Feedback on Canes’ defensive recruits. All except one are enrolled
Except for linebacker Karsten Busch, UM’s entire 30-player recruiting class is enrolled and eligible to participate when spring practice begins next week.
In a phone conversation, longtime recruiting analyst Larry Blustein sized up UM’s class on defense, in part 2 of my 5-part series previewing Canes spring ball:
EDGE PLAYERS
UM’s signees: Venice High’s Asharri Charles (delivered 28 tackles for loss, 13 sacks and four forced fumbles last season) and Orlando Lake Nona’s DeAnthony Lafayette (30 tackles for loss and 17.5 sacks in 2025).
Blustein’s take: “Charles has a lot of athleticism, but he’s got a lot to learn. Lafayette is the closer of the two to getting on the field; long kid, intelligent, has been well coached. I’ve watched Lafayette the last 2 1/2 years and he got bigger and stronger. He starts working with Jason Taylor now, and he’s going to get even better. He’s got the whole package.”
It will be tough initially to crack a rotation with Damon Wilson, Armondo Blount, Marquise Lightfoot, Hayden Lowe, Booker Pickett and others.
DEFENSIVE TACKLES
UM’s signees: Alabama-based Tyson Bacon; New-Jersey based Logan Nagle (24.5 tackles for loss and 10.5 sacks in 2025); North Carolina-based Keshawn Stancil (247’s No. 72 overall prospect); Delaware-based Isaac Chukwarah (flipped from Penn State to Miami) and Naples High’s Frederic Sainteus (10 tackles for loss and four sacks last season).
Blustein’s take: “Stancil is an elite kid. Strong kid, reads things very well, plays the run and will get after the passer. He’s a good inside rusher.
“The Naples High kid [Sainteus] is a work in progress. He’s got strength, athleticism, but he has to learn a lot about schemes. Miami has a complex scheme. The Nagle kid is very good; he’s going to be a run stopper, fits right in the scheme.”
There’s an opportunity to crack the bottom of the rotation at tackle, after three players transferred out - Artavius Jones, Daylen Russell and Donta Simpson. Stancil, who was a top-15 interior line prospect nationally, has the build (6-2, 267) and talent to push for immediate playing time behind Moten, Justin Scott and Nebraska transfer Keona Davis.
LINEBACKERS
UM’s signees: Orlando Edgewater’s Justin Edwards (had 6.5 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks), Louisville’s Karsten Busch (had 110 tackles last season, flipped from Louisville and picked UM over Wisconsin and Vanderbilt) and Miami Northwestern’s Jordan Campbell.
Campbell -- UM’s only Miami-Dade or Broward Class of 2026 addition on defense -- is rated by ESPN as the Canes’ third-best prospect, behind offensive tackle Jackson Cantwell and receiver Vance Spafford.
Blustein’s take: “Justin Edwards is way under the radar; Miami went after him early and that was their best recruiting job. He played a little running back and a lot of different positions at Edgewater. I love him. He’s a gamer. He’s going to be really good.
“Jordan Campbell is a hybrid, can play inside and outside. He’s quick off the ball and he’s going to rush the passer for Miami. But he can drop back too.”
With the loss of Wesley Bissainthe (out of eligibility) and Raul Aguirre (transferred to North Carolina State), there’s an opportunity for Edwards and Campbell to push Kamal Bonner, Chase Smith, Cam Pruitt and others for time opposite Mo Toure.
SAFETY
UM’s signees: Kansas-based JJ Dunnigan (247 rates him the 92nd best player in this class) and Cortez Redding (113 tackles, four interceptions last season).
Blustein’s take: ”Dunnigan is going to hit the field before anybody [in this defensive class]. He’s freakish, athletic, has got cover corner skills with safety instincts. Getting him out of Kansas was something. He’s like Bryce Fitzgerald – too good to keep off the field. Very instinctual.”
Both will have an opportunity to challenge for backup safety spots. Dylan Day is the front-runner for the No. 3 safety job.
CORNERBACK
UM added Jacksonville Mandarin’s Brody Jennings, North Carolina-based Camdin Portis, Seffner Armwood’s Jaelen Waters and Georgia-based Jontavius Wyman.
Blustein’s take: He said Portis and Waters are the two corners that he believes will challenge most quickly for playing time:
“Portis is quick and can jump; and if he gets beat, he has makeup speed. Waters is very fluid with tremendous ball skills; he can play safety or corner.”
“Jennings is really good; good football IQ, comes from a really good program at Mandarin. I saw Wyman against Delray Atlantic two straight years and he jumps off the page with his speed and quickness.”
With a veteran-laden room, any of the four will need to really, really impress to get defensive snaps in September, barring injuries. But OJ Frederique and Fitzgerald achieved that the past two years.
Here are Cristobal’s thoughts on UM’s freshman additions on offense.
Here are Cristobal’s thoughts on UM’s freshman additions on defense.
Here are Blustein’s thoughts on UM’s freshman additions on offense.
This story was originally published March 19, 2026 at 9:38 AM.
