Miami Hurricanes already named top transfer portal winner this offseason

Trinton Breeze

Wednesday at 3:52 PM 2 min read

On3’s Pete Nakos says Miami won the transfer portal this offseason. Hard to argue.

This isn’t a rebuild. It’s a reload.

Miami went straight to the top of the board and came away with Duke quarterback Darian Mensah, the No. 6 QB in the portal. That’s now three straight cycles where Mario Cristobal has landed a high-end quarterback out of the portal.

The offense should be loaded again next season. The entire running back room is back, and Mensah didn’t come alone. His top target at Duke, Cooper Barkate, followed him to Coral Gables. Miami also added Cam Vaughn (West Virginia) and Dre Jacobs (South Carolina) to the receiver room.

Up front, the Hurricanes hit the portal for help on the offensive line, adding 6-foot-7 Jamal Meriweather as they rework the group.

Defensively, Miami restocked across the board.

Damon Wilson headlines the additions up front. The Missouri EDGE finished third in the SEC last season with nine sacks and led the Tigers in QB hurries. With Rueben Bain Jr. and Akheem Mesidor off to the NFL, Wilson should be asked to contribute right away. Miami also brought in Keona Davis and Jarquez Carter to add depth to the defensive line.

In the secondary, Omar Thornton comes over from Boston College and looks like a Day 1 starter after an 82-tackle season. Conrad Hussey adds another body at safety.

All told, six of Miami’s portal commits rank inside the Top 100 of the 247Sports transfer rankings.

According to On3, the Hurricanes already won the portal. Now they’ll try to cash it in.

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Handsome Squidbum

Wednesday at 3:54 PM

Trinton Breeze said:
On3’s Pete Nakos says Miami won the transfer portal this offseason. Hard to argue.

This isn’t a rebuild. It’s a reload.

Miami went straight to the top of the board and came away with Duke quarterback Darian Mensah, the No. 6 QB in the portal. That’s now three straight cycles where Mario Cristobal has landed a high-end quarterback out of the portal.

The offense should be loaded again next season. The entire running back room is back, and Mensah didn’t come alone. His top target at Duke, Cooper Barkate, followed him to Coral Gables. Miami also added Cam Vaughn (West Virginia) and Dre Jacobs (South Carolina) to the receiver room.

Up front, the Hurricanes hit the portal for help on the offensive line, adding 6-foot-7 Jamal Meriweather as they rework the group.

Defensively, Miami restocked across the board.

Damon Wilson headlines the additions up front. The Missouri EDGE finished third in the SEC last season with nine sacks and led the Tigers in QB hurries. With Rueben Bain Jr. and Akheem Mesidor off to the NFL, Wilson should be asked to contribute right away. Miami also brought in Keona Davis and Jarquez Carter to add depth to the defensive line.

In the secondary, Omar Thornton comes over from Boston College and looks like a Day 1 starter after an 82-tackle season. Conrad Hussey adds another body at safety.

All told, six of Miami’s portal commits rank inside the Top 100 of the 247Sports transfer rankings.

According to On3, the Hurricanes already won the portal. Now they’ll try to cash it in.

Happy with all the moves except I think we needed more at OL.

Can't be too harsh- maybe there just wasn't a good selection available (and I wouldn't have paid 5 million for Seaton, especially given that he was among the worst offensive linemen in cfb on run blocking).

NJshoreCane

Wednesday at 3:56 PM

There you have it, you impatient bastids.

Fluffhead

Wednesday at 4:13 PM

Handsome Squidbum said:
Happy with all the moves except I think we needed more at OL.

Can't be too harsh- maybe there just wasn't a good selection available (and I wouldn't have paid 5 million for Seaton, especially given that he was among the worst offensive linemen in cfb on run blocking).

Another LB would have been nice too, but that is Heatherman's group and he has earned the benefit of doubt.

C
Cane30

Wednesday at 4:14 PM

Handsome Squidbum said:
Happy with all the moves except I think we needed more at OL.

