Isaiah Horton transferring to Alabama recently should provide several young Miami wide receivers with an opportunity for increased snaps in the Pop-Tarts Bowl versus Iowa State on Saturday. Veterans Sam Brown, Jacolby George and Xavier Restrepo are the expected starting WRs for Miami versus Iowa State.
Redshirt freshman Shemar Kirk, sophomore Ray Ray Joseph and freshman Ny Carr, Chance Robinson and JoJo Trader could all have an opportunity for increased snaps on Saturday. Horton was second on Miami with 56 receptions, third with 616 receiving yards and fourth with five touchdown catches this season.
Brown, George, Horton and Restrepo combined for the vast majority of production from the Miami WRs in 2024. Carr, Joseph and Trader combined for eight receptions for 95 yards and no TDs in 2024. Kirk and Robinson did not have a reception this season.
Restrepo set multiple Miami career and single-season records in the past two seasons and has 69 receptions for 1,127 receiving yards and 11 TDs in 2024. Restrepo needs 46 receiving yards versus Iowa State to set the Miami single-season receiving record after setting the record with 85 receptions in 2023.
A lot of deserved buzz on Jeremiah Smith. His teammate from Hollywood Chaminade Jo Jo Trader is fixin to get a chance to bust out in the Pop Tarts Bowl. It’s his turn, his time pic.twitter.com/IJbmu5QVqM
— CaneSport Miami Hurricanes (@CaneSport) December 22, 2024
Trader had three receptions for 30 yards this season with one catch each versus Florida A&M, Ball State and Florida State. Carr had one reception for eight yards versus Florida A&M and Joseph had four receptions for 57 yards all of them coming versus Ball State and FAMU.
George and Restrepo will play in their last Miami games versus Iowa State. Brown can return for one more season or enter the NFL Draft. Miami added LSU WR C.J. Daniels in the transfer portal last week. The Miami WR corps will look very different entering the 2025 season.
Miami is likely to continue being active in the transfer portal for WRs no matter what decision Brown makes. The Hurricane offensive staff should be able to evaluate the young Miami WRs versus Iowa State. The Cyclones will challenge the Miami passing game ranking third nationally allowing 161.7 passing yards per game.