247Sports released its final transfer portal rankings and, as expected, the Miami Hurricanes were well represented on the list with multiple players inside the top 50.
There has been tons written on quarterback Darian Mensah, the process behind his transfer from Duke and the expectations that he will have as the trigger man for the Hurricanes in a season where they are expected to compete for a CFP championship. Mensah appears at No. 23 and his primary target from Duke, wide receiver Cooper Barkate, was No. 38. But the highest-rated transfer for the Hurricanes is a player that hasn't gotten as many headlines and could prove to be the most important of the bunch — edge rusher Damon Wilson II
247Sports has Damon Wilson II as a top-10 transfer
Wilson, who transferred to Miami from Missouri, was rated ninth overall and the second-highest rated edge rusher. He comes to the Hurricanes after having a standout junior season with the Tigers, recording nine sacks and being named to the All-SEC second team. Wilson's transfer and subsequent courtship was relatively quiet compared to some other elite pass rushers, but those in the know understood how major this signing was for Miami. The Hurricanes are hoping Wilson can replace some of the production of Rueben Bain Jr and Akheem Mesidor, both of whom were first-round picks in the NFL Draft last month.
This will be a homecoming of sorts for Wilson, who played high school football in Venice. He originally signed with Georgia coming out of high school and played two seasons with the Bulldogs before moving on to Missouri. Now he is hoping to save his best work for the Hurricanes and potentially follow in the footsteps of the players that proceeded him by becoming a high NFL pick.
"They have really high standards here and their expectations, from just nutrition checks to being on time.... the overall standard is high. I'm just following along," Wilson said of his move after the Hurricanes' spring game. "I'm picking up on the small details. The little things are the most important things that [defensive ends coach Jason Taylor] goes over."
It's not a surprise that Mensah and the offense are getting most of the publicity. Quarterbacks are always going to get the attention. But the key to Miami's run to the CFP championship game last season was the defense and, more specifically, the pass rush. Teams couldn't stop the pass rush. Ohio State, who arguably had the best roster of any team last season, couldn't stop Bain and Mesidor. Wilson is coming off of a dominant season in the SEC, so his high ranking is deserved and Miami's championship hopes will depend on him living up to that billing.
"I just know that I'm able to do the same thing [as Bain and Mesidor] and just having a coach like [Taylor]...he's going to do everything he can to get me in a position where I want to be next year. And knowing those two guys did it, I just know it's possible."
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