On today's CanesInSight Podcast, Pete and I broke down the three players we were most excited to watch tomorrow at the spring game. A transcript of that discussion is below:
DMoney: “Pete, I wanted to go through three players we’re excited to see tomorrow — guys who have been flashing so we want everybody else to get their eyes on them, and also guys we want to see respond to the bright lights.
“To me, the first one that jumps to mind is Javian Mallory. Running back is such a tough position to fully evaluate during practice because you’re hitting, even in full pads, but you’re not taking guys to the ground. So with a running back, you don’t really know how the balance is going to translate, how he’s going to break tackles, how he’s going to react and play fast when there are truly live bullets. It’s such an instinctive position.
“Mallory has consistently flashed, including in the scrimmage last week when they could tackle. Now everybody’s going to get to see what he can do. Girard Pringle had a huge spring game last year that kind of springboarded him into a good season, and I’m very excited to see what Mallory can do. He’s a smooth runner, natural, he’s got size, and he catches the ball with his hands. To me, he’s a player who, if you needed him to play right away, could start. I really think if you put him at a place like Wake Forest and said, ‘You’re the starter,’ he could go rush for 1,000 yards this year. That’s how ready I think he is. It’s a crowded room and there’s a lot of competition, but the size, the running style, the hands — they’ve been calling him baby Gore.”
Peter Ariz: [Laugs] “Who has called him that?"
DMoney: "I’ll tell you an anecdote. I’ve been comparing him to older Frank Gore. Not nine-yard-carry Frank Gore as a freshman, but older, maybe a little heavier, still productive, very smooth Frank Gore. I saw Mallory at the Miami Hurricane Team Store with Harry Rothwell and mentioned that, and Mallory said, ‘Man, that’s what everybody’s been saying.’ So I don’t know if he’s hearing that from people back home, from people on the team, from coaches, from the Mike Rumphs of the world, I don’t know. But there are definitely similarities. I’ll let you guys and everybody else be the judge.”
"He can also catch, and honestly he probably has the best hands of all the running backs. So Pete, who’s your guy?”
Peter Ariz: “I’m going to go with an offensive lineman. I’m going with Max Buchanan. It’s not a name we’ve mentioned enough this spring because he’s probably in line to start at right guard right now. For the stuff I see during practice, I don’t get to see a ton of the trenches during team stuff, so that’s somebody I’m interested to see up close against guys who are really going to test him.
“Right now it looks like the starting line is going to be Jackson Cantwell at left tackle, Samson Okunlola back at left guard, Ryan Rodriguez at center, Buchanan at right guard, and Matt McCoy at right tackle. It seems pretty clear-cut right now. I know they’re still cross-training some guys, but that looks like the five. Buchanan has gotten a lot of rave reviews inside the building. Near the end of last year, there was already talk that if they got in a real pinch, he probably could have been ready to go. I’m looking forward to seeing him.”
DMoney: “Yeah, Mario said that in a press conference — that by the end of last season, if they needed to play Buchanan, they would have felt very comfortable doing it. Thankfully, they were kind of jammed up there in a good way with McCoy, Samson and Buchanan.
“I agree with you that Samson at left guard makes the most sense. He’s a wrestler. But I could see Ben Congdon splitting reps with someone. We saw them do that at left guard last year. Congdon has been getting reps at guard, and size-wise he’s obviously huge, but the flexibility and bend are there too. That could be an interesting situation as we get into the season — getting multiple guys ready so if there is an injury, you can shift pieces around more easily.
Peter Ariz: “We saw that with Markel Bell and the Jalen Rivers situation. They started getting Bell ready, Rivers goes down, and now Bell has less of a learning curve. It’s something we’ve seen every year. Center is a little harder to do that with, but at guard and tackle, absolutely.”
DMoney: “I agree totally. And Congdon yesterday was rag-dolling people on the second team. I was just isolating on him and thinking, man, this guy is going to be so good. He’s so big, so flexible, and he can get under guys. I’m not an offensive line expert, but I always watch how low bigger guys can get in their stance and how they’re able to play under people, and he can do that.
