The commitment of four-star defensive end Jabari Ishmael to the Miami football program is critical to the depth of edge rushers with the Hurricanes potentially losing three elite pass rushers following the 2020 season.
The Miami football program will definitely lose graduate transfer defensive end, Quincy Roche, following the 2020 season and redshirt sophomore Greg Rousseau and redshirt junior Jaelan Phillips will potentially follow him. The Hurricanes will primarily have a new rotation of pass rushers in 2021.
Jahfari Harvey who will be a redshirt sophomore in 2021 should lead the Miami edge rushers that season if Rousseau (who is a near definite departure to the NFL Draft) and Phillips forego the remainder of their collegiate eligibility. Ishmael will provide Miami with a similar length off the edge at 6’5 compared to Rousseau who is 6’6.
The Hurricanes will be extremely young off the edge in 2021 unless they go to the transfer portal for the position for the third straight season. Miami added Trevon Hill from Virginia Tech for the 2019 season. Ishmael is an important addition who will help with the Hurricanes’ depth in 2021. He might be part of the 2021 rotation.
Manny Diaz has preferred to redshirt his edge rushers as freshmen in recent years. Rousseau redshirted as a freshman in 2018 after suffering a season-ending ankle injury in the second game of the season. Harvey and fellow 2019 signee Cameron Williams both redshirted last fall. Expect the same for 2020 signees.
The depth Miami will have at DE in 2019 will allow Diaz to 2020 signees redshirt Chantz Williams, Quentin Williams and Elijah Roberts this fall. Quentin Williams and Roberts could potentially be moved to defensive tackle once they add muscle or could be used as swing defensive linemen.
The future for the Miami football program rushing the passer will continue with the addition of Ishmael and the signees the Hurricanes have made in the past few years. Miami was tied for sixth with 108 tackles for loss and tied for seventh with 46 sacks in 2019. The Miami defensive line should continue to make havoc in the future.