Mario Cristobal significantly upgrading Miami Hurricanes OL talent
A commitment from four-star center Connor Lew on Friday is the latest blue-chip prospect the Miami Hurricanes have added to the offensive line. Lew is the second blue-chip OL commit for Miami in 2023. Five-star offensive tackle Francis Mauigoa committed to the Hurricanes last month.
Only four of the 14 OL on the 2021 Miami roster were four-star signees. That includes guard Cleveland Reed who has since transferred. Miami signed three-star OL Anez Cooper and Matthew McCoy in the Class of 2022. Miami added former Oregon OL four-star Jonathan Denis and three-star Logan Sagopolu during the offseason.
D.J. Scaife who is entering his final season with Miami, Jalen Rivers who will be in his third season and redshirt freshman Michael McLaughlin are the other four-star OL on the Miami roster. Scaife has started 39 of the 49 games he has played with Miami in the last four seasons. Scaife provides exceptional experience entering his fifth season.
After playing in seven games as a true freshman in 2020, Rivers started the first three games of the 2021 season at left guard before missing the rest of the year with a knee injury. McLaughlin only played versus Central Connecticut State in 2021. Upgrading the talent on the OL has been a priority for Mario Cristobal and his staff.
A blue-chip ratio (four or five-star player) of 50 percent or higher is generally the threshold that is used for a team to be a College Football Playoff contender. Obviously, Miami has to significantly upgrade the blue-chip ratio on the OL. According to 247 Sports Miami has an overall blue-chip ratio of 55 percent entering 2022.
The additions of Denis, Lew and Mauigoa are encouraging for the future of the Miami OL. Five-star OT Samson Okunlola is also trending to Miami. Miami should improve on both sides of the line of scrimmage under Cristobal who expects physical play up front. It will take a few recruiting classes to remake the Miami Hurricanes OL.
