Live blog: Where undrafted Miami Hurricanes players are signing
The Miami Hurricanes had only one player drafted: defensive tackle Jonathan Ford, in the seventh round by Green Bay.
We’ll update our live blog here as undrafted Canes agree to terms:
11:30 a.m. Sunday update: Former UM safety and striker Amari Carter will attend rookie minicamp with the Bears. And former Canes offensive lineman Navaughn Donaldson agreed to attend New York Giants rookie minicamp.
9 a.m. Sunday update: Offensive tackle Jarrid Williams has signed with the Philadelphia Eagles, according to a source. He started 10 games for the Hurricanes each of the past two seasons after transferring from Houston.
9:02 p.m.: UM defensive end DeAndre Johnson is signing with the Dolphins, according to his agent Michael Celli.
Johnson had 26 tackles, including 8.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks in his one season at Miami. Before that, he played four seasons at Tennessee and had 10 sacks there.
He took a “30” visit with Arizona and impressed the Dolphins at their local workout day.
9 p.m. update: Safety Bubba Bolden is signing with the Seattle Seahawks, per multiple sources.
The 6-2, 209-pound Bolden, 22, is from Las Vegas, site of this year’s draft. He told reporters March 30 on UM’s Pro Day that he believed he was “the best safety in the draft — by far,” but that “injury kind of messed some things up.” He had season-ending surgery to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder after seven games. He finished the year with 42 tackles, 3 1/2 tackles for loss, a sack, two pass breakups and a quarterback hurry, but was criticized by analysts for often taking bad angles while pursuing ball carriers.
“After the North Carolina game, I was playing basically with one arm,’’ he said on Pro Day. “Coming off surgery, it’s been a long journey. I showed people I put that work in and I’m getting back right. Coming out here and doing the drills, one of the biggest things was ‘Is Bubba’s hips fluid? Can he move well?’ I feel I came out here and showed I can move well.’’
Bolden had his best season in 2020, when he was named a semifinalist for the Jim Thorpe Award that honors the nation’s top defensive back. He started nine of his 11 games and had a team-best 74 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, one sack, one interception and team-high four forced fumbles. His success came despite a 2019 season-ending, surgery-requiring ankle injury on Nov. 2 during an awkward chest-bump celebration after his first UM interception.
At the NFL Pro Scouting Combine, Bolden ran an impressive 4.47-second 40-yard dash. On Pro Day he bench-pressed 15 reps of 225 pounds, which would have been tied for ninth-best at the combine, according to The Athletic.
At UM, Bolden was considered a mature leader who was fiercely loyal to the Hurricanes.
Pro Football Network called Bolden “a tough, run-defending safety who is best making plays downhill. [He] effectively diagnoses the action, remains disciplined with assignments... and gives effort to defend running plays or screen passes. Squares into ball handlers and wraps up tackling.
“Bolden is an aggressive run-defending safety who acts like a quarterback in the secondary with his leadership.”
Earlier this week, Bolden told the Miami Herald he refused to listen to the so-called experts, most of whom didn’t include him in their mock drafts. “I don’t worry about none of that,’’ he said. “I know I’m going to get drafted. You already know Miami Hurricanes are the best in the League.”
8:15 p.m. update: Zach McCloud is signing with the Minnesota Vikings, per his agent Brett Tessler. He played his first five seasons at linebacker before switching to defensive end as a senior.
8 p.m. update: Former UM quarterback D’Eriq King is signing with New England, according to a source. King has spent the offseason working at both quarterback and receiver and is willing to play both, as well as work as a returner.
7:50 p.m. update: Receiver Mike Harley Jr. is signing with the Cleveland Browns, per a source.
The wiry, speedy, twitchy starting slot receiver for the Hurricanes was barely mentioned by analysts who put out mock drafts, despite a career that had him finish at UM as the school’s record-holder for career receptions (182) and single-game catches (13). But he defied the odds.
He also earned his degree and is the father of 11-week-old Michael Anthony Harley III.
Harley, 23, ended the 2021 season as the second-leading receiver with 57 catches for 543 yards and five touchdowns. He finished his career with 182 catches for 2,158 yards and 15 touchdowns, surpassing Reggie Wayne for his career catches mark.
