO · 2 elig | Miami, FL |
| #33 | Nick Thomas | WR | 5' 8" · 170 lbs | SO · 2 elig | Missouri City, TX |
| #40 | Brennan Burton | WR | 6' 0" · 205 lbs | SO · 2 elig | Virginia Beach, VA |
| #7 | Daylyn Upshaw | WR | 6' 0" · 195 lbs | SO · 2 elig | Columbus, GA |
| #13 | Vance Spafford | WR | 5' 10" · 175 lbs | FR · 3 elig | Orange County, CA |
| #19 | Milan Parris | WR | 6' 5" · 195 lbs | FR · 3 elig | Akron, OH |
| #83 | Tyran Evans | WR | 6' 4" · 205 lbs | FR · 3 elig | Charlotte, NC |
| TE — 10 players | |||||
| #84 | Jack Nickel | TE | 6' 4" · 250 lbs | Senior | Milton, GA |
| #44 | Owen Ruskavich | TE | 6' 7" · 255 lbs | JR · 1 elig | Great Falls, VA |
| #85 | Jackson Carver | TE | 6' 6" · 250 lbs | JR · 1 elig | Woodbury, MN |
| #9 | Elija Lofton | TE | 6' 3" · 242 lbs | JR · 1 elig | Las Vegas, NV |
| #80 | Hunter Carver | TE | 6' 4" · 245 lbs | SO · 2 elig | Woodbury, MN |
| #82 | Dylan Reiman | TE | 6' 6" · 245 lbs | SO · 2 elig | Jupiter, FL |
| #88 | Luka Gilbert | TE | 6' 7" · 255 lbs | SO · 2 elig | West Chester, OH |
| #89 | Cole McConathy II | TE | 6' 5" · 250 lbs | SO · 2 elig | Spanish Fort, AL |
| #14 | Israel Briggs | TE | 6' 4" · 215 lbs | FR · 3 elig | Clovis, CA |
| #87 | Gavin Mueller | TE | 6' 5" · 255 lbs | FR · 3 elig | Wayne, IL |
| OL — 16 players | |||||
| #76 | Ryan Rodriguez | OL | 6' 2" · 300 lbs | Senior | Miami, FL |
| #78 | Matthew McCoy | OL | 6' 6" · 325 lbs | Senior | St. Johns, FL |
| #56 | Johnathan Cline | OL | 6' 4" · 315 lbs | JR · 1 elig | Cartersville, GA |
| #63 | Samson Okunlola | OL | 6' 6" · 330 lbs | JR · 1 elig | Brockton, MA |
| #71 | Jamal Meriweather | OL | 6' 7" · 305 lbs | JR · 1 elig | Brunswick, GA |
| #65 | Seuseu Alofaituli | OL | 6' 2" · 290 lbs | SO · 2 elig | Las Vegas, NV |
| #66 | Max Buchanan | OL | 6' 4" · 310 lbs | SO · 2 elig | Sanford, FL |
| #74 | Yerovi Valdes Alfonso | OL | 6' 7" · 340 lbs | SO · 2 elig | Cape Coral, FL |
| #77 | Juan Minaya | OL | 6' 6" · 335 lbs | SO · 2 elig | Paramus, NJ |
| #53 | Canon Pickett | OL | 6' 4" · 325 lbs | FR · 3 elig | Tampa, FL |
| #55 | JJ Sparks | OL | 6' 3" · 305 lbs | FR · 3 elig | Jacksonville, FL |
| #58 | Ben Congdon | OL | 6' 8" · 330 lbs | FR · 3 elig | Zoarville, OH |
| #64 | Ralph Scroggins | OL | 6' 1" · 275 lbs | FR · 3 elig | Savannah, GA |