Peter Ariz: “And here’s a little secret of how it works, guys: if they’re letting him do interviews already with the media, he’s probably going to play this year.”
DMoney: “He’s definitely going to play. He also potentially could give you something as a jumbo tight end type. I don’t mean lining up and running routes. I mean more like what Ryan Rodriguez did last year — jumbo sets, unbalanced lines, getting your best guys on the field. Sometimes one of your best athletes is your huge offensive lineman from Ohio.
“One thing on Samson before we leave that topic: he’s going to get a chance to play tackle in practice. He’s done it before, he has experience there, and he probably is going to be your swing tackle. We’ll see what Jamal Meriweather becomes, and we’ll see on Joel Irvin once he’s back healthy. But right now I think it’s Cantwell and McCoy for sure, then you see who pushes behind them. If Samson becomes your backup left tackle and, God forbid, Cantwell misses a game, then Okunlola could kick outside and your left guard could become Congdon. S.J. Alofaituli has also been getting reps there and doing a really good job with Samson out — better than a lot of people think. If you ask the coaches who’s had a great spring, S.J. is going to be high on that list.
“But on Buchanan, Pete, he’s probably the player I’m least concerned about on the entire offensive line. I think Buchanan is going to be A1, high quality, zero worries.
“Now going back to the skill positions, the next guy I’m watching is someone I was worried about as a recruit — not because I didn’t believe in the talent, but because I saw multiple high schools, suspension, just a pattern of unavailability you don’t love, even if it wasn’t anything major. Then he comes all the way from Visalia, California, to Miami and still needs to gain weight and do a lot of things. But everything I’ve seen has me not just less worried, but over-the-moon excited. That’s Izzy Briggs, the four-star tight end.
“He’s put on at least 15 to 20 pounds. I’d guess he’s around 220 now at 6-foot-4. And he has consistently made plays. We knew he was a great athlete, but when you see him in person, you realize just how good of an athlete he really is. Even with the receivers, he’s out there running and getting out of breaks. He can really run and change direction.
“And I think the thing maybe we didn’t play up enough is that he has great football instincts. He played corner at times in high school, returned kicks, took handoffs, played receiver, blocked, played defensive end — he did everything. Those instincts have translated to Greentree. He’s also a really good seven-on-seven player, so he had more experience in the receiving part of the position than maybe someone like Brock Schott did coming in.
“When I watch him move, body type-wise and athleticism-wise, I see some Evan Engram from Ole Miss. I looked at Engram’s combine numbers — he was basically the same size.”
Peter Ariz: “Do you think he’s as fast as that? Engram ran 4.42. That’s a lot.”
DMoney: “That’s a different level of speed, but maybe he ends up there. Go look at Briggs’ highlights — he’s going 99 yards on handoffs, taking kickoffs to the house. He had a 60-yard touchdown against our first-team defense last week on a straight go ball. He can run. He’s really athletic, really dynamic, and I’ve just been impressed with how consistently he makes plays. He’s not just a raw athlete. He can really play football.”
Peter Ariz: “I’m with it. The blocking is still something you continue to watch. Yesterday he had one rep where J.J. Edwards ran right through his face. That was a good rep by J.J. But Briggs has shown me more anchor than I thought he’d have at this stage. I’m with you there.
“And there’s opportunity at tight end. Mario has said it multiple times this spring. We’ve talked about it too — linebacker and tight end are still the two rooms where you ask if they’re championship caliber right now, and I don’t know that they are. At linebacker, maybe if the top two guys stay healthy, but those are also guys with injury histories. So you need the young players behind them to step up before you’re forced into it. Those are two rooms that everybody should keep an eye on tomorrow because there are reps available.”
DMoney: “A hundred percent. And at tight end, man, you almost wish you had a Cam McCormick type back in the room — just that veteran presence, because the room feels a little thin. But the young guys are super athletic.
