3 Miami 2024 opponents ranked PFF top 10 at their position nationally offensively

California running back Jadyn Ott, Syracuse tight end Oronde Gadsen II and Florida center Jake Slaughter are the only three players ranked in the top 10 at their position by Pro Football Focus who the Miami defense will play against in 2024. This will be the first time Miami will play against Gadsen, Ott, or Slaughter.

Ott is half of the pair of first-team 2023 All-Pac 12 RBs who will play in the ACC in 2024. The other all Pac-12 RB in the ACC in 2024 is Oregon State transfer Damien Martinez who will play for Miami this season. Oregon State beat California 52-40 during the 2023 season.

Martinez had 17 carries for 89 yards, a touchdown and one reception for 16 yards against California in 2023. Ott had 13 carries for 84 yards and a TD with one reception for negative three yards. Martinez and Ott each shared carries when they opposed each other during the 2023 season.

Martinez and Ott shared the field again in a 38-10 Oregon State win over California in 2022. Martinez had 23 carries for 105 yards and one reception for six yards. Ott had eight carries for 20 yards and four receptions for six yards in the 2022 game against Oregon State.

"(Jaden Ott's) 1,394 yards after contact and 108 forced missed tackles rank third among returning Power Five running backs while his 2,201 total rushing yards are fourth...(Ott had) 517 receiving yards over the last couple years (sixth among Power Five running backs)"

- Max Chadwick, Pro Football Focus

Oronde Gadsen, the son of the former Dolphins wide receiver, has become one of the best tight ends in college football. As a hybrid TE/WR, Gadsen has "lined up out wide (273) than he has in-line (85), while spending the vast majority of his time in the slot (553 snaps)" per Max Chadwick of PFF.

Despite playing only two games in 2022, Gadsen is second nationally among FBS TEs with 1,033 receiving yards since 2022. Gadsen had 61 receptions for 969 yards and six TDs in his only season as a full-time starter in 2022. Gadsen will be a difficult matchup for a Miami secondary with two new starting safeties in 2024.

Per Chadwick, Slaughter had a breakout season in 2022. Slaughter had an 81.2 grade from PFF in 2023. That ranked second among Power Five centers. Slaughter was fifth among Power Five centers with an 84.2 run-blocking grade on zone runs. PFF ranks Slaughter as the eighth-best center nationally.

Ott is the fourth-ranked RB and Gadsen the sixth-ranked TE. The game against California and Ott is the most intriguing against the players ranked in the top 10 by PFF at their positions. Miami was 12th nationally in 2023 allowing 105.62 rushing yards per game in 2023.

North Carolina RB Omarrion Hampton, the third-ranked 2024 RB by PFF, scorched Miami for 197 yards on 24 carries with one TD and added two receptions for another score in a 41-31 Tar Heels win over the Hurricanes in 2023. Ott should be the biggest test for the Miami run defense in 2024.

Edge rusher Rueben Bain and linebackers Wesley Bissainthe and Francisco Mauigoa are the sole returning starters on the front seven for Miami in 2024. Gadsen, Ott and Slaughter will all test the 2024 Miami defense. Lance Guidry returns in his second season as Miami's defensive coordinator.