Miami football named in top 10 2023 most talented defensive lines
Brad Crawford of 247 Sports ranked the Miami football team 10th in his “College football rankings: Top 10 most talented defensive lines in 2023.” Miami returns most of its defensive line from 2022. The Hurricanes should have a deeper and more talented defensive line entering the 2023 season.
Defensive lineman Akheem Mesidor was tied for the Miami team lead with 10.5 tackles for loss and led the Hurricanes with 7.0 sacks last season. Leonard Taylor who tied Mesidor with 10.5 TFLs and added three sacks. Linebacker Corey Flagg also had 10.5 TFLs last season. Mesidor and Taylor anchor the Miami DL.
Miami returns a lot of talent on the DL and added several key players to the 2023 roster. Nylajik Kelly had 11 tackles, 4.5 TFLs and 4.0 sacks in limited playing time as a freshman in 2022. Kelly is expected to be a major part of the 2023 rotation. Freshman Rueben Bain is also expected to be a part of the 2023 DL rotation.
Jared Harrison-Hunte who has started in each of his three seasons with the Miami will compete to be on the first team in 2023. The Miami football team is projected to have more depth at edge rusher than defensive tackle. Bain and sixth-year redshirt senior Jacob Lichtenstein provide Miami with versatility on the DL.
"10. MIAMI HURRICANESWho to watch: Leonard Taylor III, Jared Harrison-Hunte, Akheem Mesidor, Jahfari HarveyMario Cristobal doesn’t have to worry about his pass rush this season with two All-ACC performers back (Taylor and Mesidor) and a couple instant-impact transfers the Hurricanes feel really good about — Purdue’s Branson Deen and Georgia State’s Thomas Gore.Those two will be interior guys while the edges will be handled by Mesidor and Harvey. Miami’s sack total (37) in 2022 ranked fifth in the ACC, but that number should improve this fall.”"
Harrison-Hunte will be pushed by Deen who has received frequent praise early in training camp. Deen played in 39 games with 30 starts in the last four years at Purdue. Deen has 74 career tackles, 15.5 TFLs, 7.5 sacks, one pass defended and one forced fumble. Miami has to improve DT play in 2023.
Next. Pro Football Focus ranks Miami DL 9th nationally. dark
Gore was the highest-graded interior defensive lineman in the transfer portal by Pro Football Focus. Taylor will be the top DT for Miami in 2023. Deen and Harrison-Hunte are trending to compete for second and third with Gore sliding in behind them in the rotation. Expect DL coach Jason Taylor to also have an impact.