“So Pete, who’s your number two guy?”
Peter Ariz: “This might be my most interesting guy for a couple of reasons: Ryan Mack. You talk about a guy who’s going to approach this like a real game — and you hope everyone does — but he hasn’t played in a game in his two years at Miami because of injuries. He redshirted too. He’s approached this spring really well. I think he’s had one of the better springs out there.
“He’s a guy who could have easily entered the portal, and I give Miami credit for sticking by him too. He’s gotten a real opportunity here to be a nickel. I love the size he brings, the twitch, and it looks like he’s got some ball skills. It’s hard to fully know until the games matter, but I think he’s a willing tackler too. I’m excited because we haven’t seen him, and now he’s going to get a chance. I think he’s going to be approaching this like a full game, and I think he’s someone who’s going to get some playing time this year.”
DMoney: “That’s a great one because you’re right — for him, this is the Super Bowl. You see the athleticism, but I think the tackling is the thing you want to see become a real strength of his game. That feisty nickel, feisty outside corner type — that South Florida style. This defensive back room overall, Pete, even with some guys banged up this spring, has been so deep and impressive. O.J. Frederique was banged up a lot, Damari Brown was banged up, I don’t think you’ll see those guys tomorrow, but nothing long-term. Even with those guys missing, I haven’t seen the DB room this deep in a long time.”
Peter Ariz: “Agreed. And there are young guys there pushing for playing time. Jaboree Antoine is one of them. I think Chris Ewald belongs in the same conversation as Mack too — another guy who I think is good enough to play this year, but playing time and game reps are different than what you see in practice. Tomorrow you get a little bit more of that.
“And look, the first half of this thing is probably going to be more practice than full game, so maybe we’re putting the cart before the horse a little bit. But even if they do one-on-ones in front of the whole crowd, that’s still a high-stress environment. We’ll get to see how guys respond.”
“The one-on-ones have been great viewing every practice, especially with the quarterbacks. I’ve said that about Dereon Coleman, for example. Is he ready to play in a game this year? No. But he can spin it and place the ball beautifully in one-on-one situations. Judd Anderson has made big improvement. Luke Nickel is in a really good spot to be the backup. It just looks a lot better than it did last year from a pure thrower standpoint.
DMoney: “I know the coaching staff really liked Emory Williams, and that’s why he got most of the second-team reps, maybe to the detriment of some of the younger guys. But personally, I like this current crop of quarterbacks better in terms of upside because they can do more athletically. They have more mobility, and I think that matters in a real game.
“But sticking with DB, the guy I’m laser-focused on — and I think he’s going to play a lot — is Brody Jennings out of Jacksonville. We’ve talked about him on the show before. At Mandarin, a really good program, he was just incredibly consistent. He made a ton of plays. He’s got size. His dad was a big-time linebacker, his brothers were big linebackers, so he’s the smaller one of the family as a corner, but he’s still a bigger corner. Great footwork, really natural corner footwork, and then every highlight feels like an interception. Great ball skills, and he tackled too.
“The only question with Brody coming out was speed. Can he run enough to stay at outside corner, or do you eventually move him to nickel or safety? I think he could play those other spots and be very successful. Jaboree is kind of in the same boat — I think he could play multiple spots too. They’re both physical guys. But I’ve been very impressed with what Jennings has done at outside corner. He’s been very natural there. He can turn, he can run, and he can find the ball, which not all young corners can do.”
Peter Ariz: “I will say, a walk-on beat him for a touchdown today and people were going crazy. Judd was going wild. I mentioned it in the post-practice show. But special teams right away, absolutely. And D, people might look at some of these guys and say, ‘What does it matter? Fifth corner, sixth corner.’ But Jaboree Antoine was playing in the national semifinal last year for Miami as a guy who basically hadn’t played all season. He was hurt in spring, barely got many reps during the season, then all of a sudden he’s out there in a huge game.
“That’s big-boy football. You’ve got a 16- or 17-game season, and these guys matter.”
