Miami's 2025 defense is a clear upgrade over the 2024 version in nearly every position group. While the 2024 defense mixed youth and experience, it lacked depth and underperformed due to injuries and scheme fit. The 2025 unit, under Hetherman with key transfers and development of the 5 star talent, is built for a major step forward.
Defensive Talent;
Total defensive players:
45
Blue chips:
29
Blue chip ratio:
64%
Coaching Comparison: 2024 vs 2025
2024 Defensive Coordinator: Lance Guidry
- Known for aggressive pressure, multiple fronts, and over use of stunts
- Struggled with injuries and personnel mismatches
- Key Stats (2024):
- Total Defense: 42nd nationally
- Scoring Defense: 24.1 PPG
- Run Defense: 138.7 YPG
- Pass Defense: 224.3 YPG
- Turnovers Forced: 17
2025 Defensive Coordinator: Cory Hetherman
- Focuses on discipline, gap integrity, and fundamentals
- Inherits a deeper, more experienced unit
- Key Stats (2024 at prior school):
- Total Defense: 5th nationally
- Scoring Defense: 18.3 PPG
- Run Defense: 118.5 YPG
- Pass Defense: 203.1 YPG
- Turnovers Forced: 24
Edge: 2025 — Hetherman’s structured approach is expected to bring more consistency with fewer breakdowns and explosive plays.
Position Group Breakdown
Defensive Ends
- 2024: Young, undersized, thin on depth. Injuries exposed the unit, when Bain (missed 4 games) and Alston (missed 5 games) went down it showed big time on the field in lack of pass rush.
- 2025: Much deeper and more seasoned. Mesidor returns, to his natural position plus sophomores with solid experience.
Edge: 2025
2024 DEs
Tyler Baron 6-5 255, 6th year SR, played in 48 games
Elijah Alston 6-2 256, 6th year SR, played in 42 games
Rueben Bain 6-3 275, SO, played in 13 games
Malik Bryant 6-2 225, SO, played in 8 games
Armondo Blount 6-4 260, FR, played 0 games
Cole McConathy 6-5 225, FR, played 0 games
Marquise Lightfoot 6-5 202, FR, played 0 games
Booker Pickett 6-4 210, FR, played 0 games
Elias Rudolph 6-5 205, FR, played 0 games
2025 DEs
Akheem Mesidor 6-3 260, 7th year SR, played in 51 games
Rueben Bain 6-3 265, JR, played in 25 games
Malik Bryant 6-2 240, JR, played in 22 games
Armondo Blount 6-4 270, SO, played 8 games
Cole McConathy 6-5 260, SO, played 9 games
Marquise Lightfoot 6-5 227, SO, played 9 games
Booker Pickett 6-4 230, RFR, played 4 games
Hayden Lowe 6-5 260, FR, played 0 games
Herbert Scroggins 6-3 235, FR, played 0 games
Defensive Tackles
- 2024: More experience, but limited impact due to injuries and scheme.
- 2025: Less experienced but higher ceiling. Scheme flexibility with Blount and Bain helps, I compare this DT group to the 2023 Michigan DT room. Going into the 2023 season, Michigan had major concerns about DT depth, so much so that Alessandro Lorenzetti was converted from OT to DT. They returned SR Kris Jenkins 6-3 299 who was named All‑Big Ten Honorable Mention the previous season, and SO Mason Graham who was named PFF True Freshman All‑America, after the 2022 season; no one else returning had contributed. So the team that went on to win the national championship went into the season hoping for a big year from some young DTs in SO Mason Graham and RFR Kenneth Grant. Sounds a lot like Miami with RSR David Blay who won First‑Team All‑CUSA and Honorable Mention All‑America, along with promising young DTs in SO Justin Scott and RFR Artavius Jones.
- Edge: 2025 (Talent Up, Depth Down)
2024 DTs
Simeon Barrow 6-3 290, 6th year SR, played in 34 games
Akheem Mesidor 6-3 280, 6th year SR, played in 38 games
Marley Cook 6-2 298, 6th year SR, played in 49 games
C.J. Clark 6-3 305, 6th year SR, played in 42 games
Anthony Campbell 6-7 300, 6th year SR, played in 17 games
Ahmad Moten 6-3 305, RSO, played in 13 games
Josh Horton 6-4 295, RFR, played in 3 games
Justin Scott 6-4 280, FR, played in 0 games
Artavius Jones 6-3 300, FR, played in 0 games
Daylen Russell 6-3 275, FR, played in 0 games
2025 DTs
David Blay 6-4 304, 5th year SR, played in 22 games
Ahmad Moten 6-3 305, RJR, played in 25 games
Justin Scott 6-4 300, SO, played in 11 games
Artavius Jones 6-3 310, RFR, played in 1 games
Daylen Russell 6-3 300, RFR, played in 0 games
Donta Simpson 6-3 300, FR, played in 0 games
Mykah Newton 6-3 265, FR, played in 0 games
Linebackers
- 2024: Mauigoa led, but depth was shaky as best. This unit looked confused and out of position a lot, Hetherman’s simplified system and emphasis on communication will help fix that.
- 2025: the new scheme paired with 9 LBs with game experience, including experienced transfers like Toure and Bonner.
