Mario Cristobal still has not taken Miami to where the program’s boosters spending millions on the roster want it to go. The Hurricanes are on the College Football Playoff bubble once again.

Yet, there’s no doubt that the South Florida native has upgraded Miami’s roster in his four seasons at his alma mater.

Miami is on the verge of signing the best recruiting class in the Atlantic Coast Conference for the fourth year in a row while also putting itself in a position to have its best showing in the NFL Draft in quite some time.

The roster, ranked 15th in 247Sports Team Talent Composite, will lose some of Cristobal’s valuable recruits after the season, including projected first-round picks Rueben Bain (defensive lineman) and Francis Mauigoa (right tackle), the crown jewels of his first top-10 signing class.

While those roster losses will sting, Miami is in a good spot to reload and sustain no significant drop-off in talent.

Miami’s 2026 recruiting class currently ranks 10th and includes 20 blue-chippers among 29 commitments. The majority of the prospects, headlined by five-star offensive tackle Jackson Cantwell, have been tied to the program since the summer.

Seven of the latest class additions, though, are players Miami has flipped from other Power 4 schools since late October.

“They’ve taken advantage of the current landscape and gotten really aggressive and made some very strong senior season evaluations,” said 247Sports director of scouting Andrew Ivins. “If you think about it, there’s not a lot of programs that have stability at the top right now. They have gone out and found kids that the arrow is clearly pointing up and flipped those individuals.”

Notably, all but two of the 29 commitments in the class are from outside of Miami’s traditional recruiting backyard of Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach Counties. But it’s a strong class.

“Secondary, offensive line-wise wise, it’s probably one of the best ever,” longtime South Florida recruiting analyst Larry Blustein said.

With that in mind, here’s a position-by-position look at what Miami’s roster will look like after the season, taking into account expected early departures for the draft, players with remaining eligibility and the current list of 2026 commitments.

Note: Classes listed for returning players are for the 2026 season, and the players are listed by order of snaps played to date in the 2025 season. All recruiting rankings are from the 247Sports Composite.

Quarterback

Holdovers:

Emory Williams, R-Jr.
Judd Anderson, R-So.
Luke Nickel, R-Fr.

Class of 2026 commitment:

Dereon Coleman (4-star, No. 283)

Outlook: Odds are good Miami will look to the portal again for an experienced starter after having success with Cam Ward (Washington State) and Carson Beck (Georgia) the last two seasons. Arizona State’s Sam Leavitt has been linked to Miami as a potential replacement for Beck.

Offensive line

Holdovers:

Matthew McCoy, R-Sr.
Samson Okunlola, R-Jr.
SJ Alofaituli, So.
Tommy Kinsler, R-Jr.
Max Buchanan, So.
Deryc Plazz, R-So.
Nino Francavilla, R-So.
Juan Minaya, R-So.
Demetrius Campbell, R-Fr.
Jaden Wilkerson, R-Fr.

Class of 2026 commitments:

Jackson Cantwell (5-star, No. 4)
Ben Congdon (4-star, No. 177)
Joel Ervin (4-star, No. 292)
Canon Pickett (3-star, No. 818)
Rhys Woodrow (3-star, No. 896)
JJ Sparks (3-star, No. 897)

Outlook: Whoever takes over at quarterback is going to have a new set of faces blocking for him. Mauigoa, left tackle Markel Bell and right guard Anez Cooper could all be drafted, and another starter, center James Brockermeyer, is out of eligibility. But Cristobal and offensive line coach Alex Mirabal have recruited well. Cantwell and Ervin are expected to compete for starting jobs alongside returning guards McCoy and Okunlola.

Ivins: “Cantwell is built for what Cristobal and Alex Mirabal want to do. He can play bully-ball. He generates so much force. I think he’s one of the safest players in the entire class. Ervin is a bulldozer. He’s got some of the best length measurements in terms of his arm and wingspan we’ve come across. He is heavy, but he moves well. The effort is there. The energy levels don’t fade. I think the floor for him is Anez Cooper. He has a chance with his athleticism to hang at one of the tackle spots.”

Running back

Holdovers:

Mark Fletcher, Sr.
Marty Brown, R-Jr.
Girard Pringle, So.
Jordan Lyle, Jr.
Chris Wheatley-Humphrey, R-So.

Class of 2026 commitment:

Javian Mallory (4-star, No. 399)

Outlook: Fletcher’s injury in the loss to SMU opened the door to get a better look at Pringle, a smaller, faster back who could prove to be the best fit on the roster for Shannon Dawson’s offense going forward.

Blustein: “Pringle is a strong little guy who can break that first line and create. Wheatley-Humphrey is a bigger version of Pringle.”

Receiver

Holdovers:

Malachi Toney, So.
Joshua Moore, So.
Joshisa Trader, Jr.
Daylyn Upshaw, So.
Ray Ray Joseph, Sr.
Ny Carr, R-So.
Chance Robinson, R-So.

Class of 2026 commitments:

Somourian Wingo (4-star, No. 59)
Milan Parris (4-star, No. 125)
Vance Spafford (4-star, No. 226)
Tyran Evans (3-star, No. 676)

Outlook: Miami has to replace two starters in CJ Daniels and Keelan Marion, but Toney is a favorite for the ACC Freshman of the Year award, and Upshaw, Moore and Trader have all been much more involved in the offense as the season has progressed. Wingo (6-2, 180) and Parris (6-6, 205) provide the Hurricanes with more size, speed and depth on the outside.