DMoney: “And that’s why we’re talking more about younger guys than veterans. We kind of know what some of the older guys are. It’ll be fun for people to see Darian Mensah in a Miami uniform for the first time, and I know what Cooper Barkate can do after that long catch-and-run yesterday. Obviously Malachi Toney is always fun too. But remember last year — people were still talking about adding another slot before the spring game, and then Toney was so good in that game that you didn't want to block his progression. We saw what happened. He became one of the best players in the country. These spring-game flashes matter.
“So Pete, who’s your third guy?”
Peter Ariz: “I’m going with Kellen Wiley. He was kind of our guy all offseason. There were a lot of veterans in that room last year — Wesley Bissainthe had a great season, and then you’re still talking about Mohanad Toure and Chase Smith. But when Mario Cristobal says he wants certain young guys to step up in that room, I think he’s talking about Kellen because he knows what he’s capable of.
“He brings a pass-rush skill set that Smith and Toure obviously have right now, but if it really hits, I think Kellen gives you something even crazier. He could legitimately be a stand-up outside linebacker/pass rusher type if that’s the role. If this linebacker room is going to be as good as it can be, they need Kellen Wiley to become that player. I believe he can do it, and I think you do too. But like Ryan Mack and some of these other young guys, this is as close to a game situation as you’re going to get.
“Linebacker is like running back in that way. How much are you really seeing in practice? This is where you get to see instincts, tackling, play speed, all of that a little more.”
DMoney: “Exactly. Linebacker is such an instinctive position. In a lot of the practice periods we see, it’s run situations, install, the defense already knows what’s coming, and guys are being coached into their assignment. It’s harder to see pure instincts there.
“When I make these comparisons, I’m talking about usage, not saying he’s going to become those players. You look at an Arvell Reese at Ohio State or a Jalon Walker at Georgia. I’m not saying he’s going to be a top-10 pick. I’m saying the way you’d potentially use Kellen if he keeps developing is similar — some edge, some off-ball linebacker, impacting the pass game as a rusher while also running around and chasing plays down. That’s the type of deployment you could envision for him.
DMoney: “Pete, I wanted to go through three players we’re excited to see tomorrow — guys who have been flashing so we want everybody else to get their eyes on them, and also guys we want to see respond to the bright lights.
“To me, the first one that jumps to mind is Javian Mallory. Running back is such a tough position to fully evaluate during practice because you’re hitting, even in full pads, but you’re not taking guys to the ground. So with a running back, you don’t really know how the balance is going to translate, how he’s going to break tackles, how he’s going to react and play fast when there are truly live bullets. It’s such an instinctive position.
“Mallory has consistently flashed, including in the scrimmage last week when they could tackle. Now everybody’s going to get to see what he can do. Girard Pringle had a huge spring game last year that kind of springboarded him into a good season, and I’m very excited to see what Mallory can do. He’s a smooth runner, natural, he’s got size, and he catches the ball with his hands. To me, he’s a player who, if you needed him to play right away, could start. I really think if you put him at a place like Wake Forest and said, ‘You’re the starter,’ he could go rush for 1,000 yards this year. That’s how ready I think he is. It’s a crowded room and there’s a lot of competition, but the size, the running style, the hands — they’ve been calling him baby Gore.”
Peter Ariz: [Laugs] “Who has called him that?"
DMoney: "I’ll tell you an anecdote. I’ve been comparing him to older Frank Gore. Not nine-yard-carry Frank Gore as a freshman, but older, maybe a little heavier, still productive, very smooth Frank Gore. I saw Mallory at the Miami Hurricane Team Store with Harry Rothwell and mentioned that, and Mallory said, ‘Man, that’s what everybody’s been saying.’ So I don’t know if he’s hearing that from people back home, from people on the team, from coaches, from the Mike Rumphs of the world, I don’t know. But there are definitely similarities. I’ll let you guys and everybody else be the judge.”
"He can also catch, and honestly he probably has the best hands of all the running backs. So Pete, who’s your guy?”
