Battling back from recurring foot injuries, the standout cornerback targets an NFL future and a National Championship while upholding a family's storied legacy in Coral Gables.
MIAMI, Fla. – In sports, injuries can seriously derail a player’s trajectory.
Miami Hurricanes cornerback Damari Brown understands the challenge. In 2024, as a sophomore, he suffered a foot injury in the season opener against Florida. He wound up missing a majority of the year, returning to the field in limited action against Syracuse on Nov. 30, 2024.
Brown was healthy for most of last season, playing in 12 games (five starts). However, another foot injury kept him sidelined for the entire College Football Playoffs, including the National Championship game. Brown finished the year with 24 total tackles, 16 solos and eight assists, and one pass broken up.
Despite the personal adversity, the redshirt junior decided to return to the Coral Gables program. In a recent episode of the Greentree Made podcast, Brown elaborated on handling the injuries and chasing NFL dreams.
“That’s really all it’s been,” he said. “Blocking all the noise out, staying tunnel vision, putting the man above first, keeping my inner circle with me, and taking all of the necessary steps. Investing in my body. Before you know it, the NFL is the goal. Availability plays a long part in that.”
Brown comes from a defensive back family. Selwyn Brown (father) played for the Hurricanes from 1984 to the 1987 National Championship-winning team. He spent one season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Davonte Brown (brother) played five seasons of college football – three at UCF, one in Miami, one at Florida State.
Ahead of fall camp, Brown is a projected rotation cornerback. It’s likely the best chance for him to stay healthy throughout the season. Brown has the size, 6-2 and 200 pounds, to be a standout cornerback. Plus, the footwork and will to get physical allow him to be a disruptor in the passing game.
The Hurricanes had the fifth-best-ranked scoring defense among Football Bowl Subdivision programs last season. Retaining Brown, along with several other key players, such as Romanas “OJ” Frederique Jr., Xavier Lucas, Bryce Fitzgerald, and Zechariah Poyser, puts the secondary in a great position to find success for a second consecutive year.
Despite losing Keionte Scott and Jakobe Thomas to the NFL, it’s an opportunity for others to step up. As fall camp approaches, Brown could prove himself to earn a starting role. Despite the risks, the talent is there.
The Hurricanes have legitimate National Championship aspirations for the first time in 20 years. Winning the Atlantic Coast Conference would scratch the surface of achieving the main goal. It would provide the team with an automatic bid into the College Football Playoffs, potentially a first-round bye.
Brown has an opportunity to add a second National Championship to the family name. However, the health factor will be significant this season.
