Miami football WR Xavier Restrepo named top 100 2023 player nationally

Miami football wide receiver Xavier Restrepo was named the 88th best nationally by Pro Football Focus on Monday. Pro Football Focus is naming the top 101 best players nationally every day this week. The list began on Monday with players listed 101st through 80th. Restrepo is the only Miami player listed so far.

Restrepo had a breakout season in 2023, setting the Miami record with 85 receptions and his 1,092 receiving yards were tied for the fifth most in program history. Restrepo was second in the ACC in receptions and receiving yards. The rising fifth-year senior leads all ACC returnees in receptions and receiving yards.

Restrepo was a big-play receiver for Miami in 2023, with 32 receptions for 15 or more yards and 10 for 25 or more. Restrepo had five or more receptions in 10 games in 2023. A three-game stretch with six receptions for 83 yards was the only lull in Restrepo's season. He was first-team All-ACC, catching passes from three different quarterbacks.

Per David Lake of Inside the U, Restrepo was the highest-graded Miami player by PFF in 2024. Lake noted that Restrepo caught five out of 10 contested catch targets, averaged 4.5 yards after the catch, caught 10 of his 13 deep targets for 302 yards and a TD and his average depth of target with 9.5 yards past the line of scrimmage.

"88. WR XAVIER RESTREPO, MIAMI (FL) HURRICANES
Restrepo dominated from the slot in 2023, and his 89.0 receiving grade was a top-15 mark among all receivers in the nation. Fifty-three of his receptions went for a first down or a touchdown, tied for seventh among Power Five receivers."

- Max Chadwick and Dalton Wasserman, PFF

Restrepo was one of the most reliable receivers nationally, with only four drops and catching 74 of his 102 targets per Lake. Restrepo's best 2023 game came against Georgia Tech with 12 receptions for 123 yards. Georgia Tech was one of three 2023 games with at least 10 receptions. Restrepo had a season-high 193 receiving yards versus Louisville.

Restrepo has significantly exceeded his recruiting ranking. The 247 Sports Composite rankings had Restrepo as the 624th-ranked prospect, 36th athlete and 85th recruit in the 2020 class. Entering the 2024 season, Restrepo is ninth in Miami career receptions, 15th in receiving yards and 28th in career receiving TDs.

Restrepo only needs 52 receptions to break Mike Harley's career program record and 831 receiving yards to top Santana Moss' Miami record. Michael Irvin's career record of 26 TD receptions is likely out of reach. Restrepo will finish his Miami career as one of the most productive receivers in program history.