The Miami Hurricanes are expected to have one of the most explosive offenses in the country, but it could also be one of the deepest, and that should allow some players to emerge as breakout performers.
With the departure of some established starters from the 2026 team, the door is open for several players to carve out big roles for the Hurricanes in a season when they are expected to compete for a championship.
Here are three players on the offense that could be primed for big seasons:
Lofton was a spot starter last season and appeared in 15 games total, hauling in 23 passes for 218 yards and a touchdown. He made an impressive body transformation in the offseason and is listed at a lean, mean 242 pounds after pushing around 260 last year. The depth at tight end is a little shaky as there are a couple of unproven players backing up Lofton, so this is his show.
A quarterback's best friend is usually the tight end and Miami has had some great ones over the years. Lofton has already shown that he can catch passes, now he has to prove that he's an all-around player. If that happens, I wouldn't be surprised if he surpasses the 30-catch mark.
Prepare to see Elija Lofton line up everywhere on offense 👀 #GoCanes 📹 : @InsideTheU pic.twitter.com/LVkAbAIkfA
— Florida Boy Corey 🌴🍊🌊☀️ (@floridaboycorey) July 30, 2025
There's a caveat here based on Lyle's availability after he has run into some off-the-field issues. Lyle's availability as a whole has been an issue. He was the top running back to start the 2025 season and then he suffered a high-ankle sprain that more or less put him on the shelf for the rest of the season. Then he has another great training camp only for some police blotter to get in the way.
I predicted Lyle to lead the Hurricanes in rushing yards for their season opener at Stanford, and if he plays, I stand by that. But Mario Cristobal isn't announcing any kind of discipline on Lyle, and it's unlikely he will make it public. It will just happen. When Miami releases the depth chart next week, assuming Cristobal will do that because he isn't paranoid, some clarity will be provided.
Lyle has the ability to bounce back from this and be a breakout performer, but yielding any carries in this deep backfield is not recommended.
Canes HC Mario Cristobal on RB Jordan Lyle:
— Christy Chirinos (@ChristyChirinos) August 11, 2026
“I see the Jordan Lyle we saw a year ago in many respects, but with better physical traits…Jordan has taken strength and conditioning very seriously…he’s healthy…and you see a full-speed player. I’m really excited about him…
Moore offers the Hurricanes a big, physical presence on the outside and I think he's going to be a welcome target for Darian Mensah. Keep an eye on Mensah looking for Moore on those back shoulder throws to the corner of the end zone. That could be the money play.
As a true freshman Moore had 17 catches for 210 yards and two touchdowns, so he's been on the field a little bit already. Moore can provide the explosive plays, and he'll get some of those this season. But he still has to show consistency because Shannon Dawson and Kevin Beard want to put him on the field as much as possible.
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