Peter Ariz: “I’m going to go with an offensive lineman. I’m going with Max Buchanan. It’s not a name we’ve mentioned enough this spring because he’s probably in line to start at right guard right now. For the stuff I see during practice, I don’t get to see a ton of the trenches during team stuff, so that’s somebody I’m interested to see up close against guys who are really going to test him.
“Right now it looks like the starting line is going to be Jackson Cantwell at left tackle, Samson Okunlola back at left guard, Ryan Rodriguez at center, Buchanan at right guard, and Matt McCoy at right tackle. It seems pretty clear-cut right now. I know they’re still cross-training some guys, but that looks like the five. Buchanan has gotten a lot of rave reviews inside the building. Near the end of last year, there was already talk that if they got in a real pinch, he probably could have been ready to go. I’m looking forward to seeing him.”
DMoney: “Yeah, Mario said that in a press conference — that by the end of last season, if they needed to play Buchanan, they would have felt very comfortable doing it. Thankfully, they were kind of jammed up there in a good way with McCoy, Samson and Buchanan.
“I agree with you that Samson at left guard makes the most sense. He’s a wrestler. But I could see Ben Congdon splitting reps with someone. We saw them do that at left guard last year. Congdon has been getting reps at guard, and size-wise he’s obviously huge, but the flexibility and bend are there too. That could be an interesting situation as we get into the season — getting multiple guys ready so if there is an injury, you can shift pieces around more easily.
Peter Ariz: “We saw that with Markel Bell and the Jalen Rivers situation. They started getting Bell ready, Rivers goes down, and now Bell has less of a learning curve. It’s something we’ve seen every year. Center is a little harder to do that with, but at guard and tackle, absolutely.”
DMoney: “I agree totally. And Congdon yesterday was rag-dolling people on the second team. I was just isolating on him and thinking, man, this guy is going to be so good. He’s so big, so flexible, and he can get under guys. I’m not an offensive line expert, but I always watch how low bigger guys can get in their stance and how they’re able to play under people, and he can do that.
Peter Ariz: “And here’s a little secret of how it works, guys: if they’re letting him do interviews already with the media, he’s probably going to play this year.”
DMoney: “He’s definitely going to play. He also potentially could give you something as a jumbo tight end type. I don’t mean lining up and running routes. I mean more like what Ryan Rodriguez did last year — jumbo sets, unbalanced lines, getting your best guys on the field. Sometimes one of your best athletes is your huge offensive lineman from Ohio.
“One thing on Samson before we leave that topic: he’s going to get a chance to play tackle in practice. He’s done it before, he has experience there, and he probably is going to be your swing tackle. We’ll see what Jamal Meriweather becomes, and we’ll see on Joel Irvin once he’s back healthy. But right now I think it’s Cantwell and McCoy for sure, then you see who pushes behind them. If Samson becomes your backup left tackle and, God forbid, Cantwell misses a game, then Okunlola could kick outside and your left guard could become Congdon. S.J. Alofaituli has also been getting reps there and doing a really good job with Samson out — better than a lot of people think. If you ask the coaches who’s had a great spring, S.J. is going to be high on that list.
“But on Buchanan, Pete, he’s probably the player I’m least concerned about on the entire offensive line. I think Buchanan is going to be A1, high quality, zero worries.
“Now going back to the skill positions, the next guy I’m watching is someone I was worried about as a recruit — not because I didn’t believe in the talent, but because I saw multiple high schools, suspension, just a pattern of unavailability you don’t love, even if it wasn’t anything major. Then he comes all the way from Visalia, California, to Miami and still needs to gain weight and do a lot of things. But everything I’ve seen has me not just less worried, but over-the-moon excited. That’s Izzy Briggs, the four-star tight end.
“He’s put on at least 15 to 20 pounds. I’d guess he’s around 220 now at 6-foot-4. And he has consistently made plays. We knew he was a great athlete, but when you see him in person, you realize just how good of an athlete he really is. Even with the receivers, he’s out there running and getting out of breaks. He can really run and change direction.
