The Miami Hurricanes defensive end rotation in 2019 will be one of the best nationally. The Hurricanes bring back starter Jonathan Garvin and welcome an infusion of new talented edge rushers.
Jonathan Garvin had a breakout season for the Miami Hurricanes in 2018. The rising junior defensive end led Miami defensive linemen with 60 tackles and added 17.0 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks, five pass breakups, two fumble recoveries and a fumble return for a touchdown. Miami loses Joe Jackson as the other defensive end.
Virginia Tech graduate transfer Trevon Hill, redshirt freshman Gregory Rousseau, rising senior Scott Patchan and rising freshman Jahfari Harvey give co-defensive coordinators Blake Baker and Ephraim Banda and defensive line coach Todd Stroud a lot to work with. The Hurricanes will continue to have a dangerous pass rush.
Garvin will be the anchor on the edge. Hill had a productive career at Virginia Tech and is the favorite to start opposite Garvin. Patchan adds experience and Rosseau and Harvey have a lot of upside. Rousseau was the talk of Spring Practice in 2019. He accumulated nine sacks in the three scrimmages.
An ankle injury last September cost Rousseau his freshman year. Rousseau was able to use the redshirt so he had four years of eligibility remaining. Harvey has the Miami defensive coaching staff buzzing about his upside. They are surprised he wasn’t recruited more extensively. Harvey was upgraded from a three to a four-star player.
.@13kDeejay walks with @jahfariharvey and Zion Nelson around campus to discuss who they look up in the NFL and what makes Miami so special. pic.twitter.com/1Jk6JaWgY0
— Miami Hurricanes Football (@CanesFootball) March 26, 2019
Manny Diaz spoke to the Miami Herald‘s Barry Jackson about how impressive Harvey has been through the first five practices this spring.
"“Jahfari, you have to remind yourself the guy should be sitting in English four class right now because he’s really done some nice things coming out here early on…He’s a guy that we couldn’t believe in recruiting that there weren’t more people busting down his door to try to get him.We’re really thankful he’s here and he’s shown us nothing in the first few days of practice to take us off that opinion.”"
Hill could be the key to the defensive line with Garvin. In three seasons with Virginia Tech, Hill recorded 94 tackles, 20 TFLs and 11.5 sacks. He was on his way to an All-ACC caliber season before being dismissed by the Hokies for an unspecified reason. In three games in 2018, Hill had 11 tackles, 4.5 TFLs and 3.5 sacks.
The strength of the Miami Hurricanes defense will continue to be the edge rushers and the linebacking corps. If Baker, Banda, Stroud and cornerbacks coach Mike Rumph can get the interior of the defensive line and the secondary to develop quickly, Miami will continue to have the elite defense they did under Diaz as defensive coordinator.