The Hurricanes will have a strong footprint around the NFL when the 2026 season opens Wednesday, with 28 former Miami players on active rosters.
That total puts Miami second among ACC programs in active NFL players, trailing Clemson’s 30. If you widen the lens to include active rosters, reserve lists and practice squads, the Hurricanes move to the top of the conference with 40 former players in NFL organizations, according to the ACC. Clemson is next at 38.
A few former Canes are already positioned in prominent spots. Carson Beck is with the Arizona Cardinals at quarterback, while Cam Ward is on the Tennessee Titans roster at the same position. On defense, Calais Campbell is back on an NFL roster with the Baltimore Ravens, Greg Rousseau is with the Buffalo Bills, and Jaelan Phillips is part of the Carolina Panthers’ group.
Miami’s presence stretches across the league. The Los Angeles Chargers have three former Hurricanes listed: Akheem Mesidor, David Njoku and Denzel Perryman, with Perryman on reserve/injured.
The Los Angeles Rams have CJ Daniels and Kamren Kinchens. The New York Jets list Kiko Mauigoa, Anez Cooper and Tyler Baron, with Cooper on reserve/designated to return and Baron on reserve/physically unable to perform.
There are also familiar Miami names in a number of other places. Mike Jackson is with the Panthers, Tyrique Stevenson is with the Chicago Bears, DJ Ivey and Jalen Rivers are with the Cincinnati Bengals, and Brevin Jordan is on the Houston Texans. The Indianapolis Colts have Will Mallory on reserve/designated to return, while the New England Patriots have Andres Borregales and Leonard Taylor.
The rest of the list shows just how deep the Hurricanes’ reach runs. Francis Mauigoa and Braxton Berrios are with the Giants, Rayshawn Jenkins and Travis Homer are with the Steelers, and Elijah Arroyo is with the Seahawks.
In Tennessee, Ward and James Williams are joined by K.J. Osborn and Xavier Restrepo on the practice squad.
Here is the full list of former Hurricanes on NFL rosters heading into the 2026 season:
Arizona Cardinals -- QB Carson Beck
Atlanta Falcons -- C James Brockermeyer (practice squad)
Baltimore Ravens -- DE Calais Campbell
Buffalo Bills -- OLB Greg Rousseau, CB Te'Cory Couch (practice squad)
Carolina Panthers -- CB Mike Jackson, OLB Jaelan Phillips
Chicago Bears -- CB Tyrique Stevenson, DL Jonathan Garvin (reserve/injured)
Cincinnati Bengals -- CB DJ Ivey, OL Jalen Rivers
Green Bay Packers -- DT Anthony Campbell, DT Jonathan Ford
Houston Texans -- TE Brevin Jordan
Indianapolis Colts -- TE Will Mallory (reserve/designated to return)
Los Angeles Chargers -- OLB Akheem Mesidor, TE David Njoku, LB Denzel Perryman (reserve/injured)
Los Angeles Rams -- WR CJ Daniels, S Kamren Kinchens
Minnesota Vikings -- S Jakobe Thomas, RB DeeJay Dallas (practice squad)
New England Patriots -- K Andres Borregales, DL Leonard Taylor
New York Giants -- OL Francis Mauigoa, WR Braxton Berrios (practice squad)
New York Jets -- LB Kiko Mauigoa, OL Anez Cooper (reserve/designated to return), EDGE Tyler Baron (reserve/physically unable to perform)
Philadelphia Eagles -- OL Markel Bell
Pittsburgh Steelers -- S Rayshawn Jenkins, RB Travis Homer (practice squad)
Seattle Seahawks -- TE Elijah Arroyo
Tennessee Titans -- QB Cam Ward, LB James Williams, WR K.J. Osborn (practice squad), WR Xavier Restrepo (practice squad)
In Other News...
Miami Secondary Suddenly Faces A Bigger Xavier Lucas Concern
Miamis secondary had already been leaning on youth, and the home opener only sharpened that reality. Xavier Lucas, who started in Week 1, did not play against Florida A&M, and the program offered no injury details for the absence. With the Hurricanes dealing with multiple injuries and absences in the back end, underclassmen like Bryce Fitzgerald and freshman JJ Dunnigan have been pushed into bigger roles sooner than planned.
Mario Cristobal has pointed to the groups versatility as a way to absorb those hits, but the situation also underscores how quickly depth can be tested in the secondary. Miami has spent plenty of time talking about recruiting and development as the foundation for surviving stretches like this, and Lucas status adds another layer of concern for a defense already asking younger players to hold more responsibility. [Read more 🡒]
Miami Fans Still Havent Forgotten The One Florida A&M Shocker
Before Florida A&M and Miami met again in the late 2000s, the series had already built up a long memory for Hurricanes fans, and most of it was not especially kind to the underdog. The two programs first tangled in 1979 and then again over the years in matchups that usually followed the same familiar script: Miami controlling the game, leaning on its talent and depth, and coming away with another win. By the time the teams played through the 2009 meeting, the Hurricanes had turned the series into one of those old nonconference histories that can be retold almost by habit.
Still, the reason this one lingers is that not every chapter fit the pattern, and Miami followers have never entirely let go of the one result that broke through the routine. Even with the Hurricanes holding the clear edge across the series, the trip through those games from 1979 to 2009 shows why certain opponents stick in the memory longer than the record alone would suggest. For Miami, the larger story is dominance, but for fans, it is the shock that kept one Florida A&M afternoon from blending into the rest. [Read more 🡒]
Miami Secondary Injuries Just Forced A Defensive Shuffle Fans Need To Watch
Miami was forced to improvise in the secondary against Florida A&M, and the adjustment offered a clear look at how thin the Hurricanes have become at cornerback. Bryce Fitzgerald slid over from safety to cornerback, while true freshman JJ Dunnigan was pressed into a starting role at safety, a reminder that this defense is already having to lean on flexibility early in the season.
The injury list at cornerback is what created the shuffle in the first place, with OJ Frederique, Xavier Lucas and Ja'Boree Antoine all sidelined. Some of those players are expected back later in the season, but for now Miami has to keep finding workable combinations on the back end, and the way it handles that stretch will be worth monitoring once the schedule gets heavier. [Read more 🡒]