Will Miami's 2024 Defensive Line Be Elite?
The Miami Hurricanes should be an even better defensive front in 2024, but will it be elite?
Now that defensive line coaches Jason Taylor and Joe Salave'a are building a top-notch roster via the recruiting classes and the Transfer Portal, there's reason to believe 2024 will be a breakout campaign for the Canes. Much of the added talent comes along the defensive line.
Here are four points about the defensive line, good and bad, before diving into the 2024 expectations.
**According to Pro Football Focus, Miami's defensive line is coming off a season with 22 sacks.
**As a rushing defense, five Canes defensive linemen would rank inside the team's top 10 for run-stop percentage: defensive tackle Akheem Mesidor, defensive end Chantz Williams, defensive end Jayden Wayne, defensive tackle Branson Deen, and defensive end Jahfari Harvey (Nyjalik Kelly came in at #11). However, only Mesidor was a primary interior starter and only participated in two games due to injury.
**Rueben Bain, Jr. should be one of the nation's most highly regarded defensive linemen this next season. His PFF stats include 22 tackles and 9 sacks. He will see many double teams opening up chances for other players like Transfer Portal defensive tackle additions Marley Cook from East Tennessee State and C.J. Clark from North Carolina State, among other Canes.
**Miami's defensive line depth should be bolstered by Nyjalik Kelly being full-go at some point between now and fall camp. Having Mesidor back is also important. Adding to that point will be Bain and Wayne at defensive end, and Joshua Horton at defensive tackle, being in Year 2. They'll be bigger, stronger, faster, and more mentally prepared for college football.
Building on those four points, here are four questions that Miami's defensive front must answer. All four of these begin with improving during spring practice.
1) Other than Bain, will a defensive lineman be consistently able to change games?
The primary point focus is finding someone capable of dominating during game-changing moments like fourth down and goal from the one, or a sack during a critical third down.
If the answer is yes, Miami's chances of reaching the College Football Playoff go up substantially.
2) What kind of push will the interior defensive line create?
Going into 2023, the Miami staff knew there was insufficient defensive tackle depth. Before the end of the second game, Mesidor also went down. His injury became a problem more and more as the season moved forward because depth just wasn't good enough.
In 2024, there's far more depth and experience because of recruiting and the Transfer Portal. At least one of the interior players must be a consistent force; the unit certainly has more bodies to rotate in.
3) Can Miami's defensive line surpass 22 sacks?
With Mesidor back, plus the talented players returning or transferring into Miami, it's not out of the question that UM is able to produce 25 to 30 sacks from the defensive line. Yes, the Canes will still blitz Francisco Mauigoa and the linebackers.
With a much deeper front, however, Miami's defensive line should be able to create far more sacks than last season.
4) Will this unit help the Canes reach the College Football Playoff?
Perhaps the trickiest question. There's reason to believe UM should be in a great spot because of the added depth and more players being healthy. If the Canes can dominate up front during the 12-game regular season that also means a chance at the Playoff is in play.
It's a big task; Miami's defensive line has a lot of talent. Time to go out and show the college football world what they are capable of accomplishing.
