Eight Miami Hurricanes invited to NFL Combine. Mel Kiper mentions only two of them
Eight Miami Hurricanes have been invited to the NFL Pro Scouting Combine next week in Indianapolis.
But only two — defensive end Trevon Hill and linebacker Shaq Quarterman — were discussed by ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. during a Wednesday teleconference. Kiper was not very specific regarding when he projects each going, and failed to discuss any of the other six players invited.
“Who will be the first Miami Hurricane player to be drafted and which former Cane stands to gain the most from the NFL Combine?” Kiper was asked by stateoftheu.com.
Kiper’s reply: “Again, we’ve talked about over the last few years some guys that were going to be maybe in that mid-round area. No first-round caliber players.
“I look at it right now and I think Trevon Hill has upside, the transfer from Virginia Tech, because of the pass rush everybody wants. He has flashed that. I thought he’d be a little more consistent with that, more productive with that this year. But I think he’s the one, because of what everybody wants and everybody needs, he may be the guy who comes off the board.
“I mean, think about Shaq Quarterman and his production. But again, it’s not 1985, 95. Those types of linebackers now, you’ve got to be an all-around player. I think Quarterman is more of a mid-round guy. But I do think if you look at what the league is all about now, Trevon Hill kind of fits that.”
Hill, 6-3 and 238 pounds, was a graduate transfer this past season, played in 12 games in 2019 and had 4 1/2 sacks with 9 1/2 tackles for loss, 27 total tackles, one pass breakup and five quarterback hurries.
Quarterman, 6-1 and 241, was a fourth-year senior and team leader who had a stellar career at UM. This past season he finished with a team-leading 107 tackles, 15 1/2 tackles for loss, one sack, five pass breakups, seven quarterback hurries, two fumble recoveries and one forced fumble.
Quarterman ended his UM career with 356 tackles, moving into sole possession of ninth place in Miami history in total tackles. He is the only Hurricane to ever start 52 games without missing a start.
The eight Hurricanes who were invited to the combine are Hill, Quarterman, cornerback Trajan Bandy, defensive end Jonathan Garvin, linebacker Michael Pinckney, running back DeeJay Dallas, and wide receivers K.J. Osborn and Jeff Thomas.
Four of those players— Bandy, Garvin, Dallas and Thomas — left UM early as underclassmen.
The Hurricanes are tied with the Florida Gators with their eight combine invites. The only teams, per the NFL, ahead of them in invites are LSU (16), Michigan and Ohio State (11), Alabama and Georgia (10) and Auburn, Notre Dame and Utah (9).
The combine begins Thursday, Feb. 27 and runs through Sunday, March 1. It will be aired by the NFL Network.
