Led by 2023 ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year Rueben Bain, Miami led the ACC with an average time of 2.61 seconds in first pressure in 2023 per David Hale of ESPN. Expect Miami to improve that number with a deeper group of edge rushers entering the 2024 season.
Bain will be joined by Akeeem Mesidor, who will be returning after missing most of the 2023 season due to foot injuries, as well as the addition of Elijah Alston and Tyler Baron as edge rushers in 2024. Alston transferred to Miami from Marshall, while Baron came from Tennessee via Louisville.
Bain had 44 tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks, three forced fumbles and a fumble recovery last season. Defensive The 89.3 pass rush Bain received from Pro Football Focus in 2023 was the highest by a freshman since Myles Garrett in 2014. Garrett was the first pick in the 2017 NFL Draft and 2023 NFL Defensive Player of the Year.
Pro Football Focus also recorded Bain with an 18.4 percent pass-rush win rate, ranked in the top 15 among Power Five edge rushers in 2023. Bain had 18 run-defense stops in 2023, sixth in the ACC per PFF. With significant snaps from the beginning of the season, Bain should post bigger numbers in 2024.
Cal's average time to first pressure was 2.95 seconds last season -- worst among this year's ACC teams. Miami was best at 2.61.
— 💫🅰️♈️🆔 (@ADavidHaleJoint) August 17, 2024
Mesidor was fifth among Power Five edge rushers in 2022 with an 87.2 PFF grade. In his last full season in 2022, Mesidor had 38 tackles, 10.5 TFLs, 7,0 sacks, 1.0 forced fumble and 4.0 passes defended. Mesidor returning healthy for Miami is a big boost to the 2024 defensive line.
Alston was third among all edge rushers nationally in 2023 with a 91,3 PFF grade. Alston had his best season in 2023 with 45 tackles, 11.5 TFLs, 6.0 sacks, 1.0 interception, 3.0 passes defended and 2.0 forced fumbles. Having Alston as the third or fourth edge rusher in the rotation is a luxury for Miami in 2024.
Baron was sixth among SEC edge rushers with 41 quarterback pressures and had and 83.2 Pass Rush Grade, and a 16 percent Pass Rush Win Rate in 2023 per PFF. Baron had 28 tackles, 10.5 TFLs, 6.0 sacks, 2.0 pass breakups and a fumble recovery he returned for a touchdown in 2023.
Miami was 18th nationally in 2023 with 88 tackles for loss and 22nd with 35 sacks. A deeper group of edge rushers in 2024 will keep Miami's opponents from double-teaming Bain. Miami should increase their defensive line production this season. Opponents will have difficulty keeping Miami from improving its first pressure number in 2024.