Miami’s 2026 season is already loaded with names that will draw plenty of attention, but the Hurricanes also have a couple of players who could sneak well past the noise.
That’s the lane here: not the obvious headliners, but the ones who might outgrow their current billing once the season starts.
On offense, Joshua Moore is the player to watch.
He’s coming off a freshman year in 2025 that didn’t light up the stat sheet, but it did give Miami a glimpse of what he can become. Moore played in all 16 games and finished with 17 catches for 210 yards and two touchdowns. His longest grab went for 39 yards.
The numbers are modest. The upside is not.
At 6-foot-4 and around 220 pounds, Moore has the kind of frame and athletic ability that can make life miserable for defensive backs on the outside. The former four-star recruit now heads into his second season with a real chance to carve out a much bigger role.
Miami’s receiver room is crowded at the top. Malachi Toney is back after one of the best freshman seasons in program history, and Cooper Barkate arrives from Duke after putting up 72 receptions, 1,106 yards and seven touchdowns in 2025.
That kind of depth can make a player like Moore easy to overlook. It probably shouldn’t.
The third starting receiver spot in 11 personnel is there to be won, and while Dylan Upshaw is also in the mix and drawing positive reports from training camp, Moore has the profile to claim that role on a consistent basis. The Hurricanes don’t need him to turn into another Toney. They need him to be dependable, dangerous and able to win in the red zone.
If that happens, the jump in production could be sharp. A season that starts with 17 catches could easily end with 40-plus. Stretch that out with bigger-volume opportunities, and 500 to 700 receiving yards is very much in play.
There’s even a comparison point from last season: CJ Daniels posted 50 receptions for more than 500 yards. Moore reaching that kind of territory wouldn’t be a shock at all.
My prediction: Joshua Moore finishes the 2026 season with 45-plus receptions, 650-plus receiving yards and four-plus touchdowns.
The reason to believe is simple: size, speed and a role that should keep growing. It’s also why Mario Cristobal compared him to Calvin Johnson.
On the other side of the ball, the pick is even more intriguing because JJ Dunnigan hasn’t played a college snap yet.
Still, he’s already one of the most talked-about freshmen in Miami’s 2026 recruiting class. Dunnigan comes in at 6-foot-3 and 205 pounds, and he brings size, athleticism and versatility to a secondary that already has plenty of talent.
What’s standing out in camp is how quickly he’s earning praise. The word around him has been strong enough that he’s working his way onto the field rather than simply waiting his turn.
Miami doesn’t need him to be a full-time centerpiece right away, but the path is there for him to grow into a bigger role as the season goes on. If he makes early chances count, that role could expand fast.
Dunnigan’s appeal starts with the tools. He has legitimate speed, size and physicality, and his high school production suggests he has a natural feel for finding the football. That combination gives him a chance to contribute right away, especially if he can add special teams value along with defensive snaps.
And if the game slows down for him, the ceiling gets even better.
My prediction: JJ Dunnigan becomes one of Miami’s most-used freshmen defensively and finishes the season as a legitimate contributor in the secondary. He has just as big an impact as a true freshman as Bryce Fritzgerald.
In Other News...
Miami Faces Another Messy WR Dispute As Former Cane Fights Back
Cam Vaughns departure from Miami has turned into something far bigger than a roster move. The former Hurricanes wide receiver has filed a lawsuit in Miami-Dade County against the University of Miami and the NCAA, arguing that after he was dismissed from the team and had his scholarship canceled, he was left without a clear path to move on. The filing says the school never provided a written explanation, never identified a rule violation and never offered him a hearing before cutting ties.
The suit also says Miami declined to submit the waiver request Vaughn needs in order to enter the transfer portal, leaving his college future in limbo. Vaughn is asking the court to hold both the university and the NCAA responsible and to give him the chance to continue his education and football career somewhere else, a dispute that adds another uneasy wrinkle to a program that has already dealt with more than its share of receiver drama. [Read more 🡒]
Former Miami Receiver Gets One More Shot To Reignite NFL Dream
Tony Johnson is getting back in the door of professional football with a familiar motivation. The former Miami wide receiver will take part in the United Football League Showcase in Orlando on Nov. 8, a chance to perform in front of scouts and teams as he keeps working toward the NFL. Johnson had stepped away from football for personal reasons after Miamis Pro Day, but he has been training again and has made it clear that the next step is still to get another shot at the league.
For a player trying to restart a career, a showcase can matter as much for timing as talent. Johnsons path has already included a pause away from the game, and now he is using this event to put himself back in a professional setting and prove he belongs on a bigger stage. The opportunity does not guarantee anything, but it does give him a fresh platform to remind teams what he can do and keep his NFL dream alive. [Read more 🡒]
Miamis Offensive Line Has One Big Question After Camp
After camp, Miamis offensive line looks more settled than it did a few weeks ago, with Samson Okunlola, Ryan Rodriguez and Matthew McCoy among the players who appear to have carved out secure roles. The group is still being sorted in spots, but the bigger picture is clearer now: there is a core in place, and the Hurricanes can at least map out how the front is supposed to function when the season opens.
The larger question is how much more the unit can grow once games start to count. This line is not quite at the level of last years group, but it does have the ingredients to become playoff caliber if the development trend continues and the competition for playing time sharpens the depth behind the starters. For Miami, that makes the next stretch of the season about more than just protection and run blocking. It is also about whether the line can turn a promising camp into something sturdier by the time the schedule gets demanding. [Read more 🡒]