Freshman All-American

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Trust me lol every recruit that comes in contact with anyone on our staff will be made very aware of this! Who will it be in 2026?
2026 my guess will be Cantwell.

The defensive side will be determined by who is retained, as it stands Miami will basically return a 3 deep at each position with the except Nickel. I would guess Hayden Lowe as a redshirt freshman.

Potential Returning DE’s
  1. Malik Bryant RJR
  2. Marquise Lightfoot JR
  3. Cole McConathy JR
  4. Booker Pickett Jr. RSO
  5. Herbert Scroggins SO
  6. Hayden Lowe RFR
Potential Returning DT’s
  1. Justin Scott JR
  2. Armondo Blount JR
  3. Artavius Jones RSO
  4. Daylen Russell RSO
  5. Donta Simpson Jr. SO
  6. Mykah Newton RFR
Potential Returning LB’s
  1. Chase Smith 6th year SR (assuming he gets a medical redshirt)
  2. PoPo Aguirre SR
  3. Bobby Washington Jr. RJR
  4. Kamal Bonner RJR
  5. Kellen Wiley Jr. SO
  6. Ezekiel Marcelin Jr. RFR
Potential Returning N’s
  1. Chris Ewald Jr. RFR
Potential Returning CB’s
  1. Damari Brown RJR
  2. Ethan O'Connor RJR
  3. OJ Frederique JR
  4. Xavier Lucas JR
  5. Ryan Mack Jr. RSO
  6. Ja'Boree Antoine SO
Potential Returning S’s
  1. Zechariah Poyser RJR
  2. Dylan Day JR
  3. Cam Pruitt RSO
  4. Bryce Fitzgerald SO
  5. Amari Wallace RFR
 
2026 my guess will be Cantwell.

The defensive side will be determined by who is retained, as it stands Miami will basically return a 3 deep at each position with the except Nickel. I would guess Hayden Lowe as a redshirt freshman.

Potential Returning DE’s
  1. Malik Bryant RJR
  2. Marquise Lightfoot JR
  3. Cole McConathy JR
  4. Booker Pickett Jr. RSO
  5. Herbert Scroggins SO
  6. Hayden Lowe RFR
Potential Returning DT’s
  1. Justin Scott JR
  2. Armondo Blount JR
  3. Artavius Jones RSO
  4. Daylen Russell RSO
  5. Donta Simpson Jr. SO
  6. Mykah Newton RFR
Potential Returning LB’s
  1. Chase Smith 6th year SR (assuming he gets a medical redshirt)
  2. PoPo Aguirre SR
  3. Bobby Washington Jr. RJR
  4. Kamal Bonner RJR
  5. Kellen Wiley Jr. SO
  6. Ezekiel Marcelin Jr. RFR
Potential Returning N’s
  1. Chris Ewald Jr. RFR
Potential Returning CB’s
  1. Damari Brown RJR
  2. Ethan O'Connor RJR
  3. OJ Frederique JR
  4. Xavier Lucas JR
  5. Ryan Mack Jr. RSO
  6. Ja'Boree Antoine SO
Potential Returning S’s
  1. Zechariah Poyser RJR
  2. Dylan Day JR
  3. Cam Pruitt RSO
  4. Bryce Fitzgerald SO
  5. Amari Wallace RFR
I agree with Cantwell for potential freshman AA.
Do you truly see Armando Blount as a full time DT going forward? Do you think he has any potential as a DE?

Chris Ewald may be a fine prospect somewhere in the secondary but I can tell you this second that we will not go from Keionte Scott at Nickel in 2025 to Chris Ewald at Nickel in 2026. No way! No how! Nickel will likely come from the portal.

I would like Kellen Wiley to succeed Mo Toure but we may need another year of Chase Smith platooning with Popo Aguirre before he is ready or does Wiley succeed Wes Bissainthe at Will?

Safeties next year likely Fitzgerald at FS and Poyser at SS.

We may need another stud edge rusher and a DT in the portal.
 
I agree with Cantwell for potential freshman AA.
Do you truly see Armando Blount as a full time DT going forward? Do you think he has any potential as a DE?

Chris Ewald may be a fine prospect somewhere in the secondary but I can tell you this second that we will not go from Keionte Scott at Nickel in 2025 to Chris Ewald at Nickel in 2026. No way! No how! Nickel will likely come from the portal.

