Miami Hurricanes 2022 Player Profile: WR Frank Ladson Jr.

Can the Miami Hurricanes recreate transfer portal magic at wide receiver with Frank Ladson Jr. in the fold?

At this point, most college football fans would rather eat glass than hear the words “transfer portal” again, but the reality is that the transfer portal is here to stay and will only continue to further alter the college football landscape each year.  

For some teams and players, the portal has been a blessing, bringing them under-the-radar talent together with the right system in perfect harmony.

That was the case last year for Miami Hurricanes’ wideout Charleston Rambo, who set the school’s single-season receptions and receiving yards record in 2021 (79 catches, 1,172 yards) on his way to being named Second Team All-ACC. Now that Rambo’s made his way to the NFL’s Carolina Panthers, the Canes are looking to recreate some more transfer magic in the form of ex-Clemson receiver, Frank Ladson Jr.

Ladson, a fourth-year junior who hails from local South Dade, might just be the most intriguing player on this Miami offense. Coming out of high school in 2019, Ladson was the seventh-ranked receiver in the country and the fifth best player in Florida according to 247 Sports. 

At 6-foot-3, the towering outside pass catcher also displayed elite level speed and flexibility at the high school and college level. He was showed flashes of brilliance in Clemson’s offense in 2020, catching three touchdowns on only 18 receptions, but injuries sidelined Ladson for most of his time with the Tigers. 

Now, back home in Miami-Dade County, the junior is looking to live up to the hype and catapult himself into NFL Fraft consideration.

For Ladson, like many transfers, the talent has always been there, it just hasn’t quite shone through the muddy waters of recurring injuries. If he can stay healthy, Ladson can be as dynamic as any pass catcher in the country. There’s a lot of reasons that the junior route runner could break out in 2022, not the least of which is potential Heisman Trophy candidate quarterback Tyler Van Dyke.

Van Dyke is the prototypical pro-style quarterback, standing every bit of 6-foot-4 with a cannon attached to his right shoulder. Van Dyke's specialty is the long ball which should mesh nicely with Ladson’s abilities. The lanky speedster can easily smoke unsuspecting corners on vertical routes before positioning his body and using his NBA-caliber vertical to snag the ball at its highest point, leaving shorter defenders helplessly reaching at air. 

This skill set could pay huge dividends for Van Dyke and the Canes this year as they’ll likely put the ball in the air quite a bit, even with head coach Mario Cristobal’s emphasis on rushing.

The Canes will also have Key’Shawn Smith, Brashard Smith and Romello Brinson returning to the receiver room, making for an unproven but extremely talented group. Both Smiths are lightning fast, but under six feet tall, and Ladson’s NFL frame will be integral to Miami’s success in the redzone this fall.

If he’s able to stay healthy, Ladson may follow in Rambo’s footsteps as a transfer Hurricane receiver who finds himself on an All-ACC team and an NFL roster.

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