The rumors were flying in recent days, and now they've been confirmed. With fall camp officially here for Miami and Mario Cristobal, the veteran head coach got things going with some unfortunate news: former 5-star pass-rusher signee Hayden Lowe is no longer with the program. Leading up to the first practice, Cristobal announced the update, and it stings.
There had been plenty of speculation that Lowe was no longer with the program, as he was nowhere to be found in Coral Gables leading up to camp arriving. Not only is Lowe no longer a Cane, but Jontavious Wyman also has left The U. On top of that, tight end Luka Gilbert is out for the season due to injury:
Miami coach Mario Cristobal said on WQAM that Luka Gilbert is out for the season and confirms that Hayden Lowe and Jontavius Wyman are no longer with the program.
— Adam Lichtenstein (@ABLichtenstein) August 4, 2026
5-star Hayden Lowe is no longer with Miami, and the news stings
With Lowe in particular, this hurts and it's safe to assume that countless Miami fans are pretty darn bummed. The hope was that the youngster would take the next step with his development this offseason, and help the Miami defense not miss a beat after such a dominant showing from start to finish last year.
With Akheem Mesidor now with the Los Angeles Chargers, and Rueben Bain with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Canes need all the help they can get this fall and winter to make sure the pass-rush plays at a high level. Lowe, who was getting ready for his second season on campus, was expected to be a force off the edge, and be a key playmaker in the rotation for Cristobal and defensive coordinator Corey Hetherman.
Instead, he'll now be remembered for being a 5-star bust for the Canes, which none of us saw coming. Out of powerhouse Oaks Christian High in Westlake Village, Calif., the 6-4, 250-pounder signed with Miami as the No. 2 EDGE, No. 2 prospect out of California, and No. 16 prospect nationally according to 247Sports.
Lowe picked up 29 total offers throughout his recruitment, picking Miami over Alabama, USC, UCLA, and many others. It really seemed like he was destined to be a superstar for Cristobal, with '26 having a potential breakout year being written all over it for him.
However, his career with Miami is over before it could even get started. Straight up, this hurts. Lowe was a 5-star guy, who should have been the next great pass-rusher among the Canes family. That's not going to be the case. At this time, it's unknown if he left Coral Gables on his own volition, or if Cristobal kicked him off the team. Either way, Lowe is done, and that's pretty dang deflating.
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