Miami football projected pre-spring defensive depth chart

The Miami football team returns five starters from the final regular season game at Boston College. Six of the nine transfers Miami has added to the 2024 roster are on defense. Several of the transfers will be starters and the remaining will be key players on the depth chart as Miami began spring practice on Monday.

Miami returns defensive linemen Rueben Bain and Jared Harrison-Hunte, linebackers Wesley Bissainthe and Francisco Mauigoa and cornerback Damari Brown as starters from the final regular season game versus Boston College. The positions of the five departed starters versus Boston College have projected successors.

Miami has added defensive tackles C.J. Clark and Marley Cook, edge rusher Elijah Alston and safeties Mishael Powell, Savion Riley and Isaiah Taylor as transfers to its 2024 roster. Clark and Cook will likely compete for a starting DT next to Harrison-Hunte. Powell and Riley project as the starting safeties.

Alston projects as part of an extremely deep rotation at edge rusher. Taylor will compete to be the third safety in the Miami rotation. Several Miami returnees will compete for elevated roles in 2024. The DL will particularly be an area to watch. Some freshmen could make an impact in 2024.

Cornerback and linebacker are the sole positions Miami did not add a defensive transfer for 2024. Cornerback could be a position to watch this spring with the departures of two starters. Brown is expected to be the lockdown CB for Miami as a sophomore.