Three Miami Hurricanes offensive linemen return in 2022 who started the 2021 season finale at Duke. Left tackle Zion Nelson, center Jakai Clark and right guard D.J. Scaife return are the returning starters for Miami in the 2022 OL. Jalen Rivers who started as a true freshman in 2020 is returning from a knee injury.
Rivers played three games in 2021 before suffering the season-ending knee injury. Rivers projects to be the starting left guard for Miami replacing Navaughn Donaldson who graduated. The left side of the Miami OL should be solidified with Nelson and Rivers. Scaife will likely start on the right side of the OL, but at what position?
The Miami Hurricanes have a few candidates to start at right guard or tackle. Scaife started all 11 games at right guard last season. In 2020, Scaife started 12 games at RT and one at RG. John Campbell who has played in 22 games and started six in his career is returning in 2022 after missing last season with an injury.
Campbell and Rivers are expected to miss spring practice. Justice Oluwaseun who was the sixth OL for Miami in 2021 can play either guard or tackle. Oluwaseun and Scaife could see time at guard and tackle during spring practice. Logan Sagapolu who followed Mario Cristobal from Oregon can play guard or tackle.
CONGRATULATIONS to Miami's '21 Academic All-ACC Football Team members. Minimum 3.0 gpa last sem. & 3.0 cum for academic career.
— Susan Miller Degnan (@smillerdegnan) January 25, 2022
P Lou Hedley (Master’s in Liberal Studies)
OL Zion Nelson (Computer Science)
OL Jarrid Williams (Liberal Studies)
QB Tyler Van Dyke (Real Estate)
Sagapolu has yet to play in college yet. An injury during training camp caused Sagapolu to miss the entire 2021 season after he did not play as a true freshman in 2020. Other OL to watch are Michael McLaughlin, Ousman Traore, Cleveland Reed, Laurance Seymore, Issiah Walker and Chris Washington.
Traore is the most experienced of the three. Seymore was the 11th ranked interior OL in the class of 2021. Walker was a high-profile transfer in the spring of 2021 after spending one semester at Florida. After spring practice concludes in April, Cristobal and OL coach Alex Mirabal could look for an OL in the transfer portal.
Miami needs to add depth and upgrade their talent on the OL. The emphasis from Cristobal and Mirabal during the spring will be on improving the physicality of the Miami OL. Miami was adept at pass blocking in 2021 but has to improve significantly on run blocking. Miami was 69th averaging 3.69 yards per carry in 2021.