The receiver room and the defensive backs have owned this camp from the start, and Tuesday didn’t do anything to change that. With Friday’s scrimmage looming, the clearest storylines are starting to harden into something more concrete.
At receiver, Malachi Toney and Cooper Barkate have separated themselves. That race is over.
Toney is “the best player in the country at his position and does it his own way - he's not trying to be anybody else.” Barkate has also forced his way into the top tier, and the speed is real.
Ahmmon Richards, who knows a thing or two about running fast after clocking a legit 4.31 himself, says that much checks out. Barkate isn’t just a short-area guy, either; he’s been hitting explosive plays downfield and letting people know about it.
Cam Vaughn’s situation is a tough one on a personal level, but from a football standpoint it simply opens a door in a receiver room that was already crowded. He spent most of camp buried with the third team, so this isn’t really about replacing a huge production load. It’s one less body in a deep room.
Behind Toney and Barkate, Daylyn Upshaw and Josh Moore look like the next two in line. This feels more like a straight two-man competition than a long list of guys fighting for leftovers.
Upshaw has been steady, with strong hands, broken tackles and crisp routes. He also looks like the best screen option on the roster not named Toney.
Moore brings a different look at 6-foot-4, with the kind of contested-catch ability that can tilt a rep. What he needs now is the kind of day where he takes over and doesn’t look back.
The freshmen are still trying to shake loose from that group. Somourian Wingo, Milan Parris and Vance Spafford are all in the mix, and Spafford has made the biggest leap from spring to fall on the entire offense.
The route running, quickness and speed package stands out, and he’s not trying to be Toney. He brings a different kind of gear, with legit 4.3 speed down the field.
On the other side of the ball, Damari Brown is healthy, and that matters because the questions around him never seem to stop. He’s making plays on the ball, carrying receivers downfield and remains one of the two hardest hitters in the DB room.
The family resemblance is obvious, and watching him this week, the Vontae Davis comparison doesn’t feel like a stretch. It’s that same blend of speed and force.
Then there’s JJ Dunnigan, the freshman who keeps demanding attention. At this point, it’s getting harder to talk about him as just a young player. The conversation is shifting from “good for a freshman” to whether he’s already one of the best players on the team.
Up front, Marquise Lightfoot and Armondo Blount have been the breakout edge rushers. Lightfoot is up to around 240 pounds and has been living off an electric spin move all camp, plus he chases from the backside like few others on the roster. Blount keeps showing the kind of power that knocks people backward; he’s not a finesse guy, and he had another strong day.
The portal additions have also delivered more than expected. Jarquez Carter and Omar Thornton have both outperformed even optimistic projections.
Carter coming off the bench is almost absurd - he’d be the best defensive tackle on plenty of ACC teams. He’s athletic, explosive and makes a real impact inside.
Thornton, along with Dunnigan, is helping ensure the corner room doesn’t miss a beat after losing Keionte Scott and Jakobe Thomas.
Samson Okunlola at left tackle has been one of camp’s better surprises. The thought was that he might end up inside at guard, but that’s not where this has gone.
He’s too quick and athletic for that, and left tackle is working. The five-star recruit graduated early, waited his turn without complaint and now looks like the presumptive starter at left tackle against Stanford.
Dereon Coleman is also trending in the right direction. He has the best release on the roster, and it jumps out almost immediately when you watch him throw.
Mensah has been mentoring him, which makes sense given the overlap in arm talent, though Coleman’s release may even be quicker. The bigger sign is that he’s stacking good days, not just flashing with individual throws.
Cole McConathy’s move to tight end looks like the right call. He’s not finished, and nobody expected him to show up looking like Jason Witten in year one at the spot, but he’s competitive, he’s blocking and the trajectory says he could see the field this season.
DeAnthony Lafayette has carved out a different kind of edge presence, with a great motor, elite bend and the ability to win with speed to the quarterback. Miami has had players with that kind of profile succeed before, and he fits that mold. Keona Davis, meanwhile, is physically more like a bigger version of Armondo Blount, not a Mesidor type.
Among the younger defensive tackles, Keshawn Stancil is the one furthest along right now, even though that whole group is developing at different speeds.
The linebacker battle behind Mo Toure and Chase Smith is also starting to sort itself out. Cam Pruitt is surging.
Kellen Wiley Jr. brings the most athletic upside and can rush or play off the ball. Ezekiel Marcelin and Kamal Bonner look like the true inside linebackers.
JJ Edwards is still waiting on more weight, but the speed and talent are there, and that can become a real problem once the frame catches up.
There’s also been strong feedback on the offensive line from people who actually break down film, not just the live view from the sideline. Early-season rotation wouldn’t be a surprise, and that’s intentional - it’s about developing the young talent behind the starters, not signaling instability.
Health-wise, the team is in very good shape heading into the final scrimmage. The strength and conditioning staff deserves credit for that, even if injuries are always at least somewhat random. This group looks ready for the physical load camp has asked of it.
Friday is next, and after that the focus shifts fully to Stanford.
In Other News...
Miami May Have A New Pass Rush Decision To Make Fast
A pass-rush twist has surfaced for Miami as Jack Pyburn, the former LSU defensive end, suddenly has another path back to college football. Pyburn has already been in the NFL orbit with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and his name is now back in the mix after a legal ruling reopened the door to another season on campus.
If Pyburn does make the jump into the transfer portal, he would be free to pick any program, and Miami could be one of the schools that makes sense because of prior recruiting ties. For a Hurricanes staff always looking to add proven edge help, the timing could matter, especially with a decision point like this potentially arriving fast. [Read more 🡒]
Miami Secondary Is Starting To Build Something Under Corey Hetherman
Zechariah Poyser has seen enough of Miamis defensive back room in camp to start sketching out how pieces could fit together under Corey Hetherman. Speaking with the media, the Hurricanes defensive back pointed to teammates JJ Dunnigan and Bryce Fitzgerald as players with distinct styles and potential roles, a sign that the group is beginning to sort itself out as the new system takes hold.
The bigger development, though, may be the way the secondary is talking to each other. Poyser said communication has improved inside the defensive back group under Hetherman, which is often the first real marker that a unit is becoming more comfortable with what is being asked of it. He also talked about how he stays motivated during camp, a small but telling reminder that this is as much about day-to-day habits as it is about talent. [Read more 🡒]