Senior Bowl executive director Jim Nagy said that Miami hit a home run when they added former UCLA edge rusher, Jaelan Phillips, as a transfer in 2019. Nagy expects current Miami edge rusher Mitchell Agude who also transferred to Miami from UCLA during the 2022 offseason will have a similarly big impact this fall.
Nagy posted a five-tweet thread about the impact Mitchell Agude will have and why. The tweets included videos to illustrate four points after the initial tweet comparing Agude to Phillips. Nagy showed how Agude force fumbles, use his length, his relentless motor and how he is better than the stats he had in 2021.
Phillips was named a second-team All-American in his one season with Miami in 2020 after recording 45 tackles, 15.5 tackles for loss, eight sacks, four pass breakups and one interception. The Dolphins selected Phillips with the 18th pick in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft and he followed that up by earning all-rookie.
In two seasons with UCLA, Agude recorded 78 tackles, 14.5 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, three pass breakups, one fumble recovery and six forced fumbles. Agude is projected to start as an edge rusher for Miami with West Virginia transfer Akheem Mesidor. A strong season will greatly improve Agude’s NFL Draft stock.
Miami hit home run when current Dolphins star Jaelan Phillips transferred from UCLA and @seniorbowl thinks ex-Bruin Mitchell Agude will have similar big impact this fall. @CanesFootball staff tells us CB D.J. Ivey (32 3/8 arm) made big jump this offseason.#TheDraftStartsInMOBILE pic.twitter.com/LuDhpQtYUy
— Jim Nagy (@JimNagy_SB) August 23, 2022
"“Haven’t seen much on here this summer about UCLA @CanesFootball transfer Mitchell Agude but his talent jumps off tape. @OfficialAgude also has disruptive knack for separating ball from QB w/ 7 FF over past two years…Textbook rep here at 6-tech vs 12 personnel by new @CanesFootball EDGE Mitchell Agude.Uses his great length to get rid of both TEs…He also held up well at POA when UCLA reduced him inside. @seniorbowl isn’t sleeping on @OfficialAgude Former UCLA standout Mitchell Agude almost lost his life in a ripstick accident as a kid and that might explain his relentlessness on the field.Plays every snap like it’s his last. @seniorbowl loves how @OfficialAgude sells out to make plays…Numbers lie all the time in scouting and there’s not a more misleading individual stat in CFB from last year than @CanesFootball transfer EDGE Mitchell Agude being credited with only 2.0 sacks.Hard-charging @OfficialAgude is way more impactful on than that number suggests.”"
Agude and Mesidor are part of a deep group of edge rushers for Miami entering the 2022 season. Returnees Jahfari Harvey and Chantz Williams will be a big part of the rotation of edge rushers. Freshmen Nyjalik Kelly and Cyrus Moss are the future star edge rushers in the Miami football program.
Agude was one of five Miami football players named to the Senior Bowl watch list earlier this week. A trip to the Senior Bowl provides college football players who just completed their eligibility a chance to practice for a week with NFL coaches and to be observed by NFL scouts. Agude should have a bright future.