Mario Cristobal has made a habit of finding talent in places other programs overlook, and Miami’s recent recruiting haul has produced a few names that blew past their billing. The Hurricanes have recruited at a high level since Cristobal arrived in 2022, which means the pool of true sleepers is smaller than it used to be. Still, a handful of players from this decade have turned into far more than their rankings suggested.
At the top of the list is Xavier Restrepo, and he wasn’t even a Cristobal addition. Manny Diaz landed the Deerfield Beach High School product, who came in as the 623rd-ranked player in the 2020 class and the 84th-ranked player in Florida in the 247Sports Composite.
Restrepo went on to set Miami receiving records with 200 catches and 2,844 yards. He also put together back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons in 2023 and 2024, then led the ACC in his redshirt senior year with 1,127 yards and 11 scores.
Joshua Moten has been another major overachiever for Miami, even if his work has mostly happened away from the spotlight. The Fort Lauderdale native was the 80th-rated defensive lineman in the 2022 class, but he grew into a key interior presence for the Hurricanes.
His ability to eat up blockers helped pave the way for Rueben Bain Jr. and Akheem Mesidor, both of whom became NFL first-round draft picks in 2026. Moten’s own rise showed up in 2025, when he earned All-ACC second-team honors.
The 2022 class shows up again with Anez Cooper, another player who bought in early and paid it off later. The Jacksonville/St.
Johns area recruit was ranked 735th nationally and 62nd among offensive tackles, but he became a steady starter. Cooper made 27 starts across 2024 and 2025, giving Miami much more than anyone expected from a player that far down the board.
Markel Bell also earned his place on the list after arriving with a stronger reputation than some of the others, but still not nearly enough to predict what came next. The Columbus High product was a 3-star prospect, ranked just outside the composite top 400 and listed as the 26th-best offensive tackle in the country. He started in 2024 before a season-ending injury in the opener against Florida, then came back in 2025 as one of the important pieces of the Hurricanes’ offensive front.
In Other News...
Miami Fans May Be Sleeping On One Freshman In Jai Lucass Rebuild
As Jai Lucas keeps reshaping Miamis mens basketball roster with transfers and a few key returners, one freshman worth keeping an eye on is Christopher Birden Jr. The Louisiana native arrives as a 6-10 frontcourt piece with enough versatility to fit in different spots, giving the Hurricanes another option as they try to build a team that can matter in the ACC and beyond.
Birdens appeal goes beyond simple size, which is part of why he could be easy to overlook in a crowded rebuild. His perimeter shooting gives him a chance to stretch the floor, and his ability to handle multiple frontcourt roles could make him useful if Miami needs depth or injury cover as the season unfolds, especially with a path to minutes still blocked by the players already ahead of him. [Read more 🡒]
Miami May Finally Have The Tight End Fans Have Waited For
Elija Loftons name has been coming up more often around Miamis offense this summer, and for good reason. The Hurricanes tight end is expected to take on a much larger role in the upcoming season after working his way back from injury and settling into a new offensive scheme, with Mario Cristobal and tight ends coach Mike Viti both sounding confident that his talent can finally show up in a bigger way.
Miami also likes the fit of whats ahead for Lofton. The Hurricanes plan to involve him more heavily as they adjust to changes at quarterback and in how the offense wants to attack, and that could open the door for the kind of production fans have been waiting on. The question now is how quickly that expanded role turns into real volume once the season starts. [Read more 🡒]
ACC Just Sent Miami A Loud Message About 2026
A preseason ACC ballot can say as much about perception as it does about production, and Miami is sitting right in the middle of that conversation heading into 2026. InsideTheUs David Lake put together his projected order of finish and all-conference picks, and the Hurricanes showed up prominently across the board, a reflection of how much talent is expected to drive the programs next run even before a snap is played.
FanDuel Sportsbook has Miami as the league favorite, and Lakes ballot leaned into that expectation with multiple Hurricanes landing on his preseason teams, including Darian Mensah at quarterback. The list also included key names across the roster such as Mark Fletcher, Malachi Toney, Damon Wilson, Ahmad Moten, Justin Scott, Mohamed Toure, Xavier Lucas and Bryce Fitzgerald, with Wilsons 2025 production at Missouri standing out as one of the more notable additions. Of course, these preseason forecasts are mostly for fun and have a long history of missing the mark, but they still offer a useful snapshot of how loudly the ACC is already talking about Miami. [Read more 🡒]