After an offseason that seemed like it took years, game week is here and the Miami Hurricanes are now in full preparation for Friday's season opener on the road against Stanford. The Cardinal opened their season with a 37-27 win Saturday over Hawaii.
It's expected that Mario Cristobal will release a depth chart at some point this week and that should answer some lingering questions that were left as training camp wrapped out. This is how I expect the Hurricanes' defense to line up Friday night barring late injury (click here for the projections on offense):
Defensive End
Marquise Lightfoot (Jr.)
Armondo Blount (Jr.)
Lightfoot is ready to step in and try to replace some of the production that left for the NFL this past spring. The former five-star prospect is long and athletic. He found plenty of success as a rotational guy in 2025 and now it's his time. Blount is going to play all over the line and that is represented in this depth chart. The 19-year-old junior has been an explosive presence in camp and should get a lot of snaps.
Defensive Tackle
Ahmad Moten Sr. (5th year)
Armondo Blount (Jr.)
Moten is the top returner on the Hurricanes defensive line. He made the All-ACC second team last year and should expand upon his nine TFLs and 4.5 sacks from 2025. Blount should also get snaps here, and I feel like this is the junior's best position. At times, he'll be on the field with Moten and Lightfoot to give Miami their best group of pass rushers.
Nose Guard
Justin Scott (Jr.)
Keona Davis (Jr.)
Scott stepped into a full-time starting role in the second half of 2025 and established himself as a dynamic run stopper and true plug in the middle of the line. Davis, a transfer from Nebraska, is another versatile player that can line up at nose guard, defensive tackle or on the outside. He was a full-time starter with the Cornhuskers and will be a big part of this rotation.
Edge Rusher
Damon Wilson II (Sr.)
Herbert Scroggins III (So.)
Wilson was the prized transfer acquisition in the offseason and, after nine sacks with Missouri last year, he's on a trajectory to get to double digits in his senior year. There's been a battle for snaps at edge since the dismissal of Hayden Lowe and Scroggins has the best chance to be the first off the bench. However, there is some uncertainty in that backup role.
Linebackers
Mohamed Toure (Gr.)
Cam Pruitt (Jr.)
Chase Smith (6th)
Kellen Wiley Jr. (R-Fr.)
Smith and Toure have a ton of experience, with Toure in his 8th season of college football and Smith going into his 6th. Toure was an All-ACC honorable mention last year and was previously an All-Big 10 honorable mention at Rutgers. Smith was a reliable rotation player last year and will now step into a full-time starting role. Pruitt has done enough to be the third linebacker in this group, but Wiley is a very intriguing athlete that could see a major increase in snaps if he can show consistency instead of flashes.
Cornerbacks
OJ Frederique (Jr.)
Damari Brown (R-Jr.)
Xavier Lucas (Jr.)
Ethan O'Connor (R-Jr.)
Frederique is a potential star and former freshman All-American. Outside of missing some games with injury, Frederique was a full-time starter last season and has gained plenty of confidence in that role. Lucas is a big cornerback (listed at 6-foot-2, 203 pounds) and he dominated camp to lock down a starting role for the second straight season. Both Brown and O'Connor have plenty of experience behind the designated starters, making this Miami's deeper position on the defense.
Nickel Corner
Omar Thornton (Jr.)
Camdin Portis (Fr.)
Thornton transferred from Boston College, and it didn't take long for him to get acclimated to Corey Hetherman's scheme and garner plenty of accolades from his teammates. He is a true playmaker on the back end that can play the run and the pass effectively. The nickel and safety position are pretty interchangeable, so JJ Dunnigan, the backup safety, will also slide into this role. Portis, the son of Hurricanes legend Clinton Portis, is another true freshman that should carve out a role in this rotation.
Safeties
Bryce Fitzgerald (So.)
JJ Dunnigan (Fr.)
Zechariah Poyser (R-Jr.)
Dylan Day (Jr.)
Fitzgerald was a freshman All-American last season and his six interceptions were tied for second-most in the nation. The sophomore is expected to play at an All-ACC level this season. Poyser is the best returning tackler in the secondary and a very steady presence. Dunnigan has been one of the freshman stars in spring and fall camp. He is considered to be one of the fastest players on the team and that's saying a lot. Day has made significant strides in the offseason and is ready to take a step forward in 2026.
Specialists
PK Jack Olsen (Gr.)
P Dylan Joyce (Sr.)
KS Jake Weinberg (R-So.)
Joyce has been Miami's starting punter since 2023, and he had 13 punts of 50+ yards last season. Olsen, a Northwestern transfer, was 19-of-21 last season and a two-time All-Big 10 honorable mention for the Wildcats. He's been pushed by Weinberg, who was shaky (12-of-19) at FSU last year, but has a big leg. At worst, Weinberg will be handling kickoffs, and he had a 91.8 touchback percentage (56-of-61) for the Seminoles in 2025.
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