The Miami Hurricanes roster is loaded with stars, and it's going to be hard for any player outside the usual suspects to emerge from a deep and talented wide receiver room.
But quarterback Darian Mensah threw out a name ahead of last week's spring game that will surprise quite a few people — Daylyn Upshaw. The rising sophomore out of Phenix City, Alabama has not been a name mentioned much this spring, but Mensah believes that he'll be ready to make an impact in the fall. Upshaw received spot duty as a freshman, finishing with 105 yards on seven catches.Â
Darian Mensah says WR Daylyn Upshaw is due for a big year. pic.twitter.com/hdxkARLXrY
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"I think somebody who's going to surprise is Daylyn. I think he's primed for a big year. He's been working his tail off, and I think the kid is just due," Mensah said.
Darian Mensah adds another name to watch from Miami's loaded WR room
Obviously, you hear a lot of names coming out of the Hurricanes camp. Malachi Toney is a 1,000-yard receiver and a top Heisman contender. Cooper Barkate is a 1,000-yard receiver that transferred in from Duke. Two more transfers, Cam Vaughn and Vandrevius Jacobs, had over 500 yards last season at West Virginia and South Carolina respectively. And Joshua Moore, another sophomore, is actually starting ahead of those two and, at 6-foot-4, 215 pounds, he looks like the next coming of Andre Johnson.
So where does Upshaw fit in the mix? Well, that's the beauty of the culture that Mario Cristobal has created. If you're on the Hurricanes roster, it's important to stay ready because you never know when your number will be called. Last year, Marty Brown had a big role early in the season, and it faded to the point of where he didn't get a touch in the CFP first-round game against Texas A&M.
But the next game, against Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl, Brown made some key plays in the second half, including the touchdown that iced the game and that led to him getting 14 carries and a touchdown against Ole Miss in the Fiesta Bowl. That's just how it works for a team with this much depth and talent.
Upshaw clearly caught Mensah's eye, and now it'll be on him to have a strong offseason and stay ready, because his time will come with the Hurricanes sooner than anticipated.Â
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