New Miami Hurricanes edge rusher Damon Wilson II instantly brings intensity and physicality, elevating the defensive line's competitiveness and skill.
The Miami Hurricanes’ defense will feature several new players, but the identity remains the same: resilience, physicality, and violence. A key addition to the lineup, especially with All-American Rueben Bain Jr. and Akheem Mesidor departing for the upcoming NFL Draft, was edge rusher Damon Wilson II. He landed on the roster through the transfer portal after spending one season with the Missouri Tigers.
The 21-year-old recorded 23 total tackles, nine solos and 14 assists, 9.5 tackles for loss, nine sacks, and an interception in 13 games, starting all of them. However, the team finished with an 8-4 overall record, 4-4 in SEC play. A couple of weeks after entering the transfer portal, Wilson II landed an opportunity with the Hurricanes, who arguably had the best edge rushing duo in the nation.
As spring training unravels, defensive coordinator Corey Hetherman speaks on the impression the former Second Team All-SEC talent made.
“Right out the gate, we showed a clip yesterday [Wednesday] in one of the meetings, is how hard he practices,” he said. “It doesn’t matter, ones, twos, threes, his first rep in this uniform, he goes extremely hard. When you look at the guys last year, when you look at [Bain Jr.], [Mesidor], [Marquise Lightfoot], [David Blay Jr.], [Wesley Bissainthe], and [Jakobe Thomas], that’s what those guys were. Every day, they got better on the field because of how hard they practiced, how hard they competed. That’s one thing he brings to the program right now. I think the competition in that [defensive line] room, it’s going to make everyone in that room better because of how hard he practices, how hard he runs the ball, and it doesn’t matter what group he’s running with, what rack he’s on. It’s just every day trying to compete and get better at his techniques, at his fundamentals. Some of the things we teach are a little bit different. Some of the things right now, he’s going through that process of trying to learn, trying to learn the technique, trying to learn the hand placement, the footwork, trying to get an understanding of the scheme going on around him. The other thing is he’s a smart football player. He’s been well-coached and he understands what’s going on, so it’s allowed him to adapt a little bit faster.”
Last season, the Hurricanes’ defense quickly turned around after previously being one of the worst in the nation. Wilson II and the rest of the group are expected to carry over production and further elevate it.
After playing two years at linebacker for the Georgia Bulldogs, the Venice, Florida, native carved out a career season as an edge rusher.
Also, it’s a full-circle moment as the Hurricanes did attempt to recruit Wilson II coming out of high school. The former four-star prospect will have an opportunity to take another leap, this time closer to home.
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