Miami football defense will play three PFF top 10 2024 position units

Florida quarterbacks and their offensive line and the Florida State offensive line are the three position units ranked in the top 10 nationally by Pro Football Focus the defense for the Miami football team will play against in 2024. The battle between the Miami front seven and Florida and FSU offensive lines is intriguing.

Miami played well defensively against Florida State in 2023 allowing 322 total yards and only 57 rushing in a 27-20 loss in Tallahassee. With the roster Miami has assembled for 2024 and the game at Hard Rock Stadium, the Hurricanes could enter the game against the Seminoles as a favorite.

Per PFF, Florida State has one of the deepest OLs nationally entering the 2024 season. Florida State returns five OL who played at least 190 snaps in 2023. Starting tackles Jeremiah Byers and Darius Washington and center Maurice Smith return for FSU in 2024.

Per PFF, Washington led all ACC tackles in 2023 with a 76.1 overall grade and 84.6 pass-rushing grade. Washington against Miami edge rushers Elijah Alston, Rueben Bain and Tyler Baron will be a battle to watch when the Hurricanes and Seminoles play.

Florida State added OL depth through the transfer portal. Richie Leonard IV transferred to Florida State from Florida and the Seminoles also added Alabama transfer Terrence Ferguson. PFF projects Ferguson and Leonard as the Florida State starting guards in 2024.

The mostly rebuilt Miami defensive line will be tested in week one versus a dominant Florida run-blocking OL. Per PFF, Florida was fourth nationally with a cumulative 82.2 run-blocking grade. Florida returns three starters on its OL per PFF. Jake Slaughter was second nationally among Power Five centers in 2023 with an 81.2 overall grade.

Miami will counter the Florida and Florida State OLs with the third-best DL nationally in the PFF rankings. PFF singled out the Miami edge rusher as the best nationally and stated the Hurricanes are set up well for 2023 and the future on the DL. Miami has three five-star DL signees in the 2024 class.

Florida is prepared for 2024 and the future at QB. Graham Mertz is entering his sixth collegiate season and second for Florida. Per PFF, Mertz was third nationally in 2023 with a 1.4 percent turnover-worthy play rate and by completing 77.9 percent of his pass attempts.

Five-star freshman D.J. Lagway has a huge upside for Florida. Third-team Florida QB Clay Millen transferred from Colorado State where he was the Rams' 2022 starter. Per PFF Millen was eighth nationally in 2022 with a 7.3 percent big-time throw rate. Florida unquestionably has one of the deepest QB units nationally in 2024.

The biggest question mark for Miami defensively entering the 2024 season is the secondary. Miami is experienced at cornerback with returning starters Damari Brown and Darryl Porter Jr. Mishael Powell was a key transfer addition at safety. The other starting safety will be decided during August training camp.