| #70 | Joel Ervin | OL | 6' 6" · 330 lbs | FR · 3 elig | Fort Myers, FL |
| #72 | Demetrius Campbell | OL | 6' 6" · 330 lbs | FR · 3 elig | Orlando, FL |
| #79 | Jackson Cantwell | OL | 6' 8" · 330 lbs | FR · 3 elig | Nixa, MO |
| DL — 18 players | |||||
| #99 | Ahmad Moten Sr. | DL | 6' 3" · 300 lbs | Senior | Fort Lauderdale, FL |
| #12 | Marquise Lightfoot | DL | 6' 5" · 230 lbs | JR · 1 elig | Chicago, IL |
| #18 | Armondo Blount | DL | 6' 4" · 265 lbs | JR · 1 elig | Fort Lauderdale, FL |
| #5 | Justin Scott | DL | 6' 4" · 303 lbs | JR · 1 elig | Chicago, IL |
| #92 | Samuel Coufal | DL | 6' 2" · 270 lbs | JR · 1 elig | Wales, WI |
| #97 | Keona Davis | DL | 6' 5" · 280 lbs | JR · 1 elig | Tucson, AZ |
| #31 | Herbert Scroggins III | DL | 6' 3" · 245 lbs | SO · 2 elig | Savannah, GA |
| #33 | Booker Pickett Jr. | DL | 6' 4" · 230 lbs | SO · 2 elig | Tampa, FL |
| #91 | Jarquez Carter | DL | 6' 1" · 288 lbs | SO · 2 elig | Newberry, FL |
| #13 | Asharri Charles | DL | 6' 2" · 230 lbs | FR · 3 elig | Venice, FL |
| #14 | Hayden Lowe | DL | 6' 5" · 255 lbs | FR · 3 elig | Los Angeles, CA |
| #40 | Keshawn Stancil | DL | 6' 4" · 285 lbs | FR · 3 elig | Clayton, NC |
| #42 | Logan Nagle | DL | 6' 4" · 260 lbs | FR · 3 elig | Franklin Lakes, NJ |
| #44 | Tyson Bacon | DL | 6' 4" · 275 lbs | FR · 3 elig | Hoover, AL |
| #52 | Isaac Chukwurah | DL | 6' 2" · 260 lbs | FR · 3 elig | Middletown, DE |
| #55 | Mykah Newton | DL | 6' 3" · 275 lbs | FR · 3 elig | Gainesville, FL |
| #88 | DeAnthony Lafayette | DL | 6' 1" · 230 lbs | FR · 3 elig | Lake Nona, FL |
| #93 | Fred Sainteus | DL | 6' 3" · 275 lbs | FR · 3 elig | Port-au-prince, Haiti |
| LB — 9 players | |||||
| #1 | Mohamed Toure | LB | 6' 2" · 235 lbs | Senior | Pleasantville, NJ |
| #9 | Chase Smith | LB | 6' 2" · 240 lbs | Senior | Palm Bay, FL |
| #11 | Kamal Bonner | LB | 6' 2" · 215 lbs | JR · 1 elig | Moultrie, GA |
| #22 | Cam Pruitt | LB | 6' 2" · 210 lbs | JR · 1 elig | Theodore, AL |
| #45 | Braylon Lamar | LB | 6' 0" · 215 lbs | JR · 1 elig | Cary, NC |
| #17 | Ezekiel Marcelin Jr. | LB | 5' 11" · 230 lbs | SO · 2 elig | Miami, FL |
| #39 | Casey Rizzi | LB | 6' 0" · 225 lbs | SO · 2 elig | Metairie, LA |
| #32 | Justin Edwards | LB | 6' 1" · 205 lbs | FR · 3 elig | Orlando, FL |
