Jeremiah Smith still has the bigger national name, but Malachi Toney made a loud early statement in Week 1 and put himself right in the middle of the conversation.
That’s where the Miami star belongs after a performance that looked every bit like a continuation of what he did last season. In Miami’s opener, Toney caught 12 passes on 13 targets for 234 yards and three touchdowns.
The yardage was a new career high and the most ever by a Hurricanes receiver in a single game. He stayed on the field into the third quarter before sitting out the fourth.
Smith was excellent too in Ohio State’s 56-3 win over Ball State, finishing with eight catches for 156 yards and two touchdowns. The Buckeyes were up 28-3 at halftime, and Smith did not return for the second half.
The separation between the two came in yards after catch. Toney piled up 95 yards after the catch, while Smith had 18.
Both players are already on an early track that could turn into Heisman Trophy finalist cases, and both celebrated with the pose after scoring in the end zone.
Smith has been a force since his freshman season in 2024, when the Miami native led the Big 10 with 1,315 yards and 15 touchdowns as an immediate starter. Ohio State went on to win the National Championship.
Toney’s rise has been just as striking. As a 17-year-old reclassified freshman, the Liberty City, Fla. native took the college football world by storm and led the Football Bowl Subdivision with 109 catches for 1,211 yards. He also scored 13 total touchdowns, with 10 receiving, one rushing and two passing.
Smith is projected to be a high first-round pick in the 2027 NFL Draft, but Toney’s upside could be higher for 2028.
The two are expected to be major names in the Biletnikoff Award race, which goes to the season’s outstanding FBS receiver regardless of position. Smith and Toney were both on the preseason watch list, along with Hurricanes wide receiver Cooper Barkate.
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Former Miami CB D'Yoni Hill Lands In A Strange New Situation
DYoni Hills football path has already taken him from Marshall to Miami and then Wisconsin, and now he is set for another stop, with Oklahoma planning to add the veteran cornerback as a midseason transfer. Hill has experience starting games at both Miami and Wisconsin, which gives him the kind of rsum teams look for when they need help in a hurry, even if his role this time is expected to be more about depth than jumping straight into the lineup.
For Miami fans, the odd part is not just the new destination, but the timing and the larger question hanging over his career. Hill is also tied up in a lawsuit seeking an additional year of eligibility, so the move to Oklahoma comes with another layer of uncertainty beyond simply getting cleared to join the roster. If the process goes through, it would give Oklahoma a seasoned defensive back with a familiar track record, but the full shape of his next chapter is still far from settled. [Read more 🡒]
Miami May Have Found A Freshman Defender Ready For More
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Mario Cristobal and defensive coordinator Corey Hetherman both singled out Dunnigans physical traits and versatility, which is usually the kind of praise that matters most when a young defensive back is trying to earn more than a cameo. The intriguing part for Miami is how he might fit moving forward, since the staff sees him as someone who can line up in more than one spot and potentially give the secondary another piece to work with sooner rather than later. [Read more 🡒]
Mario Cristobal Just Sent A Message About Miamis Most Hyped Newcomers
Damon Wilson II and Jackson Cantwell arrived in Coral Gables with plenty of buzz, but Miami opened the 2026 season by easing both into backup roles rather than handing them jobs on reputation alone. Wilson worked 44 snaps as a second-team edge rusher, while Cantwell logged 34 snaps at right guard behind starter Max Buchanan, a reminder that the Hurricanes are still sorting out the depth chart even for some of their most talked-about newcomers.
Mario Cristobal has made the message plain: nothing is promised, and young players have to earn their way onto the field. For Miami, that approach may be the point, especially with a roster built around development as much as immediate impact. The early usage of Wilson and Cantwell suggests the Hurricanes are willing to be patient, even with players many expected to push for bigger roles right away. [Read more 🡒]