Harley was a U.S. Army All-American four-star prospect out of Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas High School who helped lead the Raiders to a Class 7A state championship his senior year.
“This is all God’s doing,’’ said Harley, who ran the 40-yard dash March 30 on UM’s Pro Day in 4.46 seconds. “I’m a competitor. My game speed, route-running, inside, slot, wideout, I can do it all.
“They tell me to go at there at gunner, punt return, kick return I’m going to do it to the best of my ability....I showed a lot of guys I’m really versatile. My speed is there — game speed probably even faster.’’
Mike Sr., a supervisor for Alsco Linen, and his wife Timico, a hairstylist, were in Fort Lauderdale with Mike and their family Saturday at a draft party hosted by Mike Jr.’s third-grade teacher Sarah Macci. Mike Sr. and Timico have six daughters, four of whom were adopted, and two sons, including their oldest, Mike.
“Everybody is together today,’’ Mike Sr. said Saturday morning, noting that his son would prevail regardless of what unfolded. “Mentally, Mike is the strongest kid in the world. You can try to push him to the side, but you cannot break his spirit. He’s a winner, regardless of whatever happens.
“He’s going to be OK, and he’s going to turn a lot of heads and a lot of teams are going to regret not getting him, trust me.’’
Harley said on Pro Day that his family’s support was a blessing.
“The rest of my family, dad, siblings, mom, son [were there], he said. “It was motivation, me being on the field and looking at the corner and [seeing] my family there. It reminded me of days when I was like 3 years old first playing. Thank you God my parents are still here. A lot of guys don’t have their father here. Grateful to have him in my corner.’’
7:20 p.m. update: Receiver Charleston Rambo is signing with the Carolina Panthers, per a source.
Rambo, 22, is from Cedar Hills, Texas, outside of Dallas. He had exceptional numbers for UM last season after transferring from Oklahoma, but his slight frame and lack of straight-line speed during draft workouts — he ran in the low 4.5s at UM’s Pro Day on March 30 — had teams and analysts concerned about how he’d do in the NFL.
“I’ll still take a slant or curl to the crib on you,’’ he told the Miami Herald earlier this week. “You have to know who has the ball in his hands. The speed and acceleration are there. But the way you hold the ball when you run with it, it goes differently once you catch it.’’
Rambo, measured at 6-1 and 177 pounds at the combine, transferred from Oklahoma before the 2021 season and broke Miami’s single-season records for receiving yards and receptions in UM’s final regular-season game against Duke. He finished 2021 with 79 catches for 1,172 yards and seven touchdown in 12 games, a 97.7-yard average. The records eclipsed Allen Hurn’s 1,162 yards in 2013 and Leonard Hankerson’s 72 catches in 2010.
At Oklahoma, Rambo starred in 2019 with 43 catches for 743 yards and five touchdown receptions and played in the College Football Playoff in 2019 and 2020. His production was down in 2020 with the Sooners (312 receiving yards and three touchdowns on 25 catches). ESPN’s Matt Miller projected Rambo being drafted by the L.A. Chargers 260th overall in the seventh round — two spots from the final NFL pick.
“Both programs are special,’’ Rambo, rarely without a smile, said after transferring from the Sooners. “Both have players in the league. Both have legends. Yeah, I can fill shoes.”
“It has been an honor to play at the University of Miami,’’ Rambo said in announcing he was entering the draft, “and join the prestigious group of legends before me.’’
Before Oklahoma at Cedar Hill High, Rambo was a four-star recruit by ESPN and Rivals and a three-star by 247Sports. He was rated as high as the 97th best player in the nation, regardless of position, by Rivals.
NFL.com draft analyst Lance Zierlein described Rambo as a “slender wideout lacking explosiveness but making up for it with competitive physicality inside the route.”
“Rambo runs routes with good tempo and crispness. His hands were better this year, but easy drops still plague him at times. He has a feel for how to compete with coverage near him, but the Alabama game was concerning as he appeared to lack the strength to deal with a firm press-man.”
Rambo said he was up to 186 pounds this past week, and wasn’t “stressed about anything” regarding the draft. He said he’d be “that guy” for whoever chooses him. “This is what I’ve been working for all my life. Whatever team gets me is getting my heart. I won’t let them down.’’
This story was originally published April 30, 2022 at 7:27 PM.
