Miami is 43rd in the Football Bowl Subdivision with returning players who took 46 percent of their overall snaps in 2025, 79th nationally on offense with 36 percent of the players who took snaps last season returning and 15th in the country returning 57 percent of their snaps.
The majority of the loss for Miami on offense is on the offensive line, quarterback Carson Beck and most of its wide receiver corps moving on. Miami returns all of its top running backs and WR Malachi Toney to set a good foundation on the 2026 roster.
Starting left guard Matthew McCoy returns in 2026 after playing 605 offensive snaps in 2025. Former five-star signee Samson Okunlola is a projected starter for Miami in 2026 after playing 493 offensive snaps during the 2025 season.
Wide receiver Malachi Toney, who set multiple Miami records during the 2025 season and RB Mark Fletcher Jr. provide Miami with exceptional stability on offense with their returns in 2026. Miami has complemented the returning players with the fourth-ranked 2026 transfer class.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL RETURNING SNAPS %s 🏈
— Cody Nagel (@CodyNagel247) May 3, 2026
A straightforward look at how much of last season's workload returns from each team's 2025 roster.
Full 138 FBS breakdown for offense + defense, with position group splits in 2026 ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/c48Fd8C71l
Replacing defensive legends
Miami has to replace 2026 NFL first-round edge rushers Rueben Bain and Akheem Mesidor and offensive lineman Francis Mauigoa and defensive backs Keionte Scott and Jakobe Thomas, who were selected in later rounds.
Returning players who will move into bigger roles for Miami in 2026 include Okunlola, edge rusher Marquise Lightfoot and safeties Bryce Fitzgerald and Zechariah Poyser. Lightfoot and Fitzgerald both had key plays during Miami's College Football Playoff run.
Miami has supplemented its returning players with QB Darian Mensah and WR Cooper Barkate, who both transferred from Duke, edge rusher Damon Wilson II from Missouri and safety Omar Thornton from Boston College. Miami projects to have one of the best rosters entering the 2026 season and will be a favorite to earn a CFP berth.
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