Why UM is in an enviable position at cornerback. Coaches explain the situation
Two years ago, OJ Frederique stepped foot on campus and immediately became UM’s best cornerback, finishing a fantastic freshman season ranked among the nation’s leaders in passer rating against.
Last year, Ja’Boree Antoine stepped foot on campus in January and found himself defending critical passes in the fourth quarter of a playoff game against Ohio State.
UM not only transformed one of its weakest 2024 positions to a reliable unit in 2025, but this year’s group of boundary corners could be even better.
Frederique, Xavier Lucas, Ethan O’Connor and Damari Brown (provided he moves past recurring foot issues) give UM four highly capable returning veterans, and second-year players Antoine and Chris Ewald will try to push them.
What’s more, four well-regarded freshmen participated in spring practice, and one of them in particular — Camdin Portis — particularly impressed.
The big change will be the departure of Keionte Scott, who was wildly successful — beyond any reasonable expectations — in the nickel role. UM hopes Boston College transfer Omar Thornton can be as good; he thrived in the nickel corner role this spring and had a very good spring game.
Aside from struggling against Ohio State’s Jeremiah Smith (a potential top-three pick in 2027) and Louisville’s Chris Bell (whom the Dolphins drafted in the third round), Frederique was solid while battling late-season injuries, finishing with a 94.6 passer rating in his coverage area. The hope is that he goes from solid to exceptional again.
O’Connor struggled in the national championship game but was exceptional in the three playoff games before that and closed the season with a very good 79.2 passer rating in his coverage area. He allowed 24 of 47 targets to be caught for 310 yards (12.9 per catch) and one touchdown.
“I’m so proud of Ethan and the way he has continued to mature throughout the year,” former defensive backs coach Zac Etheridge said before taking a job with the Arizona Cardinals. “Anytime you go through the transfer portal and get adjusted, it took him a little while to get adjusted [after moving over from Washington State].
“Once he got comfortable with my style of coaching and the way we do things, he [got into] a zone right now, playing at a high level, playing the way he was recruited here to do. It’s been exciting to see his game at this level [on] a big time stage.”
What makes O’Connor generally effective, Etheridge said, is “he’s very twitchy, He’s fast. He can diagnose and recognize plays. He has instincts. He loves to tackle. He’s really good in man-to-man, really good in zone. There’s no drop-off in his game when he’s locked in.”
Lucas, who was ineligible for the first half of the championship game because of targeting, held quarterbacks to a 69.4 passer rating in his coverage area last season. That led all UM cornerbacks. He allowed 31 receptions in 54 targets (11.4 per reception) but none of those 31 was a touchdown.
For next season, “the biggest thing with him is keep growing in the scheme,” safeties coach Will Harris said. “Lucas is playing at a high level.”
Meanwhile, Brown said in January he’s optimistic that the foot injury that sidelined or slowed him for parts of the past two years won’t be a long-term issue. He was generally helpful when he played, allowing nine completions in 18 targets for 148 yards.
Asked if the foot injury is the same that slowed him in 2024, he said: “It’s in the family but kind of different. I don’t want to go into details, but it’s the same foot obviously. I’ll be totally fine” for the 2026 season.
Pro Football Focus rated Brown the best of Miami’s boundary cornerbacks last season (ninth overall), with Lucas 10th and O’Connor 13th.
Dealing with the foot injury has “been an up and down battle,” said Brown, who didn’t play in the spring game and wasn’t available to reporters during spring practice. “I always rely on my faith to keep me positive. I know God has better for me in store.”
Antoine, pressed into duty against Ohio State when Frederique left with a foot issue, permitted four of six passes to be caught for 60 yards and two touchdowns last season, but UM loves his poise and sees great upside. He had a very good spring and started the spring game.
“He came in with the mind-set of wanting to learn,” Harris said. “The biggest thing with him is he’s got good change of direction. He has really good ball skills. He’s physical.”
As for Ewald, he played just 20 defensive snaps last season and will be hard-pressed to crack the top five this season. He had 20 passes defended and two interceptions as a senior at Hollywood Chaminade-Madonna in 2024 and 247 Sports rated Ewald the 21st-best cornerback and 169th-best player overall in the 2025 class.
Despite playing very little as a freshman, “he’s got a lot of experience,” Harris said.
Between UM and Chaminade, “he’s played in five championships,” Harris said. “The biggest thing with him is getting his body right in the weight room and getting a full offseason to get bigger, faster, stronger. He’ll be ready when the time comes. Once he gets in the weight room, he’s going to be fine. He has all the skill sets we need to get the job done.”
Meanwhile, UM added four freshmen cornerbacks who were heavily recruited:
1). Brody Jennings, Jacksonville Mandarin: The former Michigan commitment had four interceptions last season. “Unbelievable player,” Mario Cristobal said. “A guy we expect to make an impact right away.”
2). Portis, Charlotte (North Carolina) Myers Park: He’s the son of former Hurricanes star running back Clinton Portis and “we don’t take it for granted that he’s a legacy [player],” Cristobal said.
Portis returned two interceptions for touchdowns this spring.
“He had one of the best seasons of anybody we saw on senior tape. He can do it all. He can play nickel, corner, can jump back at safety. One of the fastest risers in the class.”
3). Jaelen Waters, Seffner Armwood: He’s ESPN’s No. 276 prospect in this class. “One of the best players in the country,” Cristobal said. “Had an injury late but recovering well.”
4). Jontavius Wyman, Jonesboro (Georgia): ESPN’s No. 255 overall prospect had 52 tackles and three interceptions last season. He previously flipped from Georgia to UM. “Explosive, fast, ball skills, great man to man guy,” Cristobal said.
This story was originally published April 30, 2026 at 10:35 AM.
