UM coach dishes on new WR room: ‘Get your popcorn ready and enjoy the show’
The Miami Hurricanes’ wide receiver situation can be viewed through two vastly different prisms.
One one hand, the Canes lost their four most productive receivers (career UM reception leader Xavier Restrepo, Jacolby George, Isaiah Horton and Sam Brown) and lack a proven veteran No. 1 receiver.
“That room has a lot to prove,” offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson conceded on Wednesday, during UM’s preseason media day.
On the flip side, Dawson said “that’s a talented, deep room” with three proven transfers (Keelan Marion, Tony Johnson and CJ Daniels), promising young veterans JoJo Trader, Ny Carr and Ray-Ray Joseph and uber-talented freshmen Joshua Moore, Malachi Toney and Daylyn Upshaw, all of whom participated in spring practice.
What would receivers coach Kevin Beard tell people who are concerned about the position? “I would say, ‘Get your popcorn ready and enjoy the show.’”
Beard said UM can get multiple players who are perceived as slot receivers on the field at the same time, even if that leaves the Canes at a size deficit.
“That won’t be hard at all, with our offense and [Shannon] Dawson’s creativity and with the way we get the ball to everybody, it will work itself out,” Beard said.
He said UM’s only two receivers who are married to playing only one position are the 6-4 Moore (on the outside) and the 5-10 Joseph (in the slot) and “everybody else is interchangeable.” Though they are natural slot receivers, the 5-11 Johnson and the explosive 5-11 freshman Toney also can play outside, Beard said.
Beard offered insight on his new-look room:
▪ Why did UM pursue Johnson, the veteran slot receiver from Cincinnati, even after strong springs by slot receivers Toney and Joseph?
“The main thing is those guys are all unproven,” Beard said. “With him having 500 yards at Cincinnati, he’s proven he can do it in big games and you want to give yourself a chance to feel comfortable going into the season with some experience.”
Beard said Johnson — who had 48 catches for 449 yards and six touchdowns for the Bearcats last season — “is reliable, a pro, and you know you’re going to get a steady hand with him. He’s a consistent human.”
He said the slot competition among Johnson, Toney and Joseph is “totally open.”
▪ On Marion, the BYU transfer who had 24 catches for 346 yards last season: “With the ball in his hands, he’s explosive. When you see it in person, the head is turning like, ‘did you see that?’ He can play inside and outside. He’s going to be a big asset to us. He gives us a lot of ability in the return game. He’s one of the top returners in the country. Quick and dynamic.”
▪ On Daniels, who had 42 yards for 480 yards as LSU’s No. 4 receiver last year after catching 21 touchdowns in four previous seasons at Liberty: “He brings leadership to the room. Veteran guy who’s done it at a high level. The guys respect him because he’s done it on the big stage. For him to have almost 500 yards at LSU, in the SEC, with a foot injury” was impressive.
▪ On Trader, who had three catches for 61 yards and a touchdown in the bowl loss to Iowa State (which doubled his reception total for the season) and has emerged as a likely starter:
“He came in at 163 pounds; he’s up to 184 pounds now. You can see his body is changing. He’s matured. He’s taking care of his bodies in better ways.”
Trader said he has moved past the wrist injury that sidelined him for the spring game and he’s now healthy.
▪ On Moore, the Pembroke Pines West Broward High alum who was rated by 247 Sports as the 22nd best receiver and 193rd overall prospect in the 2025 class: “To be 6-4, he’s up to 218 pounds now. Running 21.9 miles per hour. His catch radius, his ability to get in and out of breaks [stand out].
“Him being as big as he is, but having little guy movement is going to be real good for him. He has a shot to help us tremendously.”
Beard said Joseph was UM’s fastest receiver in the spring, but Moore was timed as the Canes’ fastest receiver this summer.
“That’s one thing we wanted to get back in this room - speed,” Beard said.
▪ Toney, the American Heritage standout who was rated by 247 Sports as the No. 55 receiver in the 2025 class, made a strong case to play with an impressive spring; he made more than a half dozen catches in the spring game. Does UM believe it must get Toney on the field as a freshman?
“I’ve never looked at it like [anyone has] to play,” Beard said. “Their play throughout practice is going to [decide that]. He’s done a great job to this point, saying ’I’m ready to step into a role and seize it.’ He’s put himself in good position.”
▪ Besides Moore and Toney, Beard said the third freshman receiver Upshaw – the 6-0 Phenix City, Alabama product who was rated the No. 65 receiver in this year’s class – is also ready to compete immediately for playing time.
“I tell people all the time he was the lowest ranked receiver in this class for us from Alabama. The awesome part is I went to his school two years ago to see Cam Coleman [who now plays for Auburn] and I’m like, ‘Who’s that guy?’ Daylyn Upshaw. I said that’s the guy I want. We showed him how much we wanted him. He’s going to be dynamic for us.”
▪ On the 6-0 Carr, who was rated the No. 21 receiver and 98th best player in the 2024 class but appeared in just three games (with one catch for eight yards) as a freshman, while playing behind several older players:
“I always compare Ny Carr to a Jaylen Waddle-type guy. The initial thought process for Ny coming in was I felt he was a Mecole Hardman type guy. He’s a really fast, vertical, dynamic guy. I’m super excited for him to show… how much better he’s gotten.”
▪ Does it concern Beard that there’s no clear-cut No. 1 receiver? “Not at all. When I got here two years ago, the receiver room wasn’t considered elite, dynamic, explosive or anything. It took shape. And now everybody is asking: How are you going to replace these guys?.. .It’s the same all over again.”
▪ Beard said UM receivers “take to heart” whatever new quarterback Carson Beck tells them. “When he says something to the receivers, Ray always comes back and tells me, ‘Carson says this.’ He has that.. respect and command.”
▪ Though Beard (who returned to UM in 2022) has successfully developed several receivers, including Restrepo, UM coaches in general haven’t landed a five-star receiver this decade and haven’t had a receiver drafted since 2018.
“When that time comes, it will happen,” Beard said.
Miami Northwestern receiver Calvin Russell - a five-star prospect who is rated the No. 22 player in the nation - chose Syracuse over UM and others earlier this month.
This story was originally published July 30, 2025 at 3:57 PM.
