Miami football strong for potentially historic Florida defensive line class

The Miami football program is in a good place for what Andrew Ivins of 247Sports labeled that the “Sunshine State’s 2022 defensive line class could be best ever.” Miami will lose at least defensive tackle Jon Ford following the 2021 season and could lose interior linemen Nesta Silvera and Jared Harrison-Hunte.

The 2022 recruiting class is full of pass rushers according to Ivins. Nine 2022 Florida defensive lineman are ranked in the top 247 players. Four-star defensive tackle Brandon Cleveland who is 216th ranked overall, the 17th ranked DT and 25th ranked in Florida is one of two 2022 commits to the Miami football program.

Miami appears to be in a good place with four of the other eight defensive linemen ranked in the top 247 from Florida. Defensive ends Shemar Stewart, Marvin Jones Jr., Kenyatta Jackson and Dante Anderson and DT Jamari Lyons are all strongly considering Miami according to their 247 profiles.

All of the DEs are from South Florida. Cleveland is from Tampa and Lyons from Pensacola. Miami needs to continue to develop pass rushers. Miami signed Leonard Taylor who was the 10th ranked player, top-ranked DT and third-ranked player in Florida in the Class of 2021. Playing next to Taylor should help Miami recruit 2022 DL.

After the nine DL ranked in the 247 top 247, Ivins listed another group of DL who are primarily expected to receive offers from Power Five programs. Among that group is Miami three-star DE commit Jamaal Johnson from Hollywood Chaminade-Madonna Prep. Ivins mentioned 22 DL who are high three-stars or better.

Ivins expects “the biggest recruiting battles…will likely be for Stewart, Brownlow-Dindy and Jones as all three could very well end up having five-stars next to their name when its all said and done.” Stewart is strongly considering Miami according to his 247 Sports profile, but LSU is the current leader.

Jones is the son of the legendary Florida State linebacker of the same name and Brownlow-Dindy is reportedly leaning towards Oklahoma where both of his parents attended college. Jackson, Johnson’s teammate at Chaminade-Madonna appears to be leading towards Clemson or Ohio State with Miami still in the picture.

Florida, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Miami and Mississippi are the leaders for Anderson according to his 247 profile with the only crystal ball for him logged for the Hurricanes. Miami defensive linemen have been successful and gone on to NFL careers under Manny Diaz. The Hurricanes need to continue adding upfront.