Miami football edge rushers summer enrollee expectations

Booker Pickett Jr. and Elias Rudolph are part of an elite group of edge rusher signees in the 2024 Miami football class. Miami also signed five-star edge rusher Marquise Lightfoot and three-star Cole McConathy in the 2024 class. Miami has a proven and productive group of edge rushers ahead of the 2024 signees.

Sophomore Rueben Bain, fifth-year redshirt junior Akheem Mesidor and transfers Elijah Alston and Tyler Baron project as the top edge rushers for Miami in 2024. Competing for snaps at edge rusher behind the top four will be difficult in 2024. Lightfoot and McConathy had impressive springs.

August training camp will be critical for the early development of Pickett and Rudolph as summer enrollees. Several young Miami edge rushers will likely redshirt as true freshmen in 2024. Lightfoot seems to have the best chance of earning snaps during the 2024 season.

Pickett is the 72nd signee, seventh edge rusher and 12th player in Florida out of Tampa Wharton in the 2024 class. Pickett shined in the Under Armour All-American Game in January with four tackles, tied for a game-leading 2.5 tackles for loss, was the only player with two sacks, had two quarterback hurries and a forced fumble.

Rudolph was the 361st prospect, 28th edge rusher and 13th player in Ohio out of Cincinnati Taft in the 2024 class. Miami was able to flip Rudolph from Michigan last summer. Rudolph seems destined for a redshirt season in 2024. The future is bright for Miami on the defensive line.

Pickett's performance in the Under Armour game proved his ability to perform against other elite players. Pickett could earn a role as a situational pass rusher in 2024. Lightfoot and Pickett project as an elite edge-rushing tandem for Miami in the future. The depth at edge rusher in 2024 will also provide the true freshmen to develop.