Led by transfer sensation Darian Mensah and versatile star Malachi Toney, a star-studded cast of Miami Hurricanes dominates the conference landscape as the program eyes its first ACC title.
MIAMI, Fla. – Ahead of fall camp, the Miami Hurricanes were selected as the 2026 Atlantic Coast Conference preseason favorites. Given all the talent on the roster, success isn’t guaranteed, but it’s a strong projection. Along with team success comes individual accolades.
It was announced on Wednesday that seven Hurricanes players earned All-ACC Preseason Team honors. New star quarterback Darian Mensah highlighted the group and was voted the ACC Preseason Player of the Year with 91 of 188 first-place votes. The 21-year-old made a statement in the ACC last season at Duke. He led the Blue Devils program to its first conference football title since 1989.
Also, Mensah led the ACC with 3,973 passing yards and 34 touchdowns. The recent success is expected to translate over to “The U.”
Rising college football star Malachi Toney was voted in three positions. He earned All-ACC preseason honors as a receiver, all-purpose player, and specialist. Toney is coming off a historic freshman season: catching a nation-high 109 passes for 1,211 yards and scoring 13 total touchdowns – receiving (10), rushing (one), and passing (two).
The reigning ACC Rookie and Offensive Rookie of the Year is expected to take another step in production, along with providing leadership.
Local star Mark Fletcher Jr. secured one of the ACC's two preseason running back spots with 127 votes. He’s coming off a record-breaking College Football Playoff stretch: 507 rushing yards on 75 attempts. Fletcher Jr. scored two touchdowns in the National Championship game against Indiana.
Samson Okunlola rounded out the Hurricanes’ offense on the list. He primarily played in a reserve role last season and split snaps with Matthew McCoy, but the redshirt junior is projected as a full-time starter at left guard.
Switching over to defense.
Ahmad Moten Sr. received 126 votes at defensive tackle, the second-highest among ACC defensive players. He broke out last season with 31 total tackles, nine tackles for loss, and 4.5 sacks in 14 games (all starts). Moten Sr. is projected to take another step in production and secure NFL first-round projections for 2027.
Mohamed Toure collected 64 votes at linebacker. The eighth-year college veteran led the Hurricanes with 84 total tackles.
Finally, Bryce Fitzgerald earned 86 votes at safety. However, the 18-year-old hinted at a move to nickelback. He led the ACC last season with six interceptions.
The Hurricanes’ roster is stacked with talent – enough to dominate and deliver a conference title to the Coral Gables campus.
