Miami’s defensive end room has a different look this season, and the depth is the reason it feels so dangerous.
Nobody is pretending Rueben Bain and Akheem Mesidor can be replaced. They were the best edge duo Miami has had, and both are already showing it at the next level. But the Hurricanes believe the room around them is deeper now, and that could change the whole conversation up front.
Damon Wilson II is at the center of it. Once the pads come on, he becomes a real problem on the edge, and Jason Taylor’s coaching should only sharpen what he already does well.
The speed jumps off the film, especially when you look at the nine sacks he posted in the SEC last season. He played only about 250-260 snaps, but the production came close to what Bain did on nearly twice as many.
That kind of efficiency tells you what Miami thinks it has.
Marquise Lightfoot might be the most fascinating piece of all. Off the field, he’s described as an easy fit and a strong teammate.
He’s also added weight the right way and is up around 240 now. On the field, though, he plays with a chaotic streak that makes him hard to block and even harder to predict.
He’s spinning off contact, running plays down from the back side, tipping passes and even picking off throws.
The raw production hasn’t fully caught up yet, but the flashes are there. Last season, Lightfoot had the speed and instincts to be in position for six or seven sacks and just couldn’t finish the play.
He got close against Texas A&M’s Marcel Reed on that final drive and missed the wrap-up, then nearly got to Fernando Mendoza in the national title game. With more experience and a sharper spin move, those chances could start turning into sacks instead of near-misses.
Armondo Blount gives Miami something different: the power element that mirrors part of Bain’s game. He’s still only 19, so what looks like his third year of eligibility is really more like a true sophomore’s body of work.
Off the field, he might be the smartest player on the roster. On it, he’s violent and plays through the whistle, sometimes beyond it.
And the room doesn’t fall off after the top three.
Third Scroggins was dealing with injuries but was moving at full speed by the end of camp and should factor in early. Booker Pickett, heading into his third year, is the kind of finisher who consistently finds a way to get quarterback hits when he’s on the field. Asharri Charles, a true freshman, has the best chance of the younger defensive linemen to earn real snaps and get after the quarterback right away.
Keona Davis, the Nebraska transfer, adds even more flexibility. He can rotate at end or slide inside to tackle, which gives Miami another piece to move around.
That kind of depth matters because last season opposing offenses knew where to focus. They could scheme around the edge rush, chip Bain and Mesidor, and get the ball out quickly in the quick game. By the end of games, the wear and tear on that pair showed.
This year, the expectation is a steady rotation to keep everyone fresh. With Justin Scott and Ahmad Moten helping push the pocket from the interior, opponents can’t just key on one spot and hope to survive. They have to deal with the whole front.
That’s the kind of setup that gives offensive coordinators headaches, and it’s why Miami believes this group can move from solid production to something much bigger.
In Other News...
Miami Faces Another Messy WR Dispute As Former Cane Fights Back
Cam Vaughns departure from Miami has turned into something far bigger than a roster move. The former Hurricanes wide receiver has filed a lawsuit in Miami-Dade County against the University of Miami and the NCAA, arguing that after he was dismissed from the team and had his scholarship canceled, he was left without a clear path to move on. The filing says the school never provided a written explanation, never identified a rule violation and never offered him a hearing before cutting ties.
The suit also says Miami declined to submit the waiver request Vaughn needs in order to enter the transfer portal, leaving his college future in limbo. Vaughn is asking the court to hold both the university and the NCAA responsible and to give him the chance to continue his education and football career somewhere else, a dispute that adds another uneasy wrinkle to a program that has already dealt with more than its share of receiver drama. [Read more 🡒]
Former Miami Receiver Gets One More Shot To Reignite NFL Dream
Tony Johnson is getting back in the door of professional football with a familiar motivation. The former Miami wide receiver will take part in the United Football League Showcase in Orlando on Nov. 8, a chance to perform in front of scouts and teams as he keeps working toward the NFL. Johnson had stepped away from football for personal reasons after Miamis Pro Day, but he has been training again and has made it clear that the next step is still to get another shot at the league.
For a player trying to restart a career, a showcase can matter as much for timing as talent. Johnsons path has already included a pause away from the game, and now he is using this event to put himself back in a professional setting and prove he belongs on a bigger stage. The opportunity does not guarantee anything, but it does give him a fresh platform to remind teams what he can do and keep his NFL dream alive. [Read more 🡒]
Miamis Offensive Line Has One Big Question After Camp
After camp, Miamis offensive line looks more settled than it did a few weeks ago, with Samson Okunlola, Ryan Rodriguez and Matthew McCoy among the players who appear to have carved out secure roles. The group is still being sorted in spots, but the bigger picture is clearer now: there is a core in place, and the Hurricanes can at least map out how the front is supposed to function when the season opens.
The larger question is how much more the unit can grow once games start to count. This line is not quite at the level of last years group, but it does have the ingredients to become playoff caliber if the development trend continues and the competition for playing time sharpens the depth behind the starters. For Miami, that makes the next stretch of the season about more than just protection and run blocking. It is also about whether the line can turn a promising camp into something sturdier by the time the schedule gets demanding. [Read more 🡒]