I would like Kellen Wiley to succeed Mo Toure but we may need another year of Chase Smith platooning with Popo Aguirre before he is ready or does Wiley succeed Wes Bissainthe at Will?

Safeties next year likely Fitzgerald at FS and Poyser at SS.

We may need another stud edge rusher and a DT in the portal.
I do believe Blount will continue to play both, I just see him getting the bulk of his snaps at DT. He is playing most of his snaps there now, although it’s in the speed package, he has logged more snaps at DT than DE.

I just believe he could very easily be 290 by 2026. He looks small to me out there and he is 270, he just has so much room to grow and he is only 18. He plays with a lot of power and a very high motor, two very important traits for a DT.

There is no way this staff settle for only having Chris Ewald at nickel. I fully expect them to be very aggressive in the portal again. The players listed are only guys who are currently on the roster and have the eligibility to return.

I see Wiley in the rotation next season, I wouldn’t be mad at easing him in, basically giving him the role and snaps Chase has now.

Bobby Washington is who I am the most excited about. His length (pause) 4.3 speed (remember he is faster than Robby) pass rush skills and knock back tackling will make him an All American in this system.

 
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2026 my guess will be Cantwell.

The defensive side will be determined by who is retained, as it stands Miami will basically return a 3 deep at each position with the except Nickel. I would guess Hayden Lowe as a redshirt freshman.

Potential Returning DE’s
  1. Malik Bryant RJR
  2. Marquise Lightfoot JR
  3. Cole McConathy JR
  4. Booker Pickett Jr. RSO
  5. Herbert Scroggins SO
  6. Hayden Lowe RFR
Potential Returning DT’s
  1. Justin Scott JR
  2. Armondo Blount JR
  3. Artavius Jones RSO
  4. Daylen Russell RSO
  5. Donta Simpson Jr. SO
  6. Mykah Newton RFR
Potential Returning LB’s
  1. Chase Smith 6th year SR (assuming he gets a medical redshirt)
  2. PoPo Aguirre SR
  3. Bobby Washington Jr. RJR
  4. Kamal Bonner RJR
  5. Kellen Wiley Jr. SO
  6. Ezekiel Marcelin Jr. RFR
Potential Returning N’s
  1. Chris Ewald Jr. RFR
Potential Returning CB’s
  1. Damari Brown RJR
  2. Ethan O'Connor RJR
  3. OJ Frederique JR
  4. Xavier Lucas JR
  5. Ryan Mack Jr. RSO
  6. Ja'Boree Antoine SO
Potential Returning S’s
  1. Zechariah Poyser RJR
  2. Dylan Day JR
  3. Cam Pruitt RSO
  4. Bryce Fitzgerald SO
  5. Amari Wallace RFR

Cantwell
And a kid not committed as of now, likely a DE or WR just based on who leaves.
 
With Bell and Mauigoa both likely leaving, Cantwell has a wide open spot to start.

Will be play LT or RT?

A starting LT on a top 10 team will have an inside track to AA status.
 
With Bell and Mauigoa both likely leaving, Cantwell has a wide open spot to start.

Will be play LT or RT?

A starting LT on a top 10 team will have an inside track to AA status.

Samson and McCoy will have a say at both spots. I could also see Samson at LG. The RG spot is 100% up for grabs
 
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He should be fully available after the bye. He was listed as questionable for the FSU game. He has been practicing for some time now.
full house 90s GIF


On opposing offenses
 
I do believe Blount will continue to play both, I just see him getting the bulk of his snaps at DT. He is playing most of his snaps there now, although it’s in the speed package, he has logged more snaps at DT than DE.

I just believe he could very easily be 290 by 2026. He looks small to me out there and he is 270, he just has so much room to grow and he is only 18. He plays with a lot of power and a very high motor, two very important traits for a DT.

There is no way this staff settle for only having Chris Ewald at nickel. I fully expect them to be very aggressive in the portal again. The players listed are only guys who are currently on the roster and have the eligibility to return.

I see Wiley in the rotation next season, I wouldn’t be mad at easing him in, basically giving him the role and snaps Chase has now.

Bobby Washington is who I am the most excited about. His length (pause) 4.3 speed (remember he is faster than Robby) pass rush skills and knock back tackling will make him an All American in this system.


I asked this yesterday to D$ off the board. Blount is getting regular - non-pass rush - snaps at DT? I haven't seen them. Clearly, I could have missed them. Any specific games I can watch where this happens?
 
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