Mario Cristobal compares 2026 Miami signee Dereon Coleman to Cam Ward

During his press conference discussing the 2026 Miami class, Hurricanes' head coach Mario Cristobal compared quarterback signee Dereon Coleman to the top pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, Cam Ward. Ward had a record-setting 2024 in his only season with Miami.

The ability to perform off script and use different arm angles was the reason Cristobal compares Coleman to Ward. Coleman has completed 71.4 percent of his pass attempts for 8,039 yards, 69 touchdowns, 11 interceptions, 1,205 rushing yards, 12 TDs and two 100-yard games per MaxPreps in his high school career.

Coleman is 283rd overall, the 19th QB and the 38th prospect in Florida in the 2026 class out of Orlando, Jones. At 6'0.5 and 160 pounds, Coleman will have to get into the Miami strength and conditioning program to add mass.

There have been some questions about Coleman lacking the desired measurables. Andrew Ivins, the 247Sports Director of Scouting, stated in his report of Coleman that he "can generate plenty of velocity with a lightning-quick release."

"We had him in camp and the 7-on-7s here and he reminded us of Cam [Ward] quite a bit because he could get the ball out at different arm angles. He has an exceptional football IQ. He is a great human being an a competitor. He just always wins. You never find him getting trapped or sacked. If he isn't extending a play, it is because he is on script. He can improvise and he has all the intangibles of what you want for a quarterback. He was fantastic in the Elite 11.""

Mario Cristobal, via Inside the U

Coleman was a three-year starter at Joens. Ivins observed that Coleman likes to pick defenses apart in the pocket. As his rushing numbers illustrate, Coleman has the ability to escape the pocket when he needs to. Coleman can scramble and find an open receiver or run when a play breaks down.

Ivins concluded his scouting report of Coleman by stating that he is "Likely to find most success on Saturdays in an up-tempo spread attack." Coleman should eventually be the perfect fit in the modified Air Raid offense by Miami offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson.

Ward completed 67.2 percent of his passes for program record-setting, 4,313 yards, 39 touchdowns, 4,517 yards of total offense and 43 TDs responsible for. Ward set the standards for Miami QBs that will be compared to indefinitely.

Dawson showed versatility in his play calling in the second half of the 2025 season with the way he utilized freshman wide receiver Malachi Toney. Coleman should eventually provide Miami with the same type of versatility at QB.

The ability for Ward to extend plays and make the spectacular out of the ordinary carried Miami to an offense that was first nationally, averaging 43.9 points per game and 537.2 yards per game in 2024. Ward had four seasons of college football when he transferred to Miami. Coleman is a redshirt candidate as a freshman in 2026.