Miami is ranked sixth in the CBS Sports article ranking "College football's 10 most complete rosters: Georgia, Ohio State boast elite depth ahead of 2026 season." Miami had the 15th-ranked roster in 2025 by 247Sports, a partner site of CBS Sports.
Brad Crawford wrote the article for CBS Sports. Crawford began his summary of Miami by stating wide receiver is the best position group for the Hurricanes. Crawford also noted who the biggest offseason upgrades are for Miami.
Quarterback Darian Mensah and WR Cooper Barkate from Duke, edge Damon Wilson II from Missouri, offensive guard Jamal Merriweather from Georgia and safety Omar Thornton were named as the biggest offseason upgrades for Miami by Crawford. This list clearly only included freshmen.
Miami is braced for another National Championship run after losing in the title game last season. Crawford stated most programs would regress the year after a National Championship Game appearance, but "Miami may be one of the few teams in the country positioned to do the opposite."
Miami finished with a top 5 Transfer Portal class.
— Alex Donno (@AlexDonno) January 29, 2026
Not only that, but they managed to retain key players who chose another year at THE U over the NFL Draft or the Transfer Portal.
The importance of roster retention does not get talked about enough. @LockedOnCanes pic.twitter.com/0HkxUwaAUj
Crawford continued by stating, "There is a growing belief that the Hurricanes' 2026 roster is deeper, faster and more complete than the group that made last season's title run." With the additions of Mensah and Barkate and the returns of running back Mark Fletcher Jr. and WR Malachi Toney, Miami could be better offensively in 2026.
Crawford praised Mario Cristobal for his blueprint for the Miami football program and said, "Miami has recruited like a national heavyweight for several years, and the payoff is beginning to show throughout ." Wilson and returning edge rusher Marquise Lightfoot and defensive tackles Ahmad Moten and Justin Scott give Miami another elite pass rush.
The one lingering question for Miami exiting spring is the offensive line, per Crawford. Senior Matthew McCoy is the only returning starter for Miami on the OL. Crawford noted, " five-star freshman Jackson Cantwell looked the part during spring practices." Redshirt senior Ryan Rodriguez will start at center.
Add us as a preferred source on Google