Malachi Toney was One of the Many Reasons Miami Has a New Star Defensive Back
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CORAL GABLES — The Miami Hurricanes will lose Jakobe Thomas and Keionte Scott in the 2026 NFL Draft, but the secondary won't take much of a hit without them.
Thomas and Scott set a tone that changed the way the Hurricanes played football from year to year, and now the Canes have brought in another player with a similar attitude and mentality.
Boston College transfer Omar Thornton is a controlled hot head who hits perfectly in the Hurricanes' system with defensive coordinator Corey Hetherman.
“Good. All he wants is for you to hit hard," Thornton said. "If you hit, you hit, you hit, you’re playing in his defense. So, I feel like Coach Hetherman, he’s really good, and I see my skillset fits well in his system.”
Thornton spent his first two seasons with the Eagles. He totaled 111 tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, one interception, and five forced fumbles. He saw action in 23 games and made 14 starts over his two years (2024-2025).
Most of that time last season was spent as a starter with 11 starts at safety, totaling 82 tackles, with eight for loss, four forced fumbles, two sacks, one interception, one pass breakup, and one quarterback hit. He earned All-ACC Honorable Mention Honors, but had he been on a better team, he would have likely been a part of one of the three All-ACC Teams.
This addition to the Canes was also made with the help of star wide receiver Malachi Toney. Toney and Thornton were teammates in high school, and one of the reasons that the star safety returned to South Florida.
“Real close with him," Thronton said. "It’s one of the top reasons I came down. He always wanted me to come play with him again. Even outside of football, I stay at his house. Even though I have my own, I go over there, I stay with him. We’re always around each other, talk all the time. Every day we compete against each other. That’s my guy right there.”
The Hurricanes secondary is deep, and Thornton continues to be one of the many reasons for it. The Canes' defense grows day by day as spring practice nears its end. Summer is almost here for everyone, and the season is near.
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Justice Sandle is a graduate of Mississippi State University earning a Bachelor of Arts and Science in Communications with a concentration in Print and Digital Journalism. During his time in Starkville, he spent a year as an intern working for Mississippi State On SI primarily covering basketball, football, baseball, and soccer while writing, recording, and creating multimedia stories during his tenor. Since graduating, he has assumed the role of lead staff writer for Miami Hurricanes On SI covering football, basketball, baseball, and all things Hurricanes related.
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