Miami's Rare Question Mark Entering the 2026 Season
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CORAL GABLES, Fla — Spring practice is underway for the Miami Hurricanes as they prepare for another outstanding season.
However, there is a big question mark entering this season that hasn't been an issue since the first year under Mario Cristobal: What will the offensive line look like?
Cristobal and offensive line head coach Alex Mirabal have consistently produced some of the best offensive lines in the country, dating back to their time at Oregon. Now with Francis Mauigoa, Anez Cooper, James Brockermeyer, and Markel Bell all entering the 2026 NFL Draft, the Canes will have a brand new offensive line to protect Darian Mensah.
It begins with freshman Jackson Cantwell, who is excited not to block Rueben Bain Jr. and Ahkeem Mesidor anymore after being "baptized by them".
"Yeah, he was quite happy that Ruben and Mesidor were going into here today," Cristobal said about Cantwell. "That was his baptism when he was here at the end of the season. Absolutely. And you know, he's such a high-level caliber athlete, but you still have to adjust to this level of speed, power, and everything else that goes with it. And I mean, he's a sponge, and he attacks his daily life like a professional as well, so you've seen him, and he's massive, you know, 6-foot-8 plus.
"I don't know what he weighs, but it's a lot, you know? But it's the right kind of weight. I think you guys are very well. They are very familiar with Coach Mirabal. His regiment, the way he trains guys, and the mentorship of Matt McCoy, Ryan Rodriguez, and Samson Okunlola. That is, priceless right now, and those are guys, and I know we lose starters, but those guys are all close starters, or half started. So all in all, I think it's just a great situation for him, and some of these other young offensive lineman."
However, Cristobal isn't worried because there is proof in the pudding. The Canes continue to build towards having a versatile offensive line that can flip anywhere, while also still aiming to get better.
"They can play everything, you know? You know, we cross-train everybody," Cristobal said. "Those guys, heck, Matt's even snapped. You know, how it's gonna shake out at the end, it's hard to tell. The positive about those guys is they all have guard/tackle versatility, flexibility, and on both sides, okay?
"So what does that mean, as guys like Jackson, Max Buchanan, S.J., and Wilkerson have had an unbelievable off-season, so Demetrius Campbell has had a great off-season. All these guys have done a lot. J.J. Sparks, Reese Woodrowe, those guys are advanced freshmen. However, the parts fit, so that the five best together, playing as one, is what we'll do. Between now and then, there's a lot of, I would say, experimenting, a lot of trial and error, and seeing what our best combination is."
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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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