2024 Miami Hurricanes Position Preview: Defensive Line
CORAL GABLES, Fla. - Talent was never an issue for one of the best defensive line in the ACC, and adding more to that group will only improve what the team will be.
Led by Hall of Famer Jason Taylor, the defensive line for the Miami Hurricanes is one of the best if not the best position groups for the the Canes. A mixture of great talent was recruited plus the experienced talent that has been brought in from the transfer portal. The team kept its most productive talent in consensus freshman all-American Rueben Bain Jr, who will lead the charge in his sophomore season with a plethora of talent around in on the line.
Dive into the Miami Defensive Line on The Joe Gaither Show
1. Rueben Bain Jr.
The best defensive player on the team last season and many the best player on the team was Bain Jr who spent his freshman season throwing linemen around and racking in sacks and awards.
Consensu freshman All-American, ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year, All-ACC Third Team and the list goes on. Bain had 44 tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks, three forced fumbles and one fumble recovery as a true freshman in 2023. Bain also had the second highest Power Five freshman pass-rushing grade in 10 years that Pro Football Focus has provided metrics beginning in 2014. First is Myles Garrett who eventually became the No. 1 overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft.
Bain has only gotten stronger and wiser throughout the off season and with that will bring in a new intensity and growth for the potential top 10 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
2. Tyler Baron
Baron spent the last four years at the University of Tennessee before spending some time with Louisville this offseason. Currently, Baron is third among active college football players in quarterback pressures according to PFF
Baron has 12.5 career sacks and over 100 career tackles. Baron is large at 6’5” and 260 pounds and plays all over the defensive line. He can be a standup player or move inside and pass rush with his hand in the dirt. That versatility draws a lot of attention to him and his rushing beside on the opposite side of Bain will only make protecting the opposing team's quarterback harder.
3. Akheem Mesidor
After missing the remainder of the 2023 season Mesidor will return and push for a great season like he had in 2022. Mesidor sustained an injury to his foot during the second game in the 2023 season. He was held out of the spring as he recovered from the surgery and now requires specially made-cleats to support his feet.
Mesidor was regarded as Miami’s most impactful defensive lineman after generating 38 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, and seven sacks while generating 28 quarterback pressures during his sophomore season. The extra addition of him with Bain will only make the offensive line shake for the potential that the team can do.
4. C.J. Clark
Another transfer player in Clark, this time from NC State, will only add to one of the best-run defenses in the ACC and country from last season.
Clark finished with 72 career tackles, seven tackles for loss and four sacks in 42 games played (22 starts). He also played defensive end earlier in his Wolfpack career. However one of his many concerns is his injury history.
Clark battled injuries off and on early in his career, but he started all 12 games in the 2023 season. He redshirted in 2019 and had hand surgery following the season, and also suffered a season-ending injury in practice after three games played in 2021.
5. Simeon Barrow Jr.
One of the biggest question marks coming into this offseason was the commitment of Barrow after a back and forth time in the transfer portal. Coming from Michigan State which had a terrible season on and off the field, wanting to get away from the program was smart for the talented player.
The defensive lineman registered over 100 career tackles while with the Spartans, including 18.5 tackles for loss. He also accounted for over ten sacks and finished his time at Michigan State tied for 24th on MSU’s all-time sacks list and ranked 15th on the Spartans’ sack yards list with 92.
6. Elijah Alston
A talent that has not gotten a lot of attention is the Marshall transfer who was exceplent on the field last season.
Over the last four seasons with the Thundering Herd, Alston played in 41 games, making 107 tackles, 19.5 tackles for loss, and 9.5 sacks, with an interception he returned for a score. In 2023, Alston had a career year, accounting for 11.5 tackles for loss, six sacks, 45 tackles, and an interception.
7. Marley Cook
Pushing it to the limit is one of the greatest things about Marley Cook joining the Miami Hurricanes program. He said that he has not been pushed like he has in his prevoius prgram and that has unlocked a new side to the defensive lineman.
In 2023, he totaled 22 tackles, six tackles for loss, a sack, a forced fumble, a pass breakup, and an interception.
