Miami has lost top six signees from 2022 class to transfer portal

The Miami football program has lost its top six signees in the 2022 class after the spring transfer portal began on Tuesday. Edge rusher Nyjalik Kelly and running back Tre'Vonte Citizen became the latest 2022 Miami signees to enter the transfer portal. Citizen and Kelly were preceded by four other 2022 Miami signees to leave Coral Gables.

Fellow edge rusher Cyrus Moss and Kelly were the top two signees in the 2022 Miami class. Moss entered the transfer portal after the 2023 season. Miami also lost cornerbacks Chris Graves and Khamauri Rogers and tight end Jaleel Skinner from the 2022 class to the transfer portal.

Graves transferred to Mississippi and Rogers to Mississippi State in 2023. Moss has yet to find a new school and Skinner transferred to Louisville during the winter transfer portal window that commenced in December and closed in January. Former Miami RB Don Chaney Jr. is also at Louisville.

Kelly had 19 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss and four sacks in four sacks in 16 games over the 2022 and 2023 seasons for Miami. Kelly played in four games with three starts in 2023 before suffering a season-ending injury. In his only full season, Kelly had four sacks, 11 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss and 15 pressures in 12 games as a true freshman in 2022

Miami returns Rueben Bain, Akheem Mesidor and Jayden Wayne at edge rusher in 2024. The addition of Marshall edge rusher Elijah Alston would have made it difficult for Moss to earn playing time in 2024 and potentially limited the snaps of Kelly. Per Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald Moss played only 50 defensive snaps in two seasons at Miami.

Moss had only one tackle in five games for Miami. At 6'5 and 215 pounds Moss was never developed physically to earn his way into the rotation. Miami signed an elite group of edge rushers in the 2024 class that will provide depth on the defensive line to allow Miami to absorb the transfers of Kelly and Moss.

Skinner had a promising freshman season with nine receptions for 129 yards and one touchdown. Veteran Oregon transfer Cameron McCormick and 2023 true freshman Riley Williams passed Miami in the TE rotation last season. Skinner had one reception for nine yards in 2023.

After signing as the 125th-ranked prospect and seventh cornerback in the 2022 class, Graves did not receive any playing time as a true freshman with Miami. Graves had 13 tackles, three pass breakups and one forced fumble in his first season at Mississippi as a redshirt freshman in 2023.

Rogers recorded his only tackle for Miami during his collegiate debut versus Bethune-Cookman. Rogers was the 159th-ranked prospect and 23rd CB in the 2022 class. After transferring to Mississippi State in 2023. Rogers did not appear in games last season.

In addition to the top six, Miami also lost quarterback Jacurri Brown and former junior college transfer wide receiver Colbie Young to the transfer portal after the 2023 season from the 2022 class. Young transferred to Georgia during the winter portal window. Brown entered the transfer portal on Tuesday.

Offensive lineman Logan Sagapolu who followed Cristobal to Miami as a transfer from Oregon in the 2022 class, entered the transfer portal on Monday. Every program in college football will lose transfers in the current era. The 2022 class was primarily made of signees from the previous Miami football staff.

With Cristobal having a full cycle beginning with the 2021 class, the number of top signees for Miami entering the transfer portal could decrease. Cristobal has been praised as one of the elite recruiters in college football. In the modern era of college football, Cristobal, as with any college head coach, will now have to recruit his own players.