The CaneSport On3: Projecting Miami Hurricanes defensive back depth chart/potential results

In this new Miami Hurricanes series we are breaking down each position analyzing the depth chart and potential results. Today’s focus: The defensive backs:

QB ANALYSIS … RB ANALYSIS … WR ANALYSIS … TE ANALYSIS … DL ANALYSIS … LB ANALYSIS

PROJECTED MIAMI DB DEPTH CHART

1st team Jadais Richard

2nd team Demetrius Freeney

SAFETY

1st team Savion Riley

2nd team Jaden Harris

SAFETY

1st team Mishael Powell

2nd team Markeith Williams

1st team Daryl Porter, Jr.

2nd team Robert Stafford

STAR/NICKEL

1st team Damari Brown

2nd team Dylan Day

GRADING MIAMI’S DB TALENT

This position was hit hard by graduation and players leaving early – gone are star starting safety duo James Williams and Kam Kinchens along with starting corners Jaden Davis and Te’Cory Couch. The lone full-time returning starter here is Daryl Porter, Jr., who in his first starting role at UM had 23 tackles, 4 PBU and no interceptions. Per Pro Football Focus he graded out at a solid 80.6 percent with an 80.2 cover grade. We also anticipate a full-time starting role for CB/nickel Damari Brown after he emerged as a starter late last season – he ended with 14 tackles and graded out at 63.0 percent in 331 reps per PFF.

For now we are projecting Jadais Richard as a starting CB as well, although that’s going to be a bigtime battle. So why are we putting Richard atop the list? Well, the former Vanderbilt transfer has good size and athleticism but simply didn’t get a lot of reps last year (187, grading out at 67.7 percent per PFF, had 14 tackles). Others looking to step up here include Demetrius Freeney, who redshirted as a JUCO arrival in 2023, Robert Stafford (redshirted as a true freshman last year) and don’t sleep on Dylan Day, who could emerge as a nice option at nickel/STAR as a true freshman. There are other true freshman options here, but it’s tough to rely on first-year guys so it will be interesting to see how spring drills go and if the Miami coaches attack the transfer portal for a CB in the second window.

At safety?

The team returns Markeith Williams, who started the bowl game with Kinchens and James Williams opting out and had eight tackles. Kaleb Spencer is a big, physical presence but is in his second year with little experience, and Brian Balom is older but has been a career backup. Jaden Harris got starts last year when Kinchens was out and had some bright moments but also some struggles (in 130 reps graded out at a low 54.4 percent per PFF, and he ended with seven tackles and a shared TFL). But as of now we anticipate all of those guys providing depth.

That’s because Miami added transfers Savion Riley and Mishael Powell, and we project both as starters right now. Riley arrived from Vanderbilt, and last year he had 48 tackles in eight games (including 12 tackles at Florida), missing four games due to an upper body injury. He has three years of eligibility remaining, and per Pro Football Focus graded out at 61.4 percent overall in 343 reps, with a 59.7 percent run defense grade and 64.5 percent tackle grade. Powell was a full-time starter for Washington this past season, helping the team to the national title game. He has experience playing corner, nickel and safety, but told us he’s expected to play mostly safety at Miami. Last year he ended with 38 tackles, 2.5 for losses, and three interceptions – one of those was an 89-yard return for a TD with 8:11 remaining and the Huskies trailing by one point to Arizona State. He added nine pass breakups. In 2022 he started nine games and had 29 tackles, 1.5 for losses, and off the bench in 2021 he had 11 tackles and three pass breakups. As for his Pro Football Focus grades? In 876 reps this past season he had a 69.0 overall grade. With one year of eligibility left, he is a veteran presence who can make plays all over the field.

Given all the departures here, DB will have a lot of eyes on it this spring and there could be some depth chart surprises. This wasn’t a group that really wowed last year, either, ranking No. 55 in the nation in passing yards allowed and No. 33 in team passing efficiency defense.

If things all come together it could be a very good unit. If not, this could be a real area of weakness for Miami.

TALENT GRADE: C+

GRADING MIAMI’S DB DEPTH

Miami is sort of piecing things together here, so this spring will tell us a lot. At safety two transfers have to mesh well in the defense, and at corner there are two guys we feel pretty good about in Porter and Brown, but it’s not clear if they are really going to provide elite play. Aside from them there’s just not a lot you know you can rely on right now. Even with Riley and Powell, who we are listing as the starting safeties after transferring in, there were issues for both in coverage last year – Riley allowed 14 of 19 completions for 150 yards when targeted while Powell allowed 49 of 66 passing against him for 432 yards. So there are some question marks all the way around here with how the new arrivals will perform and which returners might be ready to step up and provide consistent play after this area lost four starters.

DEPTH GRADE: C

PROJECTING SEASON RESULTS

As you can see above, there are some DB talent/depth issues. In the glass-half-full view, Porter, Jr. was good enough last year, and Brown looked better as the season went along and could be in line for a strong Year 2 performance. So if the addition of Riley and Powell can help hold down the safety spot then you at least have the backbone of what can be a very good defensive backs room. But on the opposite spectrum there were coverage issues for Riley and Powell, and it’s unclear if Porter and Brown can be the kind of lockdown players Miami needs with Lance Guidry calling for a lot of one-on-one coverage down the field. And after them, who can you say you’re sure will really step up? On paper the DBs were perhaps a little bit better than average a year ago. With a pretty good front seven in 2024 that should be the goal again this year. And that’s probably not asking too much if the main guys can stay healthy.

FINAL ANALYSIS

If there are areas of concern on this entire team, we’d point to the DBs at the top of that list. Because neither portal addition at safety has shown he’s a good one-on-one defender, something Guidry asks his safeties to do quite a bit. And the cornerback room is relatively unproven and lacks depth. So it’s not ideal, but there is talent. The question is whether that talent is ready to show out in 2024. This spring will start to answer a lot of questions, and if there are holes at DB then coaches will need to go out and find more talent in the second portal window.

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