The Miami football program added another anchor to its offensive line on Sunday with Central Florida center Matt Lee announcing his commitment to the Hurricanes. Lee was named second-team All-American Athletic Conference center in 2022. Lee is the 31st-ranked transfer and second-transfer interior offensive lineman per On3.
Lee will compete for the starting center spot on Miami with returning starter Jakai Clark. If Lee is the starter Miami could move Clark to guard where he played as a true freshman in 2019. Lee is the second transfer OL the Miami football program has added to the 2023 roster. Alabama transfer Javion Cohen committed last month.
Per Gaby Urrutia of Inside the U, Pro Football Focus graded Lee as the third-highest-graded center nationally in 2022. PFF graded Lee with a 90.6 pass-blocking grade and an 80.6 run-blocking grade. Lee was a three-year starter for UCF and was all-AAC as a freshman in 2020 and a sophomore in 2021.
Lee is 6’4, 295 who would provide the Miami football program with excellent length at center. Lee developed significantly with Central Florida. Coming out of high school Lee was the 1,931st-ranked player, 164th offensive tackle and 264th in Florida out of Oviedo Hagerty in the 2019 class.
#CanesFam #Committed 🙌🙌🙌 pic.twitter.com/Q9miW6WwV8
— Matt Lee (@matt_lee80) January 8, 2023
Miami could have an entirely new OL than who started in the final game of the 2022 regular season versus Pittsburgh. Clark started against the Panthers with guards Lawrence Seymore and Anez Cooper and tackles John Campbell and D.J. Scaife. Campbell entered the transfer portal and Scaife graduated.
Cooper and Seymore return but will face challenges from Cohen and Jalen Rivers who returns from an injury, true freshmen tackles Francis Mauigoa and Samson Okunlola who could be moved inside and several returning OL. Head coach Mario Cristobal and OL Alex Mirabal have quickly remade the look up front for Miami for the 2023 season.
Miami could attempt to add more depth to the OL through the transfer portal. Cohen, Lee and five 2023 freshmen signees should help Miami have far more depth on the OL in 2023. Miami struggled with OL injuries in 2022 and was forced to play several players up front before they were ready.