Left tackle Jalen Rivers, wide receiver Xavier Restrepo, quarterback Cam Ward, running back Damien Martinez and defensive lineman Rueben Bain were named in the ESPN "CFB Rank 2024: Ranking the top 100 players before the season." Each top 100 player received a short summary from ESPN.
ESPN highlighted Rivers allowing only 11 pressures and two sacks in 847 snaps in 2023. Rivers is projected as a first-round pick by ESPN. Rivers had a 1.9 percent blown block rate that was second among ACC LTs. Rivers has played in 32 games during his Miami career with 23 starts. ESPN lists Rivers as the 97th-best 2024 player.
Restrepo is the 66th-best player in ESPN's rankings. ESPN highlighted Restrepo's consistency with at least five receptions in 10 out of 13 games in 2023. Restrepo had three games with 11 or more receptions in 2023. ESPN called Restrepo Miami's security blanket while dominating the slot.
Restrepo set the Miami single-season record with 85 receptions, became the sixth receiver in program history over 1,000 yards with 1.092 and added six touchdowns. Restrepo was only the second Miami receiver with 1,000 yards in the College Football Playoff era. Charleston Rambo had 1,172 receiving yards in 2021.
Miami has 5 players: 4 O + 1 D in ESPN top 100. Teams it faces in the regular season have only 2 players or less. It has been winning the off season too many times in recent past but may start to translate to the field. https://t.co/53cYJH5MDI
— Harry Coleman (@trippcoleman) August 15, 2024
Ward is 56th in the ESPN Top 100. ESPN acknowledged the addition of Ward as one of the biggest reasons "expectations around Miami have skyrocketed." ESPN stated Ward expected to do more than his 6.963 passing yards with 48 TDs and 16 interceptions with 13 rushing scores in his two seasons at Washington State.
Ward will not have to contribute as much to the success of Miami offensively as he did at Washington State. The addition of former Oregon State running back Martínez should provide Miami with an exceptionally balanced offense in 2024. Martinez is ranked 44th in the ESPN Top 100.
ESPN regards Martinez as the highest-profile player to enter the spring transfer portal. ESPN stated that Martinez fills an obvious need "heading into a crucial year." Martinez ran for 1,185 yards and nine TDs while averaging 6.1 yards per carry in 2023. Martinez and Ward will be one of the best QB and RB combinations nationally in 2024.
Bain is the sole Miami defensive player ranked in the ESPN Top 100. ESPN was impressed with Bain's season in 2023. After 1.5 tackles for loss in the first five games. Bain played sparingly during the first three games in 2023. After a season-ending injury to Akheem Mesidor, Bain became a starter and thrived.
ESPN stated about Bain "Over his final eight games, Bain racked up 17 tackles at or behind the line of scrimmage, a 12% pressure rate, six sacks and 27 pressures -- including nine from the interior." Bain finished the 2023 season with 44 tackles, 12.5 TFLs and 7.5 sacks. Expect more from Bain in 2024.
It would not be surprising to see another Miami player breakthrough into the top 100. Among the Miami players to watch are Mesidor, edge rusher Tyler Baron, wide receiver Jacolby George, linebacker Francisco Mauigoa and right tackle Francis Mauigoa. Miami has significantly upgraded its roster for 2024.