| #34 | Jordan Campbell | LB | 6' 1" · 225 lbs | FR · 3 elig | Carol City, FL |
| DB — 19 players | |||||
| #28 | Isaiah Taylor | DB | 5' 11" · 200 lbs | Senior | Fort Lauderdale, FL |
| #43 | Tyler Rowe | DB | 5' 11" · 185 lbs | Senior | Loganville, GA |
| #0 | Omar Thornton | DB | 5' 11" · 201 lbs | JR · 1 elig | Carver Ranches, FL |
| #2 | Damari Brown | DB | 6' 2" · 195 lbs | JR · 1 elig | Plantation, FL |
| #23 | Dylan Day | DB | 6' 2" · 185 lbs | JR · 1 elig | Baton Rouge, LA |
| #24 | Ethan O'Connor | DB | 6' 1" · 180 lbs | JR · 1 elig | Irvine, CA |
| #29 | Romanas Frederique Jr. | DB | 6' 0" · 185 lbs | JR · 1 elig | Deerfield Beach, FL |
| #35 | Monroe Ingraham | DB | 5' 9" · 180 lbs | JR · 1 elig | Miami, FL |
| #6 | Xavier Lucas | DB | 6' 2" · 198 lbs | JR · 1 elig | Pompano Beach, FL |
| #7 | Zechariah Poyser | DB | 6' 2" · 200 lbs | JR · 1 elig | Wildwood, FL |
| #16 | Ja'Boree Antoine | DB | 6' 1" · 180 lbs | SO · 2 elig | New Iberia, LA |
| #27 | Ryan Mack | DB | 5' 11" · 175 lbs | SO · 2 elig | Fort Lauderdale, FL |
| #3 | Bryce Fitzgerald | DB | 6' 1" · 185 lbs | SO · 2 elig | Miami, FL |
| #47 | Stone Stroud | DB | 5' 8" · 160 lbs | SO · 2 elig | Coral Gables, FL |
| #15 | Brody Jennings | DB | 6' 1" · 185 lbs | FR · 3 elig | Jacksonville, FL |
| #20 | Chris Ewald Jr. | DB | 6' 1" · 175 lbs | FR · 3 elig | Sunrise, FL |
| #21 | Camdin Portis | DB | 5' 11" · 175 lbs | FR · 3 elig | Charlotte, NC |
| #25 | JJ Dunnigan | DB | 6' 3" · 205 lbs | FR · 3 elig | Manhattan, KS |
| #37 | Cortez Redding | DB | 5' 11" · 170 lbs | FR · 3 elig | Jonesboro, GA |
| K — 2 players | |||||
| #82 | Jack Olsen | K | 5' 10" · 195 lbs | Senior | Wheaton, IL |
| #97 | Will Rocha | K | 5' 11" · 185 lbs | JR · 1 elig | Mandeville, LA |
| P — 2 players | |||||
| #94 | Dylan Joyce | P | 6' 2" · 215 lbs | Senior | Kyabram, Australia |
| #96 | Tucker Tevepaugh | P | 5' 11" · 200 lbs | SO · 2 elig | Bluffton, SC |
| LS — 1 players | |||||
| #46 | Adam Booker | LS | 6' 4" · 215 lbs | Senior | Holly Springs, NC |
Projected 2026 Depth Chart
Late-August 2026 projection. Ourlads is weighted as the primary current two-deep source; 247Sports/InsideTheU, Miami Herald, Sun Sentinel, CanesWarning, and State of The U are supporting context. This is not an official Miami depth chart.
