Two Miami Hurricanes players are ranked in the top 100 players for 2018 by Athlon Sports. Safety Jaquan Johnson and linebacker Shaquille Quarterman are ranked as the Nation’s 45th and 42nd best players according to the iconic magazine.
Johnson and Quarterman were the Miami Hurricanes two leading tacklers in 2017. Johnson led Miami with 96 tackles and three forced fumbles. He tied for the team lead with four interceptions and two forced fumbles. Quarterman had 83 tackles, seven tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks and five passes defended.
Johnson and Quarterman are the leaders of the defense in addition to being the leading tacklers. Johnson led a young and mostly inexperienced secondary in 2017. He returns with corners Michael Jackson and Trajan Bandy this season. Behind them is a very young and inexperienced group of backups.
Miami lost starting cornerback Malek Young with career-ending spinal surgery last month. Behind Bandy and Jackson at the corners are Freshmen Gilbert Frierson, Al Blades Jr, Nigel Bethel and D.J. Ivey.
Johnson and Sheldrick Redwine return at safety. Behind them are rising Sophomores Amari Carter and Derrick Smith, rising Juniors Robert Knowles and Romeo Finley and incoming Freshman Gurvan Hall.
"45. Jaquan Johnson, S Miami Johnson is an all-around standout on the back end of Miami’s defense for coordinator Manny Diaz. As a junior in 2017, Johnson led all Hurricanes with 96 tackles and three forced fumbles. In addition to his ability to be a sure tackler in space, Johnson tied for the team lead with four interceptions."
Quarterman leads the return of the all Junior linebacking core with Michael Pinckney and Zach McCloud next to him. Quarterman and Pinckney were both ESPN true Freshmen All-Americans in 2016. All three players started as Freshman during Mark Richt’s first season leading the Miami Hurricanes.
Miami has lost some depth behind them entering 2018. Backup Jamie Gordinier decided to retire with chronic knee injuries. Darrion Owens decided to transfer to Houston. Owens set career highs with six solo tackles and nine total in the Orange Bowl loss to Wisconsin.
Pinckney finished third on Miami behind Johnson and Quarterman with 68 tackles. He was also third on the team with 11 tackles for loss. Pinckney also added 3.5 tackles for loss, one interception, two passes defended and a fumble recovery. McCloud finished 2018 with 48 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks.
"42. Shaq Quarterman, LB, Miami Miami’s defense has a few faces to replace up front, but the linebacker unit should be among the best in the nation. Quarterman has started all 26 games in his career and finished 2017 with 83 tackles (seven for a loss). He earned second-team All-ACC honors last year."
Next: Where does Storm '18 among top 25 teams
With the Junior group of linebackers coming back in 2018 the Canes don’t have any pure linebackers in the Storm ’18 Class. DeAndre Wilder, Mike Smith, Charles Perry, Waynmon Steed and Bradley Jennings are the players to watch at linebacker behind the Miami veterans starters.