Can't be too harsh- maybe there just wasn't a good selection available (and I wouldn't have paid 5 million for Seaton, especially given that he was among the worst offensive linemen in cfb on run blocking).

I don't know Seaton's final #, but I believe it's under $2.5 mill. We for sure, could have used his immature self and a C. I am focused on C particularly. We could be starting multiple players on the OL without a snap. We are very good everywhere else. We have players to play blocking TE. We hardly throw the TE the ball so we're good there. Just a HR portal close for Miami.

C
Caneofcanes

Wednesday at 4:26 PM

Jordan Seaton couldn’t see the forest for the trees.

Derrick Griffin

Wednesday at 4:28 PM

So…. Off season champions?

C
Combo

Wednesday at 4:32 PM

Cane30 said:
I don't know Seaton's final #, but I believe it's under $2.5 mill. We for sure, could have used his immature self and a C. I am focused on C particularly. We could be starting multiple players on the OL without a snap. We are very good everywhere else. We have players to play blocking TE. We hardly throw the TE the ball so we're good there. Just a HR portal close for Miami.

Samson, McCoy, and Rodriguez all have a fair amount of snaps under their belts. We'll have a dropoff on OL play, but I don't think it's as bad as some posters make it to be. Obviously injuries could derail things.

clg003

Wednesday at 4:33 PM

Trinton Breeze said:
On3’s Pete Nakos says Miami won the transfer portal this offseason. Hard to argue.

This isn’t a rebuild. It’s a reload.

Miami went straight to the top of the board and came away with Duke quarterback Darian Mensah, the No. 6 QB in the portal. That’s now three straight cycles where Mario Cristobal has landed a high-end quarterback out of the portal.

The offense should be loaded again next season. The entire running back room is back, and Mensah didn’t come alone. His top target at Duke, Cooper Barkate, followed him to Coral Gables. Miami also added Cam Vaughn (West Virginia) and Dre Jacobs (South Carolina) to the receiver room.

Up front, the Hurricanes hit the portal for help on the offensive line, adding 6-foot-7 Jamal Meriweather as they rework the group.

Defensively, Miami restocked across the board.

Damon Wilson headlines the additions up front. The Missouri EDGE finished third in the SEC last season with nine sacks and led the Tigers in QB hurries. With Rueben Bain Jr. and Akheem Mesidor off to the NFL, Wilson should be asked to contribute right away. Miami also brought in Keona Davis and Jarquez Carter to add depth to the defensive line.

In the secondary, Omar Thornton comes over from Boston College and looks like a Day 1 starter after an 82-tackle season. Conrad Hussey adds another body at safety.

All told, six of Miami’s portal commits rank inside the Top 100 of the 247Sports transfer rankings.

According to On3, the Hurricanes already won the portal. Now they’ll try to cash it in.

Try the number 1 QB in the portal... I mean assuming you know football.

DeanCane

Wednesday at 4:52 PM

Let's be realistic here. Some of ya'll just cannot get over finding something to be a mope about.

1st "Mope" Mario your QB portal recruiting is absolute garbage, you have no idea what your doing! Your process sucks
1st "Reality" we have fking nailed portal QB recruiting
2nd "Mope" Mario what are you doing on OL. We clearly need an A+ OL right now or we are cooked
2nd "Reality" Mario/Mirabol are the premier OL coaches in CFB. Have a 1st rounder and potential 1st rounder. These guys know what they have on the roster!!!
3rd "Mope" If we don't get the best LB in the portal we are screwed!
3rd "Reality" Heatherman is the man, coaches LBs and knows what's coming back. We only ever have 2 on the field

WR Cane

Wednesday at 5:05 PM

We’ll be better…

cway313

Wednesday at 5:07 PM

DeanCane said:
Let's be realistic here. Some of ya'll just cannot get over finding something to be a mope about.

