If there is one thing that proved evident with this past year's Miami team, it is that Mario Cristobal is the right man to lead his alma mater's program to the promised land. He surrounds himself with the best people possible. Because he is a former Miami player, it is easy for him to get total buy-in from his guys, even if they have to wait for their time to shine. Just look no further than Samson Okunlola.
This quote tweet from Gaby Urrutia of 247Sports suggests that Okunlola is locked in for next season.
Former five-star OL Samson Okunlola has stayed patient with his development at Miami and is now primed to play a full-time role in year four. His growth since serving in Coral Gables has been excellent. He’s emerged and only getting better. https://t.co/S10aKMddnG
— Gaby Urrutia (@GabyUrrutia247) January 25, 2026
According to the 247Sports Composite, Okunlola was the No. 1 player from Massachusetts, the No. 4 offensive tackle in his class, and the No. 20 overall prospect in the 2023 recruiting cycle. Urrutia mentioned that Okunlola has been patient with his development process. With Francis Mauigoa off to the NFL, this opens up a huge opportunity for Okunlola to be a driving force for this team offensively.
At 6-foot-6 and 330 pounds, Miami will once again have a big guy with a chip on his shoulder up front.
Samson Okunlola is expected to do great things for the 2026 Hurricanes
What we have seen over the last two College Football Playoffs is the teams that are chock full of upperclassmen usually prevail in the end. You cannot put a price on experience or maturity. It is why Ohio State won it all two seasons ago, and Indiana beat Miami only a few weeks ago. Miami was an experienced team across the board. It is why the Canes nearly won the whole thing as a No. 10 seed.
As for what this means for Okunlola, Miami is going to put its trust and faith in him to be a force along the front-five next year. Mauigoa may be a top-tier prospect, but somebody has to step up in the trenches for the Canes. Not only is he turning pro, but their two dominant players coming off the edge defensively in Rueben Bain Jr. and Akheem Mesidor are also expected to go in the first round.
Overall, Miami is the presumptive favorite to come out of the ACC next season. While the Canes did not play for a league championship, we all saw what they did in the playoff and we were thoroughly impressed. Of course, other teams like Georgia Tech, North Carolina State, Virginia, and Virginia Tech could be menacing. What is important to know is Miami has a recruiting and a size advantage as well.
If Okunlola is ready for the challenge, he can take the baton from Mauigoa and elevate Miami again.