Miami DL Star Dominates Against Wake Forest and Looks Like the Next Big Thing

Armondo Blount is no longer waiting in the wings.

Through three games of the 2026 season, the Miami Hurricanes junior defensive lineman has been one of the most consistent, physical, and disruptive players on a loaded roster. On Friday night in Winston-Salem, he delivered another strong performance as No. 5 Miami held off Wake Forest 33-20 to move to 3-0.

The former five-star recruit out of Miami Central has steadily grown into a bigger role after backing up first-round picks Rueben Bain Jr. and Akheem Mesidor last season.

This year he has the opportunities to impact the game and he has made every snap count.

Armondo Blount has had an incredible start to the season

Blount opened the year with a sack and two tackles in Miami’s 45-6 win at Stanford. He followed that with four tackles in the 77-7 blowout of Florida A&M. Despite limited snap counts due to the large margins of victory to begin the season, those early contributions set the tone.

He has shown the ability to play both on the edge and inside, hold up against the run, and generate pressure. Coaches and teammates have long praised his motor and work ethic. The production is now matching the reputation.

Through those two games, he already had six tackles and a sack. The Wake Forest game added more.

Against the Demon Deacons, Blount recorded:

1 Sack
3 QB Hits
5 QB Hurries
9 Total Pressures
2 Stops (tackles that constitute a "failure" for the offense)

He rotated inside and outside, stayed physical at the point of attack, and helped stabilize a defensive front that was struggling to get consistent pressure two games into the new season.

“A ton of credit goes to the defense for just bowing up and executing at a high level. They affected the passer,” head coach Mario Cristobal said about the defense.

After building a 31-7 lead, the Hurricanes’ offense stalled, and Wake Forest made it a game. The front, including Blount, helped the unit close it out with a safety, two stops on fourth down, and an interception in the fourth quarter.

Blount has undoubtedly been Miami’s most consistent defensive lineman through three games. Between pressuring the quarterback and making his presence felt consistently, he has been what the Hurricanes needed after losing two guys in the first round of the draft this past year.

Blount is still only a junior. He has already shown he can contribute in a rotation that lost two NFL first-rounders. His combination of size, twitch, and effort gives Miami flexibility up front. The early-season tape suggests that he will be one of, if not the best, defensive linemen the Hurricanes have this year.

Miami has bigger tests coming. If Blount keeps playing at this level, he will force more attention from opposing offenses and from NFL scouts.

For now, Canes fans should enjoy how he is producing for the team. A homegrown five-star is delivering exactly what the program needs from him.

Three games in, Blount looks like a problem.

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