| Pos | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th / rotation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Offense — Air Raid | ||||
| WR-X | Joshua Moore (SO) | Vandrevius Jacobs (RS JR/TR) | — | — |
| WR-Z | Cooper Barkate (GR/TR) | Daylyn Upshaw (RS FR) | — | — |
| WR-SL | Malachi Toney (SO) | Vance Spafford (FR) | — | — |
| LT | Samson Okunlola (RS JR) | Jaden Wilkerson (RS FR) | Jacob Hawks (SO/TR) | — |
| LG | Max Buchanan (SO) | Seuseu Alofaituli (SO) | Johnathan Cline (RS JR/TR) | — |
| C | Ryan Rodriguez (RS SR) | Rhys Woodrow (FR) | — | — |
| RG | Jackson Cantwell (FR) | Ben Congdon (FR) | Jamal Meriweather (RS JR/TR) | — |
| RT | Matthew McCoy (RS SR) | Juan Minaya (RS SO) | — | — |
| TE | Elija Lofton (JR) | Gavin Mueller (FR) | Luka Gilbert (SO) | Owen Ruskavich (RS JR) |
| QB | Darian Mensah (RS JR/TR) | Luke Nickel (RS FR) | Judd Anderson (RS SO) | — |
| RB | Mark Fletcher Jr. (SR) | CharMar Brown (RS JR/TR) | Girard Pringle Jr. (SO) | Jordan Lyle (JR) |
| Defense — 4-2-5 | ||||
| LDE | Damon Wilson II (SR/TR) | Armondo Blount (JR) | — | — |
| NT | Justin Scott (JR) | Keona Davis (JR/TR) | — | — |
| DT | Ahmad Moten Sr. (RS SR) | Jarquez Carter (SO/TR) | — | — |
| RDE | Marquise Lightfoot (JR) | Herbert Scroggins III (SO) | Booker Pickett Jr. (RS SO) | — |
| WLB | Chase Smith (RS SR) | Cam Pruitt (JR) | — | — |
| MLB | Mohamed Toure (RS SR/TR) | Kamal Bonner (RS JR/TR) | Kellen Wiley Jr. (RS FR) | — |
| LCB | Romanas Frederique Jr. (JR) | Damari Brown (RS JR) | Chris Ewald Jr. (RS FR) | — |
| SS | Bryce Fitzgerald (SO) | JJ Dunnigan (FR) | — | — |
| FS | Zechariah Poyser (RS JR/TR) | Dylan Day (JR) | — | — |
| RCB | Xavier Lucas (JR/TR) | Ethan O'Connor (RS JR/TR) | Ja'Boree Antoine (SO) | — |
| NB | Omar Thornton (JR/TR) | Camdin Portis (FR) | Isaiah Taylor (GR/TR) | — |
| Special Teams | ||||
| PT | Dylan Joyce (SR) | Tucker Tevepaugh (RS SO) | — | — |
| PK | Jack Olsen (GR/TR) | Jake Weinberg (RS SO/TR) | Will Rocha (RS JR) | — |
| KO | Jake Weinberg (RS SO/TR) | Jack Olsen (GR/TR) | Will Rocha (RS JR) | — |
| LS | Adam Booker (RS SR/TR) | Vance Diepenbrock (FR) | — | — |
| H | Dylan Joyce (SR) | Tucker Tevepaugh (RS SO) | — | — |
| PR | Malachi Toney (SO) | — | — | — |
| KR | Girard Pringle Jr. (SO) | Jordan Lyle (JR) | — | — |
Projection source ledger
- Ourlads — primary current projection scraped daily · 08/23/2026 4:03PM ET
- 247Sports / InsideTheU — fall-camp projection · 2026-07-25
- Miami Herald — position-by-position context · 2026-08-16
- Sun Sentinel — position preview context · 2026-06-25
- CanesWarning — two-deep projection · 2026-08-05
- State of The U — WR-room context · 2026-08-07
FLSportsDesk.com Briefing
With no games played, the standings question is a season-path outlook, and the answer is favorable: Miami is priced as the clear ACC favorite and a top-seven national contender, and the schedule shape makes that favorite status reasonable rather than hype.
With zero games played, the read comes from path and pricing. Archived June futures made Miami the ACC favorite at -140, far clear of SMU (+700) and Louisville (+750), and priced the Canes seventh nationally at +1100 to +1200. The slate backs the optimism — one ranked opponent, seven home games, a soft November close — so the plausible range runs from ACC champion to a two-loss contender needing one road hinge to break its way. Treat the market data as a snapshot roughly two months old, not a live line.
The futures snapshot is archived June 2026 — roughly two months stale — and camp developments since are not priced.
Refreshed futures once depth charts and camp injuries settle, and Miami's record entering the Notre Dame game.
Top 25 + ACC Table
AP Top 25
ACC Standings
FLSportsDesk.com Briefing
The 2025 numbers describe an efficient, turnover-winning passing team with a disruptive defense and an average run game, and the Week 1 matchup against Stanford is a statistical mismatch in Miami's favor if last year's form carries.
