Miami football needs 2017 signees to make impact in 2020

The 2017 signing class for the Miami football program finished 12th in the nation. Eleven of 2017 signees remain with four projected to start in 2020.

Entering the 2020 Miami football season, 11 players remain from what was the first full class the Hurricanes signed under Mark Richt in 2017. Most of the defensive staff remains from recruiting that class. Only four of the players from the nation’s 12th ranked class are returning starters and projected to start in 2020.

Guard Navaughn Donaldson, wide receiver Mike Harley, center Corey Gaynor and defensive tackle Jon Ford are the only players projected to start for the Miami football team in 2020 who signed in 2017. Donaldson, Harley and Ford will be seniors in 2020. Gaynor is entering his redshirt junior season.

The other returning players who signed with Miami in 2017 are QB N’Kosi Perry, offensive lineman Kai-Leon Herbert, safety Amari Carter, running back Robert Burns, OL Zalon’tae Hillery, linebacker Waynmon Steed and LB Bradley Jennings. Donaldson leads the four returning starters who signed in 2017 with 34 career starts.

Gaynor has started 14 career games with all but one coming in 2019 at center. Harley has 13 career starts spread nearly evenly across all three seasons with Miami. All of Ford’s 13 career starts came in 2019 at defensive tackle, Perry who is entering his redshirt junior season has nine career starts.

The expectation for Perry in 2020 is that he will be the backup to graduate transfer D’Eriq King at QB. The only other major contributor in his career among the other returning players is Carter. The senior has recorded 75 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, three sacks and four pass breakups in his career.

Carter who is known as a hard hitter has seven starts in his Miami career, all in the last two seasons. Redshirt junior transfer Bubba Bolden and Carter are expected to compete to be a starting safety alongside Gurvan Hall who led Miami returnees in tackles in 2019. Carter has one career interception and two forced fumbles.

Herbert, Burns, Hillery, Steed and Jennings are destined to be career backups and more tertiary players for Miami. Burns enters the 2020 season as the second-team RB behind projected starter, junior Cam’Ron Harris. Burns is a redshirt junior that has only 31 carries 126 yards and three receptions for 21 yards and a TD.

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All but 10 of the rushing yards and one of the two receptions came last season. Herbert and Hillery have been huge disappointments after signing with Miami as four-star players coming out of high school. Donaldson has been a critical part of the Miami OL in the last three seasons.

Herbert and Hillery have struggled to get on the field. Herbert has played 12 games in the last two seasons after redshirting as a true freshman. Hillery has played 20 games over the last two seasons and also redshirted in 2017. Herbert received snaps at right tackle this spring and played guard in the past.

New offensive line coach Garin Justice praised Herbert’s ability. Miami got in four spring practices and Justice shuffled around the offensive line frequently in the limited time the Hurricanes had. Herbert likely projects as a second-team OL at either guard or more likely RT behind Nelson.

"“I’m encouraged with Kai. I think Kai just needs to keep going along with the process, keep developing confidence. You referenced that he hasn’t had a lot of the success that he wants to, but that doesn’t mean he’s not a good player. I think he was taking some steps in the right direction.”"

Jennings and Steed sat out the 2019 season recovering from injuries. They are not likely to contribute much. With injuries rampant throughout the LB corps for Miami, just having Jennings and Steed healthy will help the Hurricanes depth. Zach McCloud returns as the only redshirt senior for Miami after redshirting in 2019.