Boasting five top-100 stars and Heisman candidate Malachi Toney, a revamped roster and elite transfer talent have the Miami Hurricanes primed for a historic College Football Playoff run.
Miami, FL. – Coming off a National Championship appearance, the Miami Hurricanes are gearing up to take things a step further. The program successfully revamped the roster with top-market transfer portal talent, plus returning players poised for a productive season. They are projected to be one of the top teams, not only in the Atlantic Coast Conference, but among the best in the nation.
The Hurricanes have several prolific players who are expected to contribute towards title contention. According to On3, there are five top-100 players of college football on the roster. The first Hurricane named was sophomore wide receiver Malachi Toney, finishing No. 5 on the list.
The 18-year-old is coming off an electric, historic freshman season: catching a nation’s high 109 passes for 1,211 yards, scoring 13 total touchdowns through receiving, rushing, and passing. Toney quickly emerged as one of college football’s best players. He was named the ACC Rookie of the Year, All-ACC First Team, and a freshman All-American across several platforms.
Toney is poised for another productive season. Despite the Hurricanes revamping the wide receiver core, including the addition of All-ACC Cooper Barkate through the transfer portal, the homegrown star is projected as an early candidate for the Heisman Trophy award.
Following Toney was redshirt senior defensive tackle Ahmad Moten Sr., No. 27 on On3’s top-100. He’s coming off a career season: 31 total tackles, 20 solos and 11 assists, nine tackles for loss, and 4.5 sacks. Despite the departures of edge rushers Akheem Mesidor and All-American Rueben Bain Jr., Moten Sr. is looking to continue wreaking havoc at the line of scrimmage. He’s projected to be a first-round selection in the 2027 NFL Draft, but the early stock can only be cemented on the field.
Up next is redshirt senior quarterback Darian Mensah, No. 44 on the list. He’s coming off an All-ACC caliber season with the Duke Blue Devils: completing 334 of 500 passes, 66.8 completion percentage, leading the ACC by throwing for 3,973 yards and 34 touchdowns, including six picks. The 21-year-old led the program to its first ACC Football Championship since 1989, looking to deliver a similar impact for the Hurricanes.
Mensah became the third top-market transfer portal quarterback to move down to Coral Gables. He’s projected to produce improved results compared to Cam Ward and Carson Beck. If Mensah manages to remain lethal in the passing game, especially with higher-quality weapons surrounding him, the Hurricanes have no excuse not to carve out another historic College Football Playoff run.
The next Hurricane is senior edge rusher Damon Wilson II, No. 54 on the list. As Mesidor and Bain Jr. embark on separate NFL journeys, the Venice native looks to deliver a similar impact. After two seasons in the SEC, Wilson II is looking to become defensive line coach and Pro Football Hall of Famer Jason Taylor’s next success project.
The final mention is senior running back Mark Fletcher Jr., No. 93 on the list. There is certainly a case that he deserves to be higher. Fletcher Jr. had a historic College Football Playoff run: rushing 75 times for a record-breaking 507 yards, scoring three total touchdowns in four games. The 21-year-old has a unique combination of speed, size, and power for a running back.
Fletcher Jr. is looking to lead the Hurricanes' run game again and conclude a four-year tenure with the program on a high note. He will have an opportunity to carve out first-round projections in the 2027 NFL Draft.
The Hurricanes already have several national-caliber talents, with more on the way.
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Anthony Aguirre is the Miami Hurricanes beat writer for Roundtable Sports. Contact info: [email protected] | 305-987-3290 | Follow on Instagram/X: @AnthonyA_Sports