Miami's 2025 profile was efficient and opportunistic: 71.7% completions at 8.2 yards per attempt, a plus-10 turnover margin, 50 sacks and 16 interceptions on defense. The run game lagged at 4.3 per carry — the acknowledged soft spot. Week 1 sets up as a mismatch: Stanford managed 19 points and 2.6 yards per rush while allowing 41 sacks in 2025, and its defense made only 3 interceptions. All of it is prior-season context, not a 2026 prediction.
These are 2025 numbers; the 2026 team mixes new quarterback-receiver chemistry and portal additions the data cannot capture.
Whether 2026 yards per carry clears the 4.3 benchmark, and whether Stanford's 2025 sack vulnerability shows up immediately against the reworked Miami front.
Outcomes + Scoring
No completed 2026 games. Points per drive and scoring margin activate after a valid sample.
Possession Control
Turnover margin, third down, red zone, and penalty rates require game-level data.
Explosiveness
Explosive-play rate and opponent-adjusted efficiency require the CFBD statistical feed.
CanesInSight Front Page
- 4-star 2028 WR Tyree Mannings Jr. Trims Recruitment List, Includes Miami
- RAW's Duasso breaks down the next wave of elite prospects and Miami commits
- Darian Mensah Named to Manning Award Watch List
- Miami Hurricanes WR room: An elite duo and misconceptions on WR3
- Mario Cristobal Talks Darian Mensah, Miami’s Progress Through Fall Camp
Hurricanes Wire
- These 5 transfer portal additions will define Miami football season - Yahoo Sports
These 5 transfer portal additions will define Miami football season Yahoo Sports
- [560 WQAM] - JRS- Dolphins Buzz, NFL Updates, Heat Introduce Klay Thompson
Wednesday’s Joe Rose Show is packed with the latest Dolphins buzz and NFL updates, including Miami’s roster and preseason storylines. The guys also break dow...
- [USA Today] - Record predictions for every college football team in 2026: Who will win each conference?
USA TODAY Sports has culled through depth charts and schedules to predict the final records for every team in the Football Bowl Subdivision.
- [The Miami Hurricane] - Former Miami WR Cam Vaughn files lawsuit against UM and NCAA
Former Miami Hurricanes wide receiver Cam Vaughn has filed a lawsuit against the University of Miami and the NCAA in Miami-Dade County, seeking a ruling to enter the NCAA transfer portal. “On August 17, 2026, Miami dismissed Cam and cancelled his scholarship w
- Former Miami WR Cam Vaughn files lawsuit against school seeking to enter NCAA transfer portal - On3
Former Miami WR Cam Vaughn files lawsuit against school seeking to enter NCAA transfer portal On3
More reporting (5)
- What Are the Floor and Ceiling for the Miami Hurricanes This Season? Just a Minute
It would be the perfect storybook season that makes everything Mario Cristobal has been hunting and searching for come true. Miami would return to being a national powerhouse.
- 3 Miami Hurricanes Who Could See Their 2027 NFL Draft Stock Skyrocket
- Five underrated Hurricanes who will play big roles in 2026 - Sun Sentinel
Five underrated Hurricanes who will play big roles in 2026 Sun Sentinel
- ACC Announces Volleyball Players of the Week
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (theACC.com) - Pitt’s Olivia Babcock was named the Atlantic Coast Conference Offensive Player of the Week, while Louisville’s Payton Petersen was tabbed the ACC Defensive Player of the Week. Pitt’s Izzy Starck was named the ACC Setter of the We
- ACC Football Kicks Off with Five Teams in Action in Week 0
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (theACC.com) – The 2026 Atlantic Coast Conference football season kicks off Saturday, August 29, with four games across three networks, highlighted by an international opener and the nation’s only Week 0 conference matchup.
Extra Web Pulls
- Miami Hurricanes News, Rumors, Analysis, Recruiting & More - Canes Warning
Find the latest Miami news, analysis, rumors, transfer portal, recruiting, NIL and more from the experts at Canes Warning.
- 2026 Miami Hurricanes Football Transfers - On3.com
2026 Miami Hurricanes football team transfers list.
- Hurricanes News Today - Latest Miami Hurricanes Updates
Breaking Miami Hurricanes news updated every 15 minutes. Latest on ACC football, basketball and Canes updates.
