Seldom used DE Jabari Ishmael transfering from Miami football
Former four-star defensive end Jabari Ishmael announced his entry in the transfer portal on Wednesday after limited playing time in two seasons with the Miami football program. Ishmael originally signed with Miami in 2021 out of Christopher Columbus High School. Ishmael was the 18th-ranked edge rusher in 2021.
Adam Lichtenstein of the Sun Sentinel reported that Ishmael played 17 snaps over two games on defense and special teams in his two seasons with the Miami football program. Ishmael leaves Miami with his father Victor having spent 20 seasons as the Hurricanes’ Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach.
Ishmael was behind a deep group of edge rushers on the Miami roster. Freshman Rueben Bain has made an immediate impact as an edge rusher with three sacks in the spring game. Miami returns starting DEs Jahfari Harvey and Akheem Mesidor plus primary reserve Chantz Williams in 2023.
By entering the transfer portal Ishmael should have a better path to playing time at his next destination. Ishmael was offered scholarships by 16 programs out of high school. All of those programs except Florida International are now in Power Five conferences. There is no indication of what programs Ishmael is considering.
Hurricanes defensive end Jabari Ishmael has entered the transfer portal, I can confirm. Ishmael, a Miami native, played in two games for Miami over two seasons, playing a total of 17 snaps on defense and special teams.
— Adam Lichtenstein (@ABLichtenstein) April 19, 2023
247Sports and On3 were first to report.
In addition to Bain, Harvey, Mesidor and Williams, Miami returns Cyrus Moss and Nyjalik Kelly who signed with Miami in the first class under Mario Cristobal in 2022. Kelly had 11 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss and four sacks as a freshman in 2022. Miami also signed four-star edge rusher Jayden Wayne in the 2023 class.
Edge rusher is one of the deepest positions on the Miami football roster. Expect Cristobal and his staff to use the scholarship available with Ismael transferring somewhere else on the roster. Miami is still looking for a run-stuffing defensive tackle in the transfer portal for the 2023 roster.
Next. Several Miami freshmen challenging 2-deep depth chart. dark
Ishmael is the ninth signee from the 2021 Miami class to enter the transfer portal. Cristobal has continually remade the roster since being hired in December 2021. Miami has also lost 11 players from the 2020 class to the transfer portal per Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. The culture under Cristobal is evolving.