30 key Miami Hurricanes for 2025 season: Keionte Scott shores up nickel corner
The Miami Hurricanes kick off the 2025 season on Aug. 31 with a marquee matchup against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Hard Rock Stadium (7:30 p.m., ABC).
With the calendar officially flipped to August, the Miami Herald is counting down 30 of the most important players on the Hurricanes’ roster, one per day leading up to the season opener, to provide a closer look at the team heading into coach Mario Cristobal’s fourth season.
Today: The No. 23 player on our list, Keionte Scott.
What to know
Position: Defensive back
Hometown: La Mesa, California
Year: Sixth-year senior
How he got to Miami: 2025 transfer (via Auburn)
Key stats: 115 tackles, one interception, 10 defended passes, 10.3 yards per punt return in 33 games (23 starts) at Auburn
In summary: Scott originally transferred to Houston after the 2024 season ended but left the Cougars after four months. Scott has history new UM defensive backs coach Zac Etheridge, as they overlapped at Auburn from 2022-23. Scott also excels as a punt returner, something the Hurricanes need. Scott figures to be one of Miami’s primary nickel cornerbacks. He’s competing with fellow transfer Charles Brantley for the starting role there.
What they’re saying
“Miami is a great place for me, with my relationship with the coaches and being in a place where the culture was established. Having a relationship with coach Cristobal, Will Harris, Zac Etheridge. I thought it would be the right fit.” - Keionte Scott on why he committed to the Hurricanes.
“Keionte knows coach’s style, we know his strengths. We had a good feel for his strengths and weaknesses were and how he fit with what we wanted to do on defense.” - defensive coordinator Corey Hetherman on Keionte Scott
“There’s a lot of versatile people in the room. We want to put our best five out there, so we’ve been all just rotating, just seeing where everybody’s good, asking where everybody feels comfortable.” - Keionte Scott on the secondary
The rest of the rankings so far
No. 24: Running back Jordan Lyle
No. 25: Defensive back Damari Brown
No. 26: Defensive lineman Armondo Blount
No. 27: Wide receiver Malachi Toney
No. 28: Defensive back Ethan O’Connor
No. 29: Linebacker Kamal Bonner
No. 30: Running back CharMar Brown
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