Wide Receiver
With the 2025 offseason, Miami saw the departure of Xavier Restrepo, Jacolby George, Isaiah Horton, and Sam Brown Jr. These four players combined for 214 receptions, 3,004 yards, and 26 touchdowns in 2024.
Replacing the previous contributors will be sophomore Joshisa Trader, redshirt senior CJ Daniels, redshirt senior Tony Johnson, redshirt senior Keelan Marion, and junior Ray Ray Joseph.
Trader was a top 50 prospect in the 2024 class. Daniels was extremely productive for Liberty in 2023 before having a disappointing season at LSU. Johnson is coming off two straight productive seasons at Cincinnati. Marion totaled 346 yards and 1 touchdown for BYU in 2024. Joseph has seen limited playing time during his two seasons at Miami.
With Carson Beck under center, the Hurricanes will be looking to attack defenses through the air. The growth of this wide receiver group will be paramount for the Canes’ success.
Secondary
Jaden Harris, Mishael Powell, D’Yoni Hill, and Daryl Porter Jr were the most productive defensive backs on the Hurricanes last season. None of these players return in 2025.
Head coach Mario Cristobal turned to the transfer portal to fill the secondary for the upcoming season. The Canes added projected starters Ethan O’Connor, Jakobe Thomas, Zechariah Poyser, Xavier Lucas, and Charles Brantley. In total, Miami added 6 transfers to the DB room.
O’Connor, Poyser, and Brantley were productive for their previous schools and should be able to perform well for the Canes in the upcoming season.
For Miami, the bigger question for the program should be, “Why can Mario Cristobal and his staff not recruit elite DBs out of high school?” In the past four recruiting cycles, the state of Florida has produced 7 composite 5-star DBs. Not one of these 5-stars is on Miami’s roster. Miami should not need to acquire 6 DB transfers going into Cristobal’s 4th season.
Scoring Defense
Miami finished the 2024 season ranked 70th in the country in points allowed per game, allowing 25.3 points per game. The Canes had the 13th-worst scoring defense among Power 4 teams.
In the Canes’ 3 losses, they gave up 37 points per game. They also had multiple one-score wins, which included scores of 39-38, 38-34, and 52-45.
In the last 4 recruiting cycles, Miami has finished with recruiting rankings of 14th, 4th, 7th, and 16th. That’s an average recruiting ranking of 10.25. During those four cycles, Miami has recruited 30 blue-chip defensive recruits.
So, where is the defensive output? Virginia Tech, California, Louisville, Duke, Syracuse, and Iowa State combined to score 38.7 points per game against Miami.
Heading into 2025, Mario Cristobal hired new defensive coordinator Corey Hetherman to help solve these problems.
Mario Cristobal’s Future
Over the last 2 seasons, Miami is 1-5 against teams ranked in the final College Football Playoff top 25. The Canes have allowed 31.5 points per game in those six games.
On paper, the Canes should have a top-12 roster in 2025, including the #3 transfer portal class in this past cycle. The only two teams on Miami’s schedule that should have higher graded rosters are Notre Dame and Florida. The Canes will host both of those teams at home.
Cristobal has done a good job of building the Canes’ roster since his first season in 2022. However, Miami fans need results now. Miami’s combination of coaching staff, recruiting talent, and friendly schedule should provide the Canes with a clear path to the College Football Playoff.
If the team disappoints again in 2025, we might hear some rumblings involving Mario Cristobal’s future.
