The Miami Hurricanes just added some muscle to the offensive line, landing a transfer commitment from East Tennessee State interior lineman Johnathan Cline. At 6-foot-4 and 315 pounds, Cline brings size, experience, and versatility to a Miami front that continues to evolve under head coach Mario Cristobal and offensive line coach Alex Mirabal.
Cline isn’t just another name out of the portal-he’s a seasoned player who’s taken a winding road to Coral Gables. After beginning his college career at UCF, he transferred to ETSU for the 2025 season, where he earned second-team preseason All-Southern Conference honors. That kind of recognition speaks to his development and potential, especially for a Miami team that’s putting a premium on depth and toughness in the trenches.
What makes this move even more interesting is that Miami has been on Cline’s radar before. Back in 2022, during his standout run at Cartersville High School in Georgia, he scheduled an official visit with the Hurricanes before ultimately committing to UCF. Now, a few years and a couple of stops later, he finally ends up in orange and green.
At Cartersville, Cline started at left tackle and anchored an offense that was nothing short of explosive-averaging 37.4 points per game, nearly 200 rushing yards per outing, and punching in 45 rushing touchdowns. That kind of production doesn’t happen without a reliable presence up front, and Cline was a big part of that engine.
From a roster standpoint, Cline arrives as a redshirt sophomore with multiple years of eligibility remaining. That gives Miami some valuable flexibility-not just in terms of depth, but also in grooming a potential multi-year contributor. He may not come in with the hype of a five-star recruit, but he’s physically developed and battle-tested, which makes him a legitimate candidate to compete for a starting role in 2026.
For a Miami program that’s made it clear it wants to win in the trenches, this is another calculated move. Cline adds experience to a room that’s already bringing in talent from both the high school ranks and the portal. It’s the kind of depth-building addition that doesn’t always make headlines but can pay off in a big way when the season rolls around.