Edge: 2025
2024 LBs
Francisco Mauigoa 6-2 233, SR, played in 38 games
Jaylin Alderman 6-1 230, RJR, played in 27 games
Chase Smith 6-2 220, RJR, played in 19 games
Wesley Bissainthe 6-1 220, JR, played in 26 games
PoPo Aguirre 6-2 230, SO, played in 23 games
Bobby Washington 6-3 220, RFR, played in 4 games
Cam Pruitt 6-2 200, FR, played in 0 games
Adarius Hayes 6-4 230, FR, played in 0 games
2025 LBs
Mohamed Toure 6-2 236, 7th year SR, played in 43 games
Jaylin Alderman 6-1 230, RSR, played in 38 games
Chase Smith 6-2 230, RSR, played in 31 games
Wesley Bissainthe 6-1 230, SR, played in 38 games
PoPo Aguirre 6-2 235, JR, played in 13 games
Kamal Bonner 6-2 220, RSO, played in 18 games
Bobby Washington 6-3 230, RSO, played in 15 games
Cam Pruitt 6-2 215, SO, played in 13 games
Adarius Hayes 6-4 240, SO, played in 12 games
Kellen Wiley 6-4 238, FR, played in 0 games
Ezekiel Marcelin 5-11 208, FR, played in 0 games
Cornerbacks
- 2024: Thin and exposed after Damari Brown’s injury. Washington, Stafford, and Mack were not playable at all, leaving the team with a total of 3 CBs with Brown sidelined and two of those 3 were Jadais Richard who was also injured and the skinny and slow D'Yoni Hill who couldn’t catch a TE in the open field.
- 2025: Overhauled with multiple talented and athletic transfers along with the return of standout OJ Frederique. This group is just better in every way
Edge: 2025
2024 CBs
Jadais Richard 6-1 195, JR, played in 22 games
D'Yoni Hill 6-0 172, RSO, played in 23 games
Damari Brown 6-2 195, SO, played in 9 games
Robby Washington 5-11 180, RFR, played in 2 games
Robert Stafford 5-11 180, RFR, played in 0 games
OJ Frederique 6-0 180, FR, played in 0 games
Ryan Mack 5-11 170, FR, played in 0 games
2025 CBs
Jadais Richard 6-1 195, SR, played in 31 games
Damari Brown 6-2 195, RSO, played in 11 games
Ethan O'Connor 6-1 180, RSO, played in 13 games
OJ Frederique 6-0 190, SO, played in 13 games
Xavier Lucas 6-2 200, SO, played in 12 games
Ryan Mack 5-11 170, RFR, played in 0 games
Ja'Boree Antoine 6-1 180, FR, played in 0 games
Nickel
- 2024: Due to injuries and lack of depth, Porter played out of position and it showed in a major way.
- 2025: SEC-tested Keionte Scott leads group that actually has depth.
Edge: 2025
2024 Nickels
Daryl Porter 5-10 185, RSR, played in 47 games
2025 Nickels
Keionte Scott 6-0 196, 6th year SR, played in 33 games
Charles Brantley 5-11 175, 5th year SR, played in 31 games (will be an outside corner, just listed here because he played it during spring)
Chris Ewald 6-1 180, FR, played in 0 games
Safeties
- 2024: Weakest unit in the history of the University of Miami; lacked speed, tackling, and depth.
- 2025: Features more talent, still questionable depth, but a few playable guys non the less, backed by bluechip freshman.
Edge: 2025
2024 Safeties
Mishael Powell 6-1 210, 6th year SR, played in 36 games
Isaiah Taylor 5-11 200, RJR, played in 25 games
Markeith Williams 6-2 175, RSO, played in 15 games
Jaden Harris 6-0 190, RSO, played in 12 games
Isaiah Thomas 6-2 200, FR, played in 0 games
Dylan Day 6-2 190, FR, played in 0 games
Zaquan Patterson 6-0 190, FR, played in 0 games
2025 Safeties
Briton Allen 6-0 195, 7th year SR, played in 21 games
Jakobe Thomas 6-2 205, 5th year SR, played in 37 games
Isaiah Taylor 5-11 200, RSR, played in 29 games
Markeith Williams 6-2 190, RJR, played in 28 games
Zechariah Poyser 6-2 200 RSO, played in 18 games
Dylan Day 6-2 200, SO, played in 13 games
Bryce Fitzgerald 6-1 187, FR, played in 0 games
Amari Wallace 5-10 180, FR, played in 0 games
Individual Recognition
Past Awards
- Akheem Mesidor: 2020 Freshman All-American, 2020 Second-Team All-Big 12, 2021 All-Big 12 Third Team, 2022 Honorable Mention All-ACC, 2024 Honorable Mention All-ACC
- David Blay: First‑Team All‑CUSA and Honorable Mention All‑America
- Rueben Bain: 2023 Freshman All‑America, 2023 All‑ACC Third Team, and 2024 All‑ACC Honorable Mention
- Mohamed Toure: 2023 All-Big Ten Honorable Mention
- OJ Frederique: 2024 Freshman All‑America, and 2024 ACC All‑Conference Honorable Mention
- Charles Brantley: 2024 Honorable Mention All-Big Ten
- Zechariah Poyser: Freshman All‑America and Second Team All‑CUSA
Minnesota vs Penn State
Minnesota vs USC
Final Verdict
Miami's 2025 defense will be bigger, faster, deeper, and better coached. With clear upgrades at nearly every position, especially DE, LB, DB, and Safety, the only question is DT depth — and the new scheme accounts for that with hybrid flexibility.
I keep watching Minnesota vs Penn State and imagining Miami players in those same roles. I know we are all suffering from PTSD of 20 years of being trash, but this Miami talent in Hetherman’s scheme could be scary.
