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ANALYSIS: How Miami players fare in the transfer portal

Stephen Wagner covers recruiting for the University of Miami for On3 Sports and CaneSport. He can be found on Twitter at @stephenwag22 and reached at Stephen.Wagner@On3.com.by: Stephen Wagner12/23/22stephenwagOn3
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(photo by Neil Gershman)

Miami’s signing day has come and gone. The other big story now? The transfer portal.

Of the 29 players who left the Hurricanes after last year’s 5-7 season, 20 entered the transfer portal and nine graduated or are out of eligibility. It should be noted that of the more than 1,400 players in the portal nationwide, only 30% have committed to a new program and around 2% have chosen to withdraw their names and return to their respective schools.

But former Hurricanes are faring a little better in the portal.

Eleven of the 20 players (55%) who entered the portal after last season have found homes outside of Coral Gables in the two and-a-half weeks since the portal officially opened Dec. 5, and nine of the players (45%) are still uncommitted. Of the 11 players committed elsewhere, only four landed at Power Five programs, and seven transferred to Group of Five or Independent schools.

Redshirt junior safety Al Blades transferred to Duke; sophomore defensive tackle Darrell Jackson transferred to Florida State; freshman cornerback Khamuri Rogers transferred to Mississippi State; and sophomore safety Avantae Williams transferred to Maryland.

20% of Miami transfers landed at SMU with former Miami coordinator Rhett Lashlee: sophomore running back Jaylan Knighton; redshirt junior defensive tackle Jordan Miller; sophomore defensive lineman Elijah Roberts and sophomore receiver Key’Shawn Smith. Sophomore running back Thaddus Franklin transferred to Louisiana Monroe; redshirt freshman defensive tackle Allan Haye transferred to Temple and freshman defensive back Jalen Harrell transferred to UMass.

So far, four defensive linemen, four defensive backs, two running backs and a wide receiver have committed elsewhere. That’s out of four defensive linemen who entered the portal, two linebackers, eight defensive backs, two wide receivers, two running backs, one offensive lineman and one quarterback.

Rogers and Jackson were the only two to commit to a program that finished the season ranked in the Top 25. Eight of Miami’s commits committed to a program that finished the 2022 season with a winning record and played or will play in a bowl game.

One Miami player has withdrawn his names from the portal and returned, at least for now: S Brian Balom.

CaneSport’s Take

Assuming none of the 20 former Hurricanes currently in the portal withdraw their names and choose to return, Miami is set to replace all of its transferees and then some with its 2023 recruiting class and in the transfer portal. Miami is now exceptionally thin on the interior of its defensive line and could benefit from a few additional transfers if the Canes don’t plan to move a few of their EDGE commitments inside.

The number of players Miami plans on bringing in – either via recruiting high school athletes or the transfer portal – likely means head coach Mario Cristobal will have to make cuts to Miami’s roster at some point.

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