Miami's 2026 NFL draft class continues to help Mario Cristobal going into this season

Miami Hurricanes head coach Mario Cristobal described how several of last spring's draft picks continue to stay closely involved with the current roster, particularly on the defensive side of the ball.

According to Cristobal during a segment on The Pat McAfee Show, Rueben Bain remains active in the group chat with Miami's defensive linemen and has not hesitated to call out anyone who falls short of expectations.

"Rueben Bain is still on the thread with all the defensive linemen and he's absolutely ripping people if it's not up to the standard."

Mario Cristobal

He also added that the same level of accountability is coming from safety Keionte Scott, wideout CJ Daniels and OT Francis Mauigoa. "That influence has been strong," Cristobal said.

Miami's 2026 draft class remains involved with the program and it shows that the culture has changed... for the better

Bain, selected 15th overall by the Buccaneers, and Mauigoa, taken 10th overall by the Giants, were two of the centerpieces for Miami last year. Scott and Daniels, both sixth-round choices, have also remained connected to the program.

While a comment on a random day from Cristobal might seem insignificant in the grand scheme of things, this is one of the biggest indicators of the positive culture change that has defined his tenure at Miami. These players were the pillars of the Hurricanes' CFP run and to see them still involved in communication has to make the fans in Coral Gables joyful.

College football is a business these days (which it probably always was). But when we see players who signed NFL contracts come back to play in college, coaches dip out before the CFP and bowl games, and players chase a check; it's stories like this that separate what Cristobal has built from the rest of college football.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow