The Miami football program returns the entire offensive line for the 2021 season. Zion Nelson enters his third season with the Hurricanes. Nelson has started 20 out of the 23 games he has played in during his Miami career. Nelson was out for one game in 2020. That was the only game he has missed in two seasons.
Jarrid Williams started 10 of the 11 Miami football games in 2020 after transferring from Houston. After starting all 11 games at right guard in 2020, D.J. Scaife has started 30 of the 37 games he has played during his three seasons at Miami. Scaife started 11 games at right guard in 2020.
In 2019, Scaife played in all 13 games with 12 starts at RT. During spring practice, Scaife was moved back to RT and said it is a more natural position for him. Nelson is a consensus first-round pick on early 2022 NFL Mock Drafts and will remain the LT for the Miami football team entering the 2021 season.
Scaife and Williams are expected to compete to be the starter at RT. Behind Nelson, Scaife and Williams Miami has built depth in the last few signing classes at offensive tackle. Jalen Rivers and Issiah Walker are the likely fourth and fifth OTs for Miami entering the 2021 season. Rivers and Walker were 2020 signees.
Todd Mcshay talking about Miami’s Zion Nelson being a top 5 pick in next years NFL draft pic.twitter.com/isivybgC70
— NMD Grant (@NMDgrant) May 9, 2021
Walker transferred to Miami from Florida after spring practice in 2020. Following the transfer, Walker sat out in 2020. Rivers played in seven games in 2020. The expectation is that Rivers will compete with third-year player Jakai Clark at left guard. Clark has started 22 of the 23 games he has played for Miami the last two seasons.
Clark was primarily a right guard in 2019 and left guard last season. Walker appears more likely to be the fourth OT in the Miami rotation behind Nelson, Scaife and Williams. Veterans Kai-Leon Herbert and Zalon’tae Hillery add depth but have never cracked the Miami rotation. A pair of freshmen have future promise.
Chris Washington played last season against Duke and Florida State. Michael McLaughlin was a four-star signee and 25th ranked OT in the Class of 2021. The future for Miami after Williams departs after the 2021 season, Nelson is a near-lock to do so and Scaife also has that option is bright at OT.