Kamren Kinchens in PFF Top 50 college football players

Miami Hurricanes All-American safety Kamren Kinchens is 25th in the “PFF College 50: The 50 best players in college football right now” published on Friday. Kinchens is the only Miami player named to the Pro Football Focus list. Miami has the best pair of returning safeties entering 2023 with Kinchens and James Williams.

Kinchens has 103 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, two forced fumbles, 16 passes defended, six interceptions with one returned for a touchdown in two collegiate seasons. PFF has repeatedly honored Kinchens in the last year. Earlier this summer, Kinchens was named preseason All-ACC by PFF.

Kinchens has been often mentioned on multiple best-of-player lists entering the 2023 season. Last week the Bronko Nagurski Trophy named Kinchens to its 2023 preseason watch list. Expect Kinchens to be named to multiple awards watch lists they are released throughout August.

Expect Kinchens to continue to be one of the highest-graded safeties nationally under new defensive coordinator Lance Guidry in 2023. Kinchens has been a team leader throughout his Miami career. In 24 career games, Kinchens has 17 starts. Entering his third season, Kinchens will continue to shoulder a lot of responsibility.

"25. S KAMREN KINCHENS, MIAMI (FL) HURRICANES“Kinchens was a second-team All-American and is the center fielder of Miami’s defense. His six interceptions last year were tied for the most among Power Five defenders. The sophomore also led all safeties with a 90.0 overall grade and a 90.7 coverage grade.”"

Kinchens has reportedly bonded with Guidry who began his career coaching safeties. Guidry is counting on Kinchens to get Miami in the proper alignment defensively. With the majority of the cornerbacks new to the Miami roster in 2023, building chemistry will be important for Kinchens and Williams.

After the six-interception season in 2022, opponents have to account for Kinchens on the back end. Improved linebacker play led by transfer Francisco Mauigoa should help the Miami secondary in 2023. Decreasing the number of big plays allowed defensively will be a goal for Kinchens and Miami defensively in 2023.

Kinchens was the best coverage safety nationally in 2022 and Williams was sixth. Miami needs the CBs to significantly improve in 2023 and avoid the breakdowns in coverage that plagued the Hurricanes in 2022. Kinchens and Williams lead what projects to be a far more experienced secondary for Miami in 2023.