Impact Freshman: Which Miami Recruits Play Early and Why?
Article photo of Orlando (Fla.) Jones linebacker Malik Bryant; photo credit to Brian Smith
This time of year is always full of speculation. All-conference nominees, possible College Football Playoff squads, coach of the year award possibilities, and so on and so forth.
There’s also intrigue with the new faces that hit college campuses. For Mario Cristobal the Miami Hurricanes, the 2023 recruiting class has a plethora of talent that can make its way into the lineup.
Here’s a series of six questions with answers, and some predictions as well, about how the new freshmen will do in Coral Gables.
1) Beyond the obvious names like Francis Mauigoa and Rueben Bain, Jr., which Miami freshman will make an early impact?
Kaleb Spencer, safety. He’s already been through spring ball and looks ready to roll. Spencer came to UM from the state of Virginia and he’s big enough, fast enough, and aggressive enough to see playing time this fall.
He's an absolute lock to play on special teams, too. How the Canes work Spencer into the lineup will also be intriguing.
Of course being behind Kamren Kinchens and James Williams will limit his minutes, but even future NFL players need a breather once in a while. Look for Spencer to fight for minutes during the early portion of this Canes career.
2) Hardest position to play early?
Quarterback. Too much mental preparation, and that does not even consider the aspect of needing a tremendous number of repetitions with each wide receiver and tight end. Timing and rhythm are paramount in the passing game. Hard to reach that level during Year 1.
On that note, there's a lot of reasons to be high on signal caller Emory Williams. He is really talented and will have his time to shine at UM. Just not likely in 2023 with Tyler Van Dyke still on campus.
Just to point it out, the offensive line would be next for most difficult. Timing with four other players, needing the strength to take on a 300-plus-pound defensive lineman, and the understanding of all the line calls and checks is difficult to overcome, among other obstacles.
3) Could either of the freshmen cornerbacks contribute this season?
Yes, Robert Stafford and Damari Brown possess the talent and desire to succeed during the early portion of their careers. Now, can they quickly assimilate to the playbook and all the nuances of understanding the coverages being called?
With their obvious talent, that’s the more important and more precise question. If either Stafford and/or Brown figure out the mental aspect of the defense, look for that cornerback to see game action.
4) Will any freshman player start a game this fall?
Most likely, yes. Best guesses include running back Mark Fletcher, offensive linemen Samson Okunlola and Francis Mauigoa, as well as Nathaniel “Ray Ray” Joseph at slot receiver and Kaleb Spencer at safety.
It would be easy to say Rueben Bain, Jr. or Jayden Wayne at defensive end, except that Miami's depth at defensive end is quite good. Both should still play quite a bit.
Now, many of the above players starting and/or playing a lot stems from the concept that injuries cause starters to miss time. For instance, Xavier Restrepo will be the starter at slot receiver. What if he's injured again though? That's where Joseph could gain a shot to start.
That’s college football. All of the above freshmen players should be at least in contention for second team reps at some point this season, and that could lead to a few starts just by way of injuries.
Further, Mauigoa was in the starting lineup at right tackle this spring. He's certainly a candidate to start. Linebacker is not a deep position so there’s a chance Raul Aguirre (pictured at the top of the article) or one of the other linebackers like Marcellius Pulliam and/or Malik Bryant and/or Bobby Washington, Jr. finds a way to start.
5) The 2023 recruit that did not receive enough love from the recruiting services and can play early?
This question will be provided with an easy answer. It’s tight end Jackson Carver. A 3-star recruit across all four of the major recruiting services, he is a player that did not truly receive the hype he should have. Based on the film, it’s surprising.
The hands for this young man! He’s exceptional at catching the football! In 2023 and down the line, Carver will be a player that Miami fans cheer on as he makes special plays as a blocker and also scores touchdowns.
While a tight end, Carver catches the football and makes plays more like a big wide receiver. It also helps that he’s now familiar with the playbook by going through spring practice. Carver is going to help the 2023 Miami football team in some way. Remember that.
6) The 2023 recruit that can help this season, but his best days will be ahead of him?
Any offensive lineman can be the answer. To dig deeper, it’s defensive tackle Joshua Horton. He’s a strong and athletic presence in the middle of the defensive line.
Now, the Canes possess plenty of experience at defensive tackle for this upcoming season, so Horton’s playing time is hard to project. That being the case, he’s also the big-bodied defensive tackle that can help in spots, at the very least.
Horton also provides the quickness to penetrate and create havoc during passing plays. How fast does this player from Fairburn (Ga.) Langston Hughes making it onto the field will still depend on the one thing all freshmen must succeed at.
Learning the playbook and his responsibilities – across the board – so that he’s consistently completing his assignment. If Horton accomplishes that, he could even see major minutes this season. Time will tell.
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Fan Nation High school football recruiting analyst covering the state of Florida, as well as across the Southeastern United States and the state of Texas.