“And I think the thing maybe we didn’t play up enough is that he has great football instincts. He played corner at times in high school, returned kicks, took handoffs, played receiver, blocked, played defensive end — he did everything. Those instincts have translated to Greentree. He’s also a really good seven-on-seven player, so he had more experience in the receiving part of the position than maybe someone like Brock Schott did coming in.
“When I watch him move, body type-wise and athleticism-wise, I see some Evan Engram from Ole Miss. I looked at Engram’s combine numbers — he was basically the same size.”
Peter Ariz: “Do you think he’s as fast as that? Engram ran 4.42. That’s a lot.”
DMoney: “That’s a different level of speed, but maybe he ends up there. Go look at Briggs’ highlights — he’s going 99 yards on handoffs, taking kickoffs to the house. He had a 60-yard touchdown against our first-team defense last week on a straight go ball. He can run. He’s really athletic, really dynamic, and I’ve just been impressed with how consistently he makes plays. He’s not just a raw athlete. He can really play football.”
Peter Ariz: “I’m with it. The blocking is still something you continue to watch. Yesterday he had one rep where J.J. Edwards ran right through his face. That was a good rep by J.J. But Briggs has shown me more anchor than I thought he’d have at this stage. I’m with you there.
“And there’s opportunity at tight end. Mario has said it multiple times this spring. We’ve talked about it too — linebacker and tight end are still the two rooms where you ask if they’re championship caliber right now, and I don’t know that they are. At linebacker, maybe if the top two guys stay healthy, but those are also guys with injury histories. So you need the young players behind them to step up before you’re forced into it. Those are two rooms that everybody should keep an eye on tomorrow because there are reps available.”
DMoney: “A hundred percent. And at tight end, man, you almost wish you had a Cam McCormick type back in the room — just that veteran presence, because the room feels a little thin. But the young guys are super athletic.
“So Pete, who’s your number two guy?”
Peter Ariz: “This might be my most interesting guy for a couple of reasons: Ryan Mack. You talk about a guy who’s going to approach this like a real game — and you hope everyone does — but he hasn’t played in a game in his two years at Miami because of injuries. He redshirted too. He’s approached this spring really well. I think he’s had one of the better springs out there.
“He’s a guy who could have easily entered the portal, and I give Miami credit for sticking by him too. He’s gotten a real opportunity here to be a nickel. I love the size he brings, the twitch, and it looks like he’s got some ball skills. It’s hard to fully know until the games matter, but I think he’s a willing tackler too. I’m excited because we haven’t seen him, and now he’s going to get a chance. I think he’s going to be approaching this like a full game, and I think he’s someone who’s going to get some playing time this year.”
DMoney: “That’s a great one because you’re right — for him, this is the Super Bowl. You see the athleticism, but I think the tackling is the thing you want to see become a real strength of his game. That feisty nickel, feisty outside corner type — that South Florida style. This defensive back room overall, Pete, even with some guys banged up this spring, has been so deep and impressive. O.J. Frederique was banged up a lot, Damari Brown was banged up, I don’t think you’ll see those guys tomorrow, but nothing long-term. Even with those guys missing, I haven’t seen the DB room this deep in a long time.”
Peter Ariz: “Agreed. And there are young guys there pushing for playing time. Jaboree Antoine is one of them. I think Chris Ewald belongs in the same conversation as Mack too — another guy who I think is good enough to play this year, but playing time and game reps are different than what you see in practice. Tomorrow you get a little bit more of that.
“And look, the first half of this thing is probably going to be more practice than full game, so maybe we’re putting the cart before the horse a little bit. But even if they do one-on-ones in front of the whole crowd, that’s still a high-stress environment. We’ll get to see how guys respond.”
“The one-on-ones have been great viewing every practice, especially with the quarterbacks. I’ve said that about Dereon Coleman, for example. Is he ready to play in a game this year? No. But he can spin it and place the ball beautifully in one-on-one situations. Judd Anderson has made big improvement. Luke Nickel is in a really good spot to be the backup. It just looks a lot better than it did last year from a pure thrower standpoint.
