Two Miami football players ranked 31-50 among PFF best nationally

Edge rusher Rueben Bain and wide receiver Xavier Restrepo are in the PFF College 50: The 50 best players in college football ahead of the 2024 season." Bain is ranked 39th and Restrepo 46th by Pro Football Focus in their 2024 preseason top 50.

Pro Football Focus released the players ranked 31st through 50th on Tuesday. They will release the remainder of the top 50 throughout the week. Miami quarterback Cam Ward should be ranked in the PFF top 30 when that is released later this week. Ward is an early sleeper for the Heisman Trophy.

Bain and Restrepo were both named preseason All-ACC and received spots on national award watch lists. Bain was named to the Bednarik Award preseason watch list on Monday. Restrepo was previously named to the preseason award watch lists for the Biletnikoff and Maxwell Awards.

The Bednarik Award honors the best defensive player in college football nationally each season. Linebacker Dan Morgan in 2000 was the only Miami player to earn the Bednarik Award. After a breakout freshman season, Bain should improve on his 2023 production. Max Chadwick and Dalton Wasserman summarized Bain for PFF.

"39. EDGE RUEBEN BAIN JR., MIAMI (FL)
Bain posted the second-best pass-rush grade in 2023 by any Power Five true freshman since PFF began charting college football in 2014. Three of the other players in the top five are currently among the three best players in the NFL at their respective positions, while the other is the best linebacker in college football."

- Max Chadwick and Dalton Wasserman, PFF

Myles Garrett was the only true freshman ahead of Bain with a 92.1 Pro Football Focus pass-rush grade in 2014. Garrett was the first pick by the Cleveland Browns in the 2017 NFL Draft. Garrett was the 2023 NFL Defensive Player of the Year, a three-time first-team all-pro and twice named to the second-team.

Bain had 44 tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks, 3,0 forced fumbles and 1.0 sack as a true freshman in 2023. After playing sparingly in the first three games in 2023, Bain should have significantly more snaps in 2024 to improve those numbers. Bain is part of a deep group of 2024 Miami edge rushers.

The Miami defensive line is ranked as the third best nationally by Pro Football Focus led by Bain. Opponents will not be able to double-team Bain with the return of Akheem Mesidor from injury and the additions of transfer edge rushers Elijah Alston from Marshall and Tyler Baron from Tennessee.

Bain was the 2023 ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year earned 2023 third-team All-ACC and was a consensus 2023 Freshman All-America. Bain proved he should have been a five-star signee in the 2024 class. Scouts were frequently concerned that Bain was undersized.

"46. WR XAVIER RESTREPO, MIAMI (FL)
Restrepo is the most productive returning slot receiver in college football. His 1,074 receiving yards from that alignment in 2023 were the second most among FBS receivers, behind only Virginia’s Malik Washington, who is now in the NFL. The junior finished this past season with an 87.5 PFF overall grade, ranking seventh among Power Five receivers. He is a reliable chain-mover who should be new quarterback Cam Ward’s best friend."

- Max Chadwick and Dalton Wasserman, PFF

Restrepo set the Miami single-season record with 85 receptions in 2023. Entering the 2024 season Restrepo needs 51 receptions to tie the Miami career set by Mike Harley. Santana Moss is 829 yards ahead of Restrepo for the Miami career record. If Restrepo duplicates his 2023 season he will smash the records set by Harley and Moss.

Restrepo leads the seventh ranked 2024 receiving corps from Pro Football Focus. The addition of Sam Brown as a transfer from Houston and the return of WR Jacolby George and Restrepo provide Miami with three 800-yard receivers entering the 2024 season.

Restrepo can put up All-American numbers in 2024 with more consistency. A three-game stretch with six receptions for 83 yards and no TDs versus Virginia, North Carolina State and Florida State are all that prevented Restrepo from being an All-American in 2023. A cold stretch like that is unlikely for Restrepo in 2024.