Injuries and NFL departures test the Miami Hurricanes' trenches. Can Ryan Rodriguez anchor the offensive line and uphold championship standards?
Last season, the Miami Hurricanes' philosophy of dominating matchups in the trenches resulted in a National Championship appearance. Despite losing four starters in left tackle Markel Bell, right guard Anez Cooper, center James Brockermeyer, and All-American right tackle Francis Mauigoa, all of whom declared for the upcoming NFL Draft, the next group is expected to produce similar results, including Ryan Rodriguez.
The Miami native’s collegiate career has dealt with numerous derailments, resulting in limited action on the field. He was the starting left guard in the 2024-25 season opener against the Florida Gators at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, but wound up suffering a season-ending injury.
Regardless of adversity, and with the departure of Brockermeyer, Rodriguez is projected to be the Hurricanes' next starting center. Last season, he appeared in 12 games, primarily blocking with the field goal unit. As Rodriguez is likely to step into a significant role, there will be challenges that come with it.
Arguably, the biggest responsibility of a center is syncing with the quarterback. As Carson Beck departs for the upcoming NFL Draft, the Hurricanes added All-ACC Darian Mensah through the transfer portal. It will be important for them to be on the same page either before or at the start of spring training, learning cadences and where to snap the ball.
As well as dominating the trenches, the Hurricanes look to establish the run game. After retaining the core of star Mark Fletcher Jr., CharMar Brown, Girard Pringle Jr., and Jordan Lyle, Rodriguez will be responsible for creating A-gaps long enough for them to go through and potentially carve out explosive plays or gain yardage.
The other responsibilities Rodriguez will inherit as a starting center are identifying defensive schemes, calling out blocking assignments, and handling blitzes.
Last season, Brockermeyer played in all 16 games. He recorded 1,033 offensive snaps, allowing no sacks, two hits, 12 pressures, and drew five penalties in the regular season and College Football Playoffs.
The bar is high on Rodriguez as the Hurricanes established a new standard after reaching the National Championship. Despite suffering a 27–21 loss to the Indiana Hoosiers, it was officially a new chapter for the program.
The 23-year-old is listed at 6-2, 300 pounds. He was a three-star recruit coming from Christopher Columbus High School, a private Catholic college-preparatory institution located in Miami-Dade County. Rodriguez received offers from the Ole Miss Rebels, Syracuse Orange, and Louisville Cardinals, among others, then committed to the Hurricanes on April 27, 2020. He will have an opportunity to leave an impact on his local program next season.
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