CBS Sports stirred up a little debate with its latest preseason position rankings, and Miami’s wide receivers were the big omission. Chris Hummer put Indiana at No. 1 in the country at the spot, leaving the Hurricanes out of the top spot despite what looks like one of the deepest receiver rooms in FBS.
That call is tough to square with Miami’s returning production and transfer haul. Malachi Toney is already a known commodity after posting a 1,000-yard receiving season, and the 18-year-old sophomore enters 2026 as a Heisman hopeful and one of college football’s top playmakers.
He’s not carrying the room alone, either. The Hurricanes also added Cooper Barkate, who followed quarterback Darian Mensah from Duke to Coral Gables after a 72-catch, 1,109-yard season.
Miami’s depth goes well beyond those two. Vandrevius Jacobs arrives from South Carolina after catching 32 passes for 548 yards, while Cam Vaughn comes in from West Virginia after finishing 2025 with 35 receptions for 541 yards. And even those two may not be locked into starting roles, because sophomore Joshua Moore held the X spot during spring camp after recording 17 catches for 210 yards.
That kind of collection is rare. Miami has four receivers on the roster with 30-catch, 500-yard seasons, and two of them topped 70 catches and 1,000 yards. Toney and Barkate both look like strong bets to earn All-ACC recognition at minimum, and there shouldn’t be any concern about who’s getting them the ball with Darian Mensah arriving after leading the Power 4 in passing yardage last season.
What makes the rankings even more interesting is that Hummer did give Miami the No. 1 edge-rushing group, even though that might be the unit with the most questions. Damon Wilson II was the top edge rusher on the transfer market and should be a major piece for Corey Hetherman and Jason Taylor, but Miami still needs real jumps from Marquis Lightfoot, Armondo Blount and Herb Scroggins III.
Still, if there’s one part of this roster that probably doesn’t need outside fuel, it’s the receiver room. Miami’s wideouts already have the résumé, the numbers and the depth. If Hummer wants more evidence, there’s a good chance the Hurricanes will be happy to keep supplying it.
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