Miami Hurricanes position battles to monitor other than QB

Sorting out the offensive line

Three positions on the Miami Hurricanes offensive line are likely set as training camp begins Friday night in Coral Gables. Junior Corey Gaynor is a lock to start at center. D.J. Scaife and Navaughn Donaldson are projected to start at unspecified offensive line spots. Donaldson was a starting guard for most of 2017 and ’18.

Donaldson started 18 games at right guard and six at right tackle the last two seasons. The six starts at right tackle came at the beginning of the 2018 season. He moved back to right guard after being ineffective. After Donaldson returned to right guard Scaife made seven starts at right tackle.

Miami Hurricanes Football

There has been a lot of speculation where Donaldson and Scaife start in 2019. The educated guesstimate is that Donaldson moves to left guard and Scaife to left tackle. That leaves the entire right side of the offensive line open for competition to be starters. Several players will compete to start at right guard and right tackle.

The favorite to start at right tackle for the Hurricanes is true freshman Zion Nelson. Nelson is the future prototype on the Miami offensive line. He enrolled at Miami in January at 240 pounds. He reportedly is up to 270 pounds now. A Miami football staff member discussed the type of offensive lineman the Hurricanes will recruit.

"“He’s the kind of offensive lineman we’re going to recruit now. You need long, lean athletic tackles who can actually stay in front of athletic defensive ends. Not just big guys you think you can develop.”"

Redshirt freshman John Campbell is the favorite to earn the starting spot at right guard. Redshirt freshman Cleveland Reed and redshirt sophomores Kai-Leon Herbert and Zalon’tae Hillery will figure into the rotation.