The Miami football program lost its 17th player and first offensive lineman to the transfer portal when John Campbell announced on Wednesday morning. Campbell played in 34 games for Miami 18 starts, 16 at left tackle, one at right tackle and one at left guard. Campbell started 11 games for Miami at left tackle in 2022.
The potential return of starting LT Zion Nelson who missed the entire 2022 season with an injury meant Campbell was likely to move to right tackle replacing the graduated D.J. Scaife Campbell has two years of eligibility remaining after redshirting as a freshman in 2018, the extra year from covid and missing 2021 with an injury.
True freshman five-star offensive tackle Francis Mauigoa will have a chance to compete in training camp to start for Miami opposite Nelson. Miami has started several true freshmen in recent years including Nelson and Scaife. Miami has already targeted OL transfers that include Javion Cohen of Alabama.
Campbell signed with the Miami football program in the class of 2018 as the 481st-ranked player, 36th offensive tackle and 79th prospect in Florida. Miami signed the eighth-ranked class in 2018. With graduations and transfers, all of the 2018 Miami signees have moved on after the 2022 season.
🦍♾️ pic.twitter.com/UCIXAPHY40
— John Campbell #LLL (@_jcamp74) December 14, 2022
The departure of Campbell leaves 13 OL on the Miami roster entering the 2023 off-season. Guard Jalen Rivers and center Jakai Clark are the primary returning starters for Miami on the OL entering the 2023 season. Miami was decimated by injuries on the OL throughout the 2022 season. Several part-time 2023 starters will return.
Miami has four OL committed to the 2023 recruiting class. The Hurricanes lost center Connor Lew as part of its 2023 class. Lew flipped to Auburn on Tuesday. Expect Miami to add transfers on the OL that include Cohen and potentially recruit another one or two players up front to add to the 2023 class.
The biggest name to watch is five-star OL Samson Okunlola who will announce his commitment on Thursday. Okunlola has been trending to Miami throughout his commitment, but Florida challenged Miami late. Mauigoa and Okunlola would provide Miami with a pair of bookend tackles in the 2023 class.