Miami Hurricanes defense ranked 14th by ESPN 2020-22

The Miami Hurricanes’ future defense(s) received a respectable ranking of 14th for the 2020-22 seasons by ESPN. With the losses Miami is expected to have on defense after the 2020 season, that ranking shows respect for Blake Baker and Manny Diaz.

The Miami Hurricanes defense has been exceptional in the four seasons Manny Diaz has been the defensive coordinator and head coach. That ranking continued with Blake Baker leading a very stout defense replacing Diaz as the defensive coordinator when the latter became head coach in 2019.

Miami finished 23rd in scoring defense and 13th total defense in 2019. In their annual review of position units and each side of the ball, ESPN expects Miami to continue to be one of the best defenses in the country over the next seasons. ESPN ranked Miami 14th in their three-year cycle in 2020 after they were 13th in 2019.

Any discussion of the Miami defense for 2020 begins with defensive end Greg Rousseau. Rousseau drew the attention of the nation and opposing offensive coordinators in 2019 with 54 tackles, 19.5 tackles for loss and 15.5 sacks. Teaming with Quincy Roche and Jalean Phillips Miami has nation’s best pass rush in 2020.

Roche joins the Miami Hurricanes roster as a graduate transfer after being named the AAC Defensive Player of the Year for Temple when he recorded 13 sacks in 2019. Phillips was the top recruit in the nation at UCLA in 2017 before he transferred to Miami in 2019. No team has as much elite talent at edge rusher.

"14. Miami Hurricanes2019 future defense ranking: 13Scouting the Hurricanes: Miami has its issues on offense, but the defense continues to produce. Since 2017, the Hurricanes rank 15th nationally in efficiency and fourth in yards per play allowed. Manny Diaz and his staff will continue to recruit and develop strong talent.Miami should have one of the nation’s top defensive lines in 2020. Gregory Rousseau returns after a massive redshirt freshman season (15.5 sacks, 19.5 tackles for loss), and will pair at end with Temple graduate transfer Quincy Roche, the 2019 AAC Defensive Player of the Year.Even if both are gone in 2021, there’s talent emerging in Jahfari Harvey, incoming freshman Chantz Williams and others. Linebacker is a mini concern with mainstays Shaquille Quarterman and Michael Pinckney departing, although Zach McCloud (129 tackles from 2016 to 2018) is back for his fifth year.Miami gets cornerback Al Blades Jr. and safety Gurvan Hall Jr. for at least one more year, and junior cornerback DJ Ivey led the team with three interceptions in 2019. In addition to Chantz Williams, the eighth-ranked defensive end, Diaz’s 2020 recruiting haul includes Avantae Williams, ESPN’s top-ranked safety."

Adam Rittenberg wrote the summary for ESPN on the Miami defense. The graduations of linebackers Shaq Quarterman and Michael Pinckney were difficult losses. The return of Zach McCloud after redshirting in 2019 was critical for Miami at LB entering 2020. McCloud will replace Quarterman in the middle of the defense.

Roche will graduate following the 2020 season. Rousseau and Phillips are likely to follow him into the NFL being draft-eligible after three and four years in college respectively Rousseau is a redshirt sophomore and Phillips a redshirt junior. The talent Miami has behind them at DE is impressive.

Redshirt freshman Jahfari Harvey is projected to be the fourth DE in the Miami rotation in 2020 behind Rousseau, Roche and Phillips. Redshirt freshman Cameron Williams and true freshman Chantz Williams will be a part of the future rotation at DE. Chantz is the second highest-ranked recruit in the 2020 Miami signing class.

Safety Avantae Williams is the highest-ranked signee for Miami in 2020. ESPN ranked him as their number one safety for 2020. Avanate Williams was the second-ranked safety in the 2020 247Sports Composite rankings. The Miami secondary should be more consistent in 2020 after being young last season.

Cornerbacks Al Blades and D.J. Ivey have a year of extensive playing time behind them after being the second and third CBs for Miami behind Trajan Bandy in 2019. Gurvan Hall finished second on Miami in tackles in 2019 behind Quarterman. Hall, Bubba Bolden and Amari Carter provide Miami with a deep rotation at safety.