Following the May 1 transfer portal deadline to receive eligibility for the 2021 season without a waiver, the Miami football program class is 10th in the 247 Sports rankings. Alabama, South Carolina and Texas are the only programs ranked ahead of Miami in the transfer portal rankings with fewer transfers.
USC which signed 15 transfers has the top class per 247 Sports. Alabama ranks fifth despite signing only five transfers. The Crimson Tide signed several top transfers during the 2022 cycle. Former Georgia wide receiver Jermaine Burton and Georgia Tech running back Jahmyr Gibbs should be impact players for Alabama in 2022.
South Carolina and Texas added impact QBs during the 2022 transfer cycle. The Gamecocks signed former Oklahoma QB Spencer Rattler and the Longhorns brought former Ohio State signal caller Quinn Ewers back home. New Miami head coach Mario Cristobal has made adding talent on the line of scrimmage a priority.
Seven of the 11 transfers Miami signed for 2022 play on the defensive or offensive line. Cristobal wants Miami to have a more physical culture. Miami was too often beat on the line of scrimmage in recent seasons. Several of the Miami transfers should have an impact with the Miami football program in 2022.
"10. MIAMI HURRICANES (53.37)Number of transfers: 11“The word: Cristobal and the Hurricanes improved their roster quickly through the portal with 11 transfers, including 10 from Power Five programs. Cristobal convinced two former Oregon offensive linemen to follow him to south Florida and landed a running back-wide receiver combo from Ole Miss and Clemson, respectively.Cristobal is in win-now mode at Miami and among first-year coaches, has a roster that’s better than most in the ACC Coastal. Defensive line was a position of need as soon as he arrived and Cristobal was able to sign five pass rushers this cycle out of the portal.”"
Henry Parrish is the RB and Frank Ladson is the WR receiver referenced above. Ladson and Parrish will both challenge to earn first-team this fall. Parrish shined this spring as the most experienced healthy RB. Don Chaney Jr. and Jaylan Knighton were injured and missed spring practice. Thad Franklin is also in the equation at RB.
On the defensive line, Mitchell Agude from UCLA and Akheem Mesidor from West Virginia are likely to start. Their former teammates, Caleb Johnson at linebacker from UCLA and cornerback Darryl Porter Jr. from West Virginia also project as starters. The two former Oregon OL are Jonathan Denis and Logan Sagapolu.
Denis and Sagapolu add depth for the 2022 season but are not likely to start. Defensive tackle Darrell Jackson had 22 tackles as a true freshman for Maryland in 2022. Jackson gives the Miami football team exceptional size in the middle of the DL at 6’6, 300 pounds. Jackson should be in the rotation for Miami in 2022.
Defensive tackle Antonio Moultrie from UAB is the sole transfer Miami added in 2022 that is not from a Power Five school. Moultrie is versatile. At UAB, Moultrie was often used as an edge rusher. Cristobal stated Miami will use Moultrie as a DT. Expect Miami to continue being an attractive destination for transfers.