Veterans will lead Hurricanes defensive line. But which youngsters could step up?

Miami Herald

a day ago

The Miami Hurricanes are filled with veteran experience at the top of their defensive line depth chart.
Rueben Bain Jr. and Akheem Mesidor are highly talented upperclassmen leading on the edge. Redshirt junior Ahmad Moten Sr. and Louisiana Tech transfer David Blay are expected to be heavy fixtures in Miami's defensive tackle rotation.
Beyond that quartet, though, the Hurricanes are going to be looking at a slew of younger players to step up and handle critical roles for Miami to be successful up front on defense.
Who might be up to the task?
Here are some prime candidates.
Of all the first- and second-year defensive linemen on the Hurricanes' roster, Justin Scott is the most poised for consistent playing time — and to potentially crack the starting lineup. He only played 113 snaps on defense last year while playing behind a slew of veteran defensive tackles in Simeon Barrow, C.J. Clark and Marley Cook, but flashed potential in his limited reps and has the size (6-4, 303 pounds) to make an impact on the interior. He had a sack in UM's game against Florida A&M and was credited with six quarterback hurries on the season, according to Pro Football Focus.
Scott said working with defensive line coach Jason Taylor and defensive tackles coach Damione Lewis has helped elevate his game. Specifically, Taylor has helped him hone in on his explosiveness, while Lewis has made Scott prioritize his footwork.
'You can feel yourself get better in a sense,' Scott said. 'I can feel myself doing stuff now that I struggled with last year. ... I can feel it on the field.'
Armondo Blount is still inexperienced at the college level, having just 52 total defensive snaps, but the Hurricanes envision big things from him heading into his sophomore season. He was a standout in the South Florida high school ranks, first at Fort Lauderdale Dillard and then Miami Central, and is slated to be in Miami's rotation on the edge.
Blount said only getting limited playing time last year gave him a better understanding of what he needs to do when he does get on the field.
'It'll help me play faster,' Blount said. 'I took a lot in last year, watching a lot of older guys in front of me.'
And he has ringing endorsements from his teammates.
Mesidor specifically has praised Blount on multiple occasions, saying he has 'the highest motor I've seen in a player.'
'If you're looking for a high-effort guy who's just gonna put it on the line,' Mesidor said, 'it's him.'
Simpson was only a three-star prospect coming out of powerhouse Hollywood Chaminade-Madonna, but the true freshman defensive tackle has turned heads since enrolling at UM in January. He had a stellar preps career, totaling 88 tackles, 30.5 tackles for loss and 13.5 sacks during his final two seasons at Chaminade, both of which ended in state titles.
'I just got stronger since my first day here,' Simpson said. 'Stronger, faster, more explosive.'
With Miami's depth at defensive tackle thin on experience beyond Blay, Moten and Scott, the door is open for Simpson to see the field early if his work from practice can translate to the field.
While not talked about as much as some of his peers, Marquise Lightfoot is definitely in the mix for playing time on the edge. He only got a handful of snaps on defense last season but is up to 230 pounds and has flashed some skills throughout practices.
Hayden Lowe was the Hurricanes' highest-ranked recruit in their 2025 recruiting class and it's easy to see why. The edge rusher is big at 6-5 and 225 pounds and is holding his own against Miami's offensive line during practice. At this point, it's merely a matter of how much opportunity the coaching staff gives him and how well he takes advantage of those opportunities.
Like Lowe, Hayden Scroggins III enrolled at UM highly touted after a stellar prep career. And like Lowe, Scroggins' chance to make an impact as a true freshman will simply come down to how many opportunities he gets. Of the two, it would seem like Lowe would get the first crack at playing time.