Miami Hurricanes WR projected depth chart heading into summer

After spring football Mike Harley and Charleston Rambo are the clear starters for two of the three wide receiver positions for the Miami Hurricanes. Harley will start in the slot with Rambo at one of the outside positions. The other outside position will be a completion during August training camp.

Keyshawn Smith started with Harley and Rambo on the first team in the spring game. Smith had two receptions for 58 yards as a freshman in 2020. Smith had three receptions for 63 yards and two TDs in the spring game. Both scores came on calls from quarterback D’Eriq King who called plays during the spring game.

Mark Pope and Dee Wiggins were the starters with Harley in 2020. Too much inconsistency and the addition of Rambo as a transfer from Oklahoma will almost certainly reduce the playing time for Pope and Wiggins in 2021. Pope was third on the Miami Hurricanes in 2021 with 33 receptions for 403 yards and two TDs in 2020.

Wiggins had 31 for 358 and three TDs. Smith provides the Miami Hurricanes offense with another deep threat in the passing game. Pope and Wiggins have the ability to be deep threats but have had too many drops to continually be trusted. Pope, Smith and Wiggins are likely to the three main challengers to be the third starting WR.

Miami is deep at WR. Returnees,

Jeremiah Payton

is entering his third season and

Michael Redding III

,

Xavier Restrepo

and

Dazalin Worsham

their second. Restrepo is projected to back up Harley in the slot. Payton is a talented WR who has been impressive during practice his first two seasons but unable to break into the rotation.

Payton redshirted as a freshman in 2019. Redding had three receptions for 19 yards and a TD in 2020, Restrepo one catch for 12 yards and Worsham did not catch a pass. Payton is more likely than Redding or Worsham to break into the rotation in 2021. Miami also signed three WRs in 2021.

Romello Brinson, Jacolby George and Brashard Smith were all four-star signees in 2021 with bright futures for Miami. Brinson is the most likely of the three to play this season. At 6’2, 180 pounds, Brinson gives Miami excellent length and playmaking ability at WR. Brinson, George and Smith were not early enrollees.

Harley is entering his last season. Rambo is also likely to follow to the NFL Draft. Payton, Pope and Wiggins are all eligible for the 2022 NFL Draft. Other than having a breakout season, none of those three are likely to leave for the draft. That would leave Miami with 10 WRs entering the 2022 season.

All of them will have a chance behind Harley and Rambo to earn snaps as the third WRs this season. Miami WRs coach Rob Likens said they want to use an eight to nine-man rotation. The rotation will likely start with Harley, Rambo, Smith, Pope, Restrepo and Wiggins and evolve from there.

The competition for the other two to three WRs in the rotation will occur in August training camp. Miami needs production throughout the entire team with Alabama in the 2021 season opener. After the game against the Crimson Tide, the Miami rotation at WR is likely to evolve throughout the season.