With the Senior Bowl underway, who is representing the University of Miami
Some of the top Hurricane prospects have decided to forego the Senior Bowl.
University of Miami edge rushers Rueben Bain Jr. and Akeem Mesidor as well as defensive backs Keionte Scott and Jakobe Thomas will not participate in the Senior Bowl, according to the game rosters. Instead, left tackle Markel Bell and center James Brockermeyer will represent the U.
This comes just days after Bain, Mesidor, Scott and Thomas initially accepted invitations.
Having just played in the National Championship Game a little more than a week ago, the quartet’s absence makes sense as they prepare for the NFL Combine. Bell and Brockermeyer, meanwhile, have a lot to prove the next few days.
Although Bain has consistently been graded as a first-round prospect for most of the year, the star edge rusher could’ve used the Senior Bowl to dispel some of the scouts that have him pegged as a defensive tackle at the next level due to his shorter arms. Still, outlets from ESPN to NFL.com to CBS Sports all have him ranked within the top 10. The former Miami Central Rocket finished his final season with 30 solo tackles, 9.5 sacks and a forced fumble.
The Bain-Mesidor combo terrorized opposing offenses for much of the 2025 season. While Mesidor’s biggest knock will likely be his age as he will be 25 by draft day, his production — 38 solo tackles, 12.5 sacks and four forced fumbles — speakd for itself as he has been graded as first- or second-rounder. NFL Draft expert Daniel Jeremiah praised the Ontario native in his recent Top 50 NFL Draft prospect list, saying Mesidor “has an ideal frame, relentless motor and pass-rush instincts.”
“He will shake/bull OTs, knock their hands off and push/pull for pressures,” Jeremiah wrote. “Once he creates some separation, he can corner and bend toward the quarterback. When he’s allowed to rush inside over guards, he wins very early in the down. He never stops working his hands and refuses to stay blocked. Against the run, he has enough length and a powerful enough base to firmly set the edge against OTs and he consistently annihilates TEs.”
Scott, whose pick-six against Ohio State helped edge out the Hurricanes over the Buckeyes, starred at nickel cornerback in 2025. The hybrid defensive back posted a line of 42 solo tackles, five sacks and two interceptions, both of which he returned for touchdowns. He’s far from a traditional cornerback — Scott started only three games in 2024 at Auburn due to injuries and the emergence of other players — yet grew into his own in South Florida as a defensive weapon who often acted as a pseudo-linebacker.
Both ESPN and CBS Sports have Scott ranked in the 30s while SB Nation wrote that he could be worth a second- or third-round pick.
While not as big of a name as Bain and Mesidor, Thomas quietly finished second on the team with five interceptions. He also added 45 solo tackles, 3.5 sacks and two forced fumbles. The senior safety wasn’t, however, listed on ESPN, CBS Sports or Pro Football Focus’ top prospect list, meaning he definitely could have benefited from the increased exposure in Mobile. Thomas, however, is a playmaker as evidenced by his takeaways.
The best analysis on Thomas comes from Bleacher Report, which saw him as “Minkah Fitzpatrick-lite” and projected him as a late third-round pick, praising his ability to be a ballhawk safety yet criticizing his tendency to follow the quarterback’s eyes a bit too much.
With Bell and Brockermeyer set to be the only two Canes in Mobile, they will surely get their fair share of tests against a vaunted group of defensive linemen that include Texas Tech’s Romello Height, Clemson’s TJ Parker and Alabama’s LT Overton.