- InsideTheU Home - Miami Hurricanes Football & Recruiting
Stay informed on Miami Hurricanes sports, recruiting, transfers, and more with the latest updates from 247Sports.
- Miami Hurricanes Football Recruiting News, Rumors, Transfer Portal - CW
Find the latest Miami Hurricanes football recruiting news, analysis, rumors, transfer portal, NIL and more from the experts at Canes Warning.
- Transfer WR Cam Vaughn dismissed from Miami Hurricanes football team
Miami football has dismissed transfer receiver Cam Vaughn, Hurricanes coach Mario Cristobal confirmed Monday, Aug. 17. Cristobal announced the decision during an appearance on "The Joe Rose Show ...
Depth Chart Discovery
- CanesWarning football: active · analysis desk · 5 links · 5796 chars
- State of The U football: active · analysis desk · 30 links · 47217 chars
- Ourlads Miami category URL: error · depth desk · 1 link · 291 chars
- Ourlads NCAAF category: active · depth desk · 30 links · 80667 chars
- Miami Herald UM category: active · local desk · 30 links · 23156 chars
More reporting (9)
- Sun Sentinel Miami Hurricanes: active · local desk · 25 links · 60355 chars
- CanesInSight front page: active · news desk · 30 links · 28501 chars
- Miami Hurricanes official football: active · official desk · 30 links · 24852 chars
- 247Sports / InsideTheU: active · recruiting desk · 30 links · 49315 chars
- CanesInSight recruiting forum: active · recruiting desk · 8 links · 907 chars
- On3 Miami Hurricanes: active · recruiting desk · 2 links · 616 chars
- SearXNG: blocked · result(s) · upstream engines blocked
- Firecrawl search: active · 8 result(s)
- Resolved chart: current Ourlads Miami chart
Canes X Wire
- Miami Hurricanes Football on X: "Darian Mensah has been named to the ... — Miami Hurricanes Football @CanesFootball Darian Mensah has been named to the 2026 Manning Award Preseason
Miami Hurricanes Football on X: "Darian Mensah has been named to the ... — Miami Hurricanes Football @CanesFootball Darian Mensah has been named to the 2026 Manning Award Preseason
Football Recruiting Forum Pulse
- Brysen Wright WR MandarinCHATTER
Brysen Wright is a future 4* or 5* WR at Mandarin. He’s a freshman and had 3 catches 69 yds and 2 TDs in his first game of his high school career. At 6-3 200lbs
- On Myson Johnson-CookCHATTER
Miami is obviously heartbroken. Myson Johnson-Cook has rare physical tools and they spent a lot of time recruiting him. But this ultimately came down to GM Denn
- Maui "Walter" Tonata 5* OT from Orem, UT (Orem HS)CHATTER
MIrabal offered today. Seems to be rapidly rising up the rankings as he camps. Currently the #1 IOL in the nation, #1 recruit in UT for the 28 cycle. https://24
- National High School Football 2026 SeasonCHATTER
As @Memnon said, time to fire up the new year's thread. Start it off with some Georgia HSFB powers getting slapped around in preseason and kickoff classics.
- Xavien "Dully" Littleton 3* TE from Douglas, GA (Coffee HS)CHATTER
The announcers said it best Xavien "is a problem". No UM offer at this point, but Tucker is reposting his highlights so I'm guessing a Canes offer is not far of
More reporting (3)
- Gator TearsCHATTER
When does Mac realize... "He's still proud of himself for the ******, borderline top 10 class he managed to slide in to a few months ago. Back to lazy bull****
- Dennis Tua’one 4* WR from Provo, UT (Timpview HS)CHATTER
Although he lives in Utah, Dennis has South Florida ties and has been a die-hard Canes fan since he was little (3). Got an offer today and plays for Raw. https:
- Justin Suega 4* WR from Federal Way, WA (Federal Way HS)CHATTER
Justin was offered today (August 25, 2026) and the offer was reposted by Tucker so this will be a recruitment to monitor. Appears to be his 8th offer so we're v