Three more Canes depart during playoffs, enter transfer portal. And UM to cash in
Two more Miami Hurricanes left the team during the team’s playoff run on Thursday and a third is expected to leave imminently, bringing the total to six since the end of the regular season.
Receiver Chance Robinson and defensive tackle Donta Simpson were the latest to depart, 247 Sports reported. In a surprise, freshman tight end Brock Schott also is expected to depart, that web site said Thursday evening.
They join receivers Ny Carr and Nathaniel “Ray Ray” Joseph and defensive tackle Daylen Russell, who all left in recent weeks.
All six players can formally enter the portal at 12:01 a.m. Friday. Unlike past years, there will be only one 2026 window for any players (including grad transfers) to enter the transfer portal. This year, that window runs from Jan. 2 to Jan. 16. Players can sign with new schools at any time in the offseason.
Schott was the only surprise of the latest group of expected departures. He was the No. 10 tight end and No. 174 prospect overall out of a Leo, Indiana, high school. A year ago, the 6-3 Schott picked Miami over offers from Colorado, Ohio State, Florida State, Penn State and Wisconsin, among others.
But he played only nine offensive snaps as a freshman, while fellow freshman tight end Luka Gilbert played 50. Gilbert, at 6-7, offers a bigger target.
Simpson, a freshman who was a three-star prospect out of Hollywood-Chaminade Madonna, had four tackles in 105 defensive snaps and did not play on defense in UM’s 24-14 win against Ohio State on Wednesday. He signed with Miami a year ago, bypassing offers from Maryland, Minnesota, NC State and West Virginia, among others.
Robinson, a sophomore and former four-star prospect out of St. Thomas Aquinas, played only 12 offensive snaps all season after appearing in five games as a freshman.
Robinson was ranked No. 173 in 247Sports’ Top 247 and the No. 31 wide receiver in the 2024 class. On3.com rated him the No. 124 player in the 2024 class. He chose Miami over offers from Alabama, Florida State, Georgia, LSU, Michigan, Ohio State and Penn State, among others.
The departures of Joseph, Carr and Robinson leave UM with six scholarship receivers to finish out the postseason: Malachi Toney, CJ Daniels, Keenan Marion, Jojo Trader, Joshua Moore and Tony Johnson. All except Johnson have played on offense in each of the first two playoff games.
UM also signed four highly-regarded Class of 2026 receivers: Milan Parris, Tyran Evans, Vance Spafford and Somourian Wingo. Here’s what Mario Cristobal said about those four players.
Cash coming
According to UM, the Hurricanes athletic program will keep the entire $14 money awarded to teams that make the playoffs and advance to the conference semifinals. Of that $14 million, $6 million was earned by advancing from the quarterfinals to the semifinals.
The CFP sends that money to the Atlantic Coast Conference, but the ACC then sends all of it to UM and it isn’t shared with other ACC schools, according to a UM spokesperson.
The Canes say that money will go toward general operation of the athletic department. Some likely will contribute to UM’s NIL fund to pay players.
This story was originally published January 1, 2026 at 5:25 PM.
