The Miami Hurricanes are heading into camp with talent up front, but the picture on the defensive line is anything but settled. Rueben Bain and Akheem Mesidor are gone to the NFL, Hayden Lowe is no longer in the program, and that leaves Miami needing answers fast.
One of the clearest solutions may be Keona Davis.
The Nebraska transfer has already shown he can handle movement across the line, and that kind of flexibility matters more now that Miami is a little thinner than it expected to be. Davis spent last season as a full-time starter for the Cornhuskers, finishing with 32 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks while bouncing between defensive tackle and wider alignments against offensive tackles.
"Just like Nebraska, I'm still being moved around, being used in different [places], being put out wide...I'm not set in just one box. I can use multiple tools," Davis said during the spring.
That versatility is exactly why Miami sees him as such a useful piece. Listed at 6-foot-5 and 280 pounds, the junior was expected to spend more time at the 3 technique, where defensive line coach Damoine Lewis can tap into his burst and power on the interior. But defensive ends coach Jason Taylor has also gotten a chance to work with him on the edge.
The Hurricanes’ depth chart at edge rusher now looks leaner with Lowe gone, leaving Damon Wilson II as the most established option after his transfer from Missouri. Marquise Lightfoot and Armondo Blount are also in the mix, and Blount may be asked to kick inside for some snaps as well.
That makes availability a major factor, and it raises the pressure on someone else to emerge. In the meantime, Davis could end up wearing a few different hats - edge rusher, defensive tackle or even nose guard - depending on what Miami needs.
For now, he’s embracing the role and absorbing everything he can from Lewis, Taylor and defensive coordinator Corey Hethernan. He also had the benefit of working through the spring in Coral Gables with Bain and Mesidor around to share their advice.
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