Ivins: “Wingo and Parris are big, physical wide receivers that can go. Wingo reminds me a lot of Germie Bernard at Alabama. He heats up after the catch, plays well in contested-catch situations and can get vertical. Parris has one of the best height/speed combos in the entire class. He’s over 6-foot-5, runs 4.5 in the 40-yard dash. He reminds me of (2025 second-round pick) Jayden Higgins. Milan’s high school tape is better at this stage. They have the tools to contribute in Year 1.”

MALACHI TONEY WITH ONE HAND 😱 pic.twitter.com/UftjBqyu09

— ESPN (@espn) November 29, 2025

Tight ends

Holdovers:

Alex Bauman, R-Sr.
Elija Lofton, Jr.
Luka Gilbert, So.
Brock Schott, R-Fr.
Jack Nickel, R-Jr.
Jackson Carver, R-Jr.

Class of 2026 commitments:

Gavin Mueller (4-star, No. 150)
Israel Briggs (4-star, No. 339)

Outlook: Lofton and Bauman have been solid, but can expect to face more competition for reps next season. The Hurricanes recently flipped Mueller from Colorado and have two of the best tight ends in the cycle.

Ivins: “Mueller checks every box you look for in terms of a tight end prospect. It’s one of the positions where it’s extremely late-blooming for guys who end up playing on Sundays. He’s got a basketball background. He’s done track and field, throwing stuff. He’s scored 30 touchdowns as a senior and done most of it as a wildcat quarterback. What should get you excited is what he can do after the catch. Miami has missed Elijah Arroyo. I would pencil in Mueller as the next one given where his ceiling is at. He’ll need help with inline blocking, but he, too, can make an impact early.”

Defensive line

Holdovers:

Ahmad Moten, R-Sr.
Armondo Blount, Jr.
Justin Scott, Jr.
Marquise Lightfoot, R-So.
Donta Simpson, So.
Herbert Scroggins, So.
Booker Pickett, R-So.
Daylen Russell, R-So.
Malik Bryant, R-Jr.
Cole McConathy, R-So.
Artavius Jones, R-So.
Hayden Lowe, R-Fr.

Class of 2026 commitments:

Keshawn Stancil (4-star, No. 103)
Asharri Charles (4-star, No. 151)
DeAnthony Lafayette (4-star, No. 311)
Isaac Chukwurah (3-star, No. 475)
Logan Nagle (3-star, No. 546)
Tyson Bacon (3-star, No. 961)
Frederic Sainteus (3-star, No. 1,427)

Outlook: Replacing Bain, Akheem Mesidor and David Blay will not be easy, but Moten, Blount, Scott and Lightfoot have all started or played significant snaps. Stancil, a former Clemson commitment, provides immediate depth at defensive tackle along with Simpson. Miami’s staff really likes its young edge rushers.

Ivins: “I love DeAnthony Lafayette. He’s probably 6-foot. But he is the definition of rush, crush and close. He just gets to the quarterback. He can bend. He has a burst. I remember when I first saw him in February. He wasn’t even on my sheet. You see him go through footwork drills and run the loop, and it’s like this guy is different from everyone here. He has length. I think a lot of people saw his size in the spring, and it’s a hard sell when they’re not tall. Miami didn’t overthink it.”

Linebacker

Holdovers:

Raul Aguirre, R-Jr.
Cam Pruitt, R-So.
Kamal Bonner, R-Jr.
Kellen Wiley, So.
Bobby Washington, R-Jr.
Ezekiel Marcelin, R-Fr.

Class of 2026 commitments:

Jordan Campbell (4-star, No. 178)
Justin Edwards (3-star, No. 676)

Outlook: Starters Wesley Bissainthe and Mohamed Toure have to be replaced, but Aguirre has been a part of the rotation and is in position to take one of those spots. Miami will likely look to the portal for an experienced starter.

Blustien: “Campbell is a tweener. He’s not a pure linebacker. They might have to have him as a hybrid like Malik Bryant. Edwards will get into camp and everybody will go, ‘Holy bleep, who is this guy?’ He’s playing running back a lot, too.”

Secondary

Holdovers:

Zechariah Poyser, R-Jr.
Xavier Lucas, Jr.
Ethan O’Connor, R-Jr.
OJ Frederique, Jr.
Damari Brown, R-Jr.
Bryce Fitzgerald, So.
Dylan Day, R-So.
Ja’Boree Antoine, So.
Chris Ewald, So.
Jadais Richard, R-Sr.
Ryan Mack, R-So.
Amari Wallace, R-Fr.

Class of 2026 commitments:

Jaelen Waters (4-star, No. 145),
JJ Dunnigan (4-star, No. 149)
Camdin Portis (4-star, No. 251)
Brody Jennings (4-star, No. 293)
Jontavius Wyman (4-star, No. 302)
Cortez Redding (4-star, No. 354)

Outlook: Transfers Keionte Scott and Jakobe Thomas have been a big part of Miami’s defensive success and will be missed. But the Hurricanes are well-positioned to have one of the best secondaries in the country in 2026 with six returning starters and an elite incoming recruiting class.

Ivins: “I think people aren’t talking about Camdin Portis enough. I love him as a slot corner. He’s very physical, an open field tackler. He’s not the biggest kid, the heaviest kid, but he punches above his weight class. He sees it really well — his football instincts, ability to react constantly shows up on tape. The biggest thing is that guy can tackle. If a kid can’t tackle in high school, the odds of him figuring it out in college aren’t great. Dunnigan is a height/weight speed defensive back and a potential chess piece. He flies around like a heat-seeking missile from the safety position. But you can put him anywhere.”