Miami’s defense already has three names on the Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watch List, and the group tells you plenty about where the Hurricanes think their edge is coming from this season.
Safety Bryce Fitzgerald, defensive tackle Ahmad Moten Sr. and edge rusher Damon Wilson II were all included Tuesday on the preseason list for the award given annually to the nation’s most outstanding defensive player.
Fitzgerald made his mark right away as a freshman, even in a rotation role. The Miami native finished with 16 total tackles, including 10 solos and six assists, added a tackle for loss, a sack and two passes broken up, and led the Atlantic Coast Conference with six interceptions in 16 games with four starts.
He also defended eight passes. Now heading into his sophomore year, he could see work at nickelback, and his role is expected to grow no matter where he lines up.
Moten Sr. is coming off the best season of his career and chose to return rather than enter the NFL Draft. The Fort Lauderdale native put up 31 tackles for loss, 20 solos and 11 assists, nine tackles for loss, and 4.5 sacks in 14 games, all starts. He’s back in Coral Gables for a redshirt senior season and is drawing early first-round projections ahead of the college football season.
Even with Akheem Mesidor and Rueben Bain Jr. headed to the NFL Draft, Miami still has a major presence up front. Wilson II, one of 13 transfers to join “The U” before spring, arrives after a productive season at Missouri. In 13 games, he recorded 23 total tackles, nine solos and 14 assists, 9.5 tackles for loss, nine sacks and a three-yard interception against Vanderbilt, earning Second Team All-Southeastern Conference honors.
The Venice native is expected to start and has a chance to capitalize on the openings created by Mesidor and Bain Jr.’s departures. He’ll also be developing under the direct guidance of defensive line coach and Pro Football Hall of Famer Jason Taylor.
The FWAA and the Charlotte Touchdown Club will name the finalists for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy on Nov. 19, with the winner set to be presented in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Dec. 7.
Miami is coming off the National Championship game, and the outside expectations are high. That backdrop doesn’t define the season, but it does help explain why individual honors are already landing on Hurricanes defenders. Fitzgerald, Wilson II and Moten Sr. are among the nation’s most productive defensive players, and Miami is banking on them to keep that standard rolling when fall camp begins.
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Keona Davis Could Be Miamis Answer To A Growing D-Line Concern
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One of the more intriguing answers is Nebraska transfer Keona Davis, whose appeal is rooted in versatility as much as talent. The Hurricanes need players who can absorb different assignments without disrupting the rest of the front, and Davis is being viewed as someone who can help in that kind of flexible role while the coaches continue sorting out where everyone fits. Whether he ends up on the edge or inside, Miami needs him to be part of the solution, and the bigger question is how quickly that answer comes together. [Read more 🡒]