1st "Mope" Mario your QB portal recruiting is absolute garbage, you have no idea what your doing! Your process sucks
1st "Reality" we have fking nailed portal QB recruiting
2nd "Mope" Mario what are you doing on OL. We clearly need an A+ OL right now or we are cooked
2nd "Reality" Mario/Mirabol are the premier OL coaches in CFB. Have a 1st rounder and potential 1st rounder. These guys know what they have on the roster!!!
3rd "Mope" If we don't get the best LB in the portal we are screwed!
3rd "Reality" Heatherman is the man, coaches LBs and knows what's coming back. We only ever have 2 on the field

Seems exhausting, but you are doing great.

W
WndyCityCane

Wednesday at 5:16 PM

What do you think we spent this off season?

Go Canes!!

Udynasty

Wednesday at 6:58 PM

wait he rated us #1???

LexCane55

Wednesday at 7:12 PM

#6 portal QB is wild. Who are the top 5?

supacane

Wednesday at 7:27 PM

The OL freak out is probably not warranted. But its a legit question. We have bodies there. McCoy and Samson are 4th and 5th year guys, so is Merriweather. That might be 2 guards and a LT, they you add the #1 OL from high school, that's your RT. Now u need a center say Rodriguez. There is your starting 5 hypothetically

So Rodriguez, Center, Pancake LT, McCoy LG, Merriweather RG, Cantwell RT.

Doesn't seem like a overmatched OL to me and unlike last season we dont start with the toughest part of our schedule. They have time to gell.

We had a generational OL in the sense of you had a bunch of highly ranked players with a ton of starts and a ton of starts together. Francis and Cooper started 3 years together like best man and groom at a wedding.

You couldn't fool them with stunts and blitzes.

I remember the worries about Bell when he got beat by the VT DE early. Now he about to be drafted. Guys will step up.

407cane

Wednesday at 11:39 PM

just hilarious they have 5 QBs including Lagway and raiola above Mensah

Golsen82

Wednesday at 11:59 PM

Derrick Griffin said:
So…. Off season champions?

JHallCanes

Thursday at 12:06 AM

Handsome Squidbum said:
Happy with all the moves except I think we needed more at OL.

Can't be too harsh- maybe there just wasn't a good selection available (and I wouldn't have paid 5 million for Seaton, especially given that he was among the worst offensive linemen in cfb on run blocking).

Agreed. I don’t want to get in the easy excuse making mode but with the OL we know if it was there to be had, Mario would have done it. I don’t think Seaton was very realistic. Kid is a flake to me I never put much stock into him visiting or coming here

OL would normally be a huge concern but just feels like they’ll get it figured out. Wouldn’t surprise me to see a late addition to the room as well

ssvir

Thursday at 12:17 AM

Trinton Breeze said:
On3’s Pete Nakos says Miami won the transfer portal this offseason. Hard to argue.

This isn’t a rebuild. It’s a reload.

Miami went straight to the top of the board and came away with Duke quarterback Darian Mensah, the No. 6 QB in the portal. That’s now three straight cycles where Mario Cristobal has landed a high-end quarterback out of the portal.

The offense should be loaded again next season. The entire running back room is back, and Mensah didn’t come alone. His top target at Duke, Cooper Barkate, followed him to Coral Gables. Miami also added Cam Vaughn (West Virginia) and Dre Jacobs (South Carolina) to the receiver room.

Up front, the Hurricanes hit the portal for help on the offensive line, adding 6-foot-7 Jamal Meriweather as they rework the group.

Defensively, Miami restocked across the board.

Damon Wilson headlines the additions up front. The Missouri EDGE finished third in the SEC last season with nine sacks and led the Tigers in QB hurries. With Rueben Bain Jr. and Akheem Mesidor off to the NFL, Wilson should be asked to contribute right away. Miami also brought in Keona Davis and Jarquez Carter to add depth to the defensive line.

In the secondary, Omar Thornton comes over from Boston College and looks like a Day 1 starter after an 82-tackle season. Conrad Hussey adds another body at safety.

All told, six of Miami’s portal commits rank inside the Top 100 of the 247Sports transfer rankings.

According to On3, the Hurricanes already won the portal. Now they’ll try to cash it in.