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Experience and Talent: Miami's 2022 OL

Can Miami's 2022 offensive line be the best from the school in the past decade?

The offensive line for the Miami Hurricanes is on the rise, and could be the best its been within the past 10 years.

Miami offensive line coach Alex Mirabal let social media resonate with the colorful quote he had about the future of the offensive line group at the University of Miami.

“I will cut off my arms and my legs before anybody considers the offensive line here to be a weakness,” Mirabal told The Athletic in early January. “That ain’t going to happen. That’s not gonna happen. And I know our head football coach is not going to let that happen, either.”

Mirabal and head coach Mario Cristobal know that offensive success starts and ends with the offensive line. In 2021, Miami had issues up front, but none like they did in 2020 and 2019. In those two years, Miami ranked inside the bottom 10 (out of 130 FBS schools) in total sacks given up. In 2021, Miami ranked No. 80 in total sacks given up.

The staff knows the narrative lately about the UM offensive line: it’s not been up to par, or even close. The staff also knows that there is talent in the room and they have more than the contrary belief about the group. Here’s how the 2022 two-deep offensive line shakes out for Miami.

Projected Depth Chart


LT: Zion Nelson, John Campbell

LG: Jalen Rivers, Jonathan Denis

C: Jakai Clark, Laurance Seymore or Ryan Rodriguez

RG: Justice Oluwaseun, Logan Sagapolu

RT: DJ Scaife, Michael McLaughlin


The Skinny

The left tackle position is locked down by Zion Nelson. Nelson has gone from an undersized freshman left tackle to now being a potential first-round pick, based on his early evaluations as one of the top tackle prospects for the 2023 NFL Draft. One can imagine that quarterback Tyler Van Dyke feels relatively safe from his blind side with Nelson anchoring the line.

Miami Hurricanes Quarterback Tyler Van Dyke

When given time, quarterback Tyler Van Dyke is one of college football's best signal callers.

John Campbell has rotated from right to left tackle multiple times throughout his career but his experience and improvement with better coaching could make him a solid rotational tackle.

At left guard, Jalen Rivers looks to continue his growth after a season-ending leg injury in 2021. Rivers was one of the bigger recruiting wins of the Manny Diaz era and performed well over 10 games in two years. Rivers is a big guard at 6-foot-5, 325 pounds, he has tackle size but plays with a guard’s straight-ahead mentality. 

Rivers has yet to get a full season under his belt, but should he stay healthy, he projects to have a strong year. The phrase, “left side, best side,” could very well be the case for Nelson and Rivers in the trenches.

Jonathan Denis, a South Dade native, committed to Oregon out of high school and spent two years in Eugene before following head coach Mario Cristobal back down to the 305. 

Miami wanted Denis badly coming out of high school and that was the case even in the transfer portal. Denis projects as Rivers’ backup, but he is a solid option with some experience.

Jakai Clark has been a major contributor for Miami over the past three seasons. Clark started at guard in his Miami career, but after Corey Gaynor left, he became the starting center and has done well in that role. 

According to Pro Football Focus, Clark allowed nine pressures with no sacks on 401 pass-blocking snaps. Clark is attempting to fend off the other centers who are all competing for a starting spot and backup spot.

Although Clark is the reigning starting center, he is by no means a lock for the starting role. Laurance Seymore shifted from guard to center this offseason. Seymore has been competing with Clark and Ryan Rodriguez for first-team snaps. Seymore and Rodriguez will more than likely contribute in rotational roles with Clark getting the nod to start week one.

Justice Oluwaseun, a sixth-year senior, was the offensive line’s sixth man last season as DJ Scaife held down the right guard spot beside right tackle Jarrid Williams. Oluwaseun is one of UM’s most seasoned offensive linemen, having experience at UNLV before transferring to Miami.

Logan Sagapolu is another Oregon transfer that followed Cristobal to Coral Gables. Sagapolu was in contention for a starting role at Oregon before he suffered a season-ending injury in fall camp. 

Sagapolu didn’t see the field in two years at Oregon, but that will likely change as he projects as the backup to Oluwaseun and could see rotational reps down the season’s stretch.

DJ Scaife has once again been kicked outside to tackle after spending the past two years at guard. Scaife has been a contributor for the Canes essentially from day one. 

DJ Scaife

DJ Scaife will be a four-year starter for the Hurricanes.

He has played almost every position on the offensive line with his best success coming from the guard position. Scaife played both tackle positions, but had more success at tackle on the right side which is where he projects to start this fall.

Michael McLaughlin walked into Coral Gables looking like a tight end. Now, he’s over 300 pounds and is more than just a “project” tackle. 

McLaughlin is a guy that has embraced the weight room and is now big enough and strong enough to compete at the Division I level. He’s not quite ready to be a starter, but seeing reps over the course of the year will prepare him for that eventual role.

Final Thoughts

As previously stated, the offensive line has been a weakness for Miami, especially in the run game. The opposite is true with the passing game, as last season saw Miami have one of their most productive seasons in passing and pass-blocking efficiency. 

The passing game doesn’t shape up to take a step back, especially with the intensive coaching by Mirabal on the offensive line. The run game still needs massive improvement, mostly from the big men up front.

Cristobal’s 2021 Oregon team ran for over 2800 yards averaging 5.3 yards per carry. Offensive coordinator Josh Gattis’ 2021 Michigan offense eclipsed 3000 rushing yards on 5.2 yards per carry as a collective. Those numbers could be contagious for the Miami offense this season should the offensive line improve like it’s projected to in the run game.

It’s unlikely the Canes mirror those exact numbers. However, considering the Canes haven’t notched over 2000 yards since 2018, getting over 2000 in 2022 would be a big confidence boost for the offensive line. The coaching from Mirabal and Cristobal makes the idea of improvement and consistency among the line more realistic compared to the last five years. 


Check out the rest of the offensive position previews:

Previewing the Miami Hurricanes Quarterback Room Entering 2022

Previewing the Miami Hurricanes Wide Receiver Room Entering 2022

Previewing the Miami Hurricanes Tight Ends Entering 2022


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