DMoney: “I know the coaching staff really liked Emory Williams, and that’s why he got most of the second-team reps, maybe to the detriment of some of the younger guys. But personally, I like this current crop of quarterbacks better in terms of upside because they can do more athletically. They have more mobility, and I think that matters in a real game.
“But sticking with DB, the guy I’m laser-focused on — and I think he’s going to play a lot — is Brody Jennings out of Jacksonville. We’ve talked about him on the show before. At Mandarin, a really good program, he was just incredibly consistent. He made a ton of plays. He’s got size. His dad was a big-time linebacker, his brothers were big linebackers, so he’s the smaller one of the family as a corner, but he’s still a bigger corner. Great footwork, really natural corner footwork, and then every highlight feels like an interception. Great ball skills, and he tackled too.
“The only question with Brody coming out was speed. Can he run enough to stay at outside corner, or do you eventually move him to nickel or safety? I think he could play those other spots and be very successful. Jaboree is kind of in the same boat — I think he could play multiple spots too. They’re both physical guys. But I’ve been very impressed with what Jennings has done at outside corner. He’s been very natural there. He can turn, he can run, and he can find the ball, which not all young corners can do.”
Peter Ariz: “I will say, a walk-on beat him for a touchdown today and people were going crazy. Judd was going wild. I mentioned it in the post-practice show. But special teams right away, absolutely. And D, people might look at some of these guys and say, ‘What does it matter? Fifth corner, sixth corner.’ But Jaboree Antoine was playing in the national semifinal last year for Miami as a guy who basically hadn’t played all season. He was hurt in spring, barely got many reps during the season, then all of a sudden he’s out there in a huge game.
“That’s big-boy football. You’ve got a 16- or 17-game season, and these guys matter.”
DMoney: “And that’s why we’re talking more about younger guys than veterans. We kind of know what some of the older guys are. It’ll be fun for people to see Darian Mensah in a Miami uniform for the first time, and I know what Cooper Barkate can do after that long catch-and-run yesterday. Obviously Malachi Toney is always fun too. But remember last year — people were still talking about adding another slot before the spring game, and then Toney was so good in that game that you didn't want to block his progression. We saw what happened. He became one of the best players in the country. These spring-game flashes matter.
“So Pete, who’s your third guy?”
Peter Ariz: “I’m going with Kellen Wiley. He was kind of our guy all offseason. There were a lot of veterans in that room last year — Wesley Bissainthe had a great season, and then you’re still talking about Mohanad Toure and Chase Smith. But when Mario Cristobal says he wants certain young guys to step up in that room, I think he’s talking about Kellen because he knows what he’s capable of.
“He brings a pass-rush skill set that Smith and Toure obviously have right now, but if it really hits, I think Kellen gives you something even crazier. He could legitimately be a stand-up outside linebacker/pass rusher type if that’s the role. If this linebacker room is going to be as good as it can be, they need Kellen Wiley to become that player. I believe he can do it, and I think you do too. But like Ryan Mack and some of these other young guys, this is as close to a game situation as you’re going to get.
“Linebacker is like running back in that way. How much are you really seeing in practice? This is where you get to see instincts, tackling, play speed, all of that a little more.”
DMoney: “Exactly. Linebacker is such an instinctive position. In a lot of the practice periods we see, it’s run situations, install, the defense already knows what’s coming, and guys are being coached into their assignment. It’s harder to see pure instincts there.
“When I make these comparisons, I’m talking about usage, not saying he’s going to become those players. You look at an Arvell Reese at Ohio State or a Jalon Walker at Georgia. I’m not saying he’s going to be a top-10 pick. I’m saying the way you’d potentially use Kellen if he keeps developing is similar — some edge, some off-ball linebacker, impacting the pass game as a rusher while also running around and chasing plays down. That’s the type of deployment you could envision for him.
