Defensive back additions impressing at UM. And LB update, Mensah, hoops moves
A six-pack of Miami Hurricanes notes on a Friday, a day UM landed a commitment from the nation’s No. 3 Class of 2027 quarterback:
▪ The Canes brought in six freshmen defensive backs (four corners, two safeties) and two transfers. Several are making an early impression.
Freshman JJ Dunnigan, who was rated a top two prep player in Kansas last season and a top 150-player overall in the 2026 class, already is pushing for playing time in a talented safety room.
At 6-3 and 182 pounds, “JJ is a freak athlete, a big dude, can run probably the fastest on the team if you ask me,” safety Zachariah Poyser said. “Student of the game.”
Cornerback Xavier Lucas said Dunnigan “is smart, he has the size and physicality, every trait people want.”
Coach Mario Cristobal said Dunnigan is “explosive, big time tackler, great in the open field, great space player.”
Defensive coordinator Corey Hetherman said “he’s constantly competing. He’s constantly getting better. … He’s a guy that’s always in the building, always asking questions, loves the game of football. And he’s going to make the team better. He’s young. He’ll make mistakes. Things are going to happen. He’s in a spot where he’s going to continue to battle, he’s going to continue to take advantage of his opportunities.
“But so far he’s been really impressive with the way that he competes, the way he shows up in the building, the way that he’s got energy every single day and how smart he’s been as far as picking up the scheme and then how fast he’s played on the field.”
And new safety/nickel cornerback Omar Thornton, the former Boston College standout, is “very impressive,” Poyser said. “Hard hitter. A smart dude too. He learned the playbook very fast. He’s a great player.”
Lucas said Thornton “is quiet, but on the field it’s a different story. Film, turn it on and he can play. … High motor, loves to hit, cover. He’s a Swiss army knife, can do it all.”
One of UM’s big decisions will be whether to play Bryce Fitzgerald at nickel and Thornton at safety or vice versa.
▪ Hetherman, on the linebackers competing with Mo Toure and Chase Smith: “Kellen Wiley continues to improve day by day. Cam Pruitt is a guy we moved back down to linebacker. He played in space last year as a nickel/safety, which will help improve his game. He’s put on some really good weight.
“EJ Marcelin had a really good offseason. Kamal Bonner [who transferred to UM from North Carolina State a year ago] was a guy last year who was going to be in the mix and got hurt in the opener. He probably would have played a lot more if he doesn’t get hurt early in the season. He’s really stood out early here.”
▪ How much Cristobal values his coordinators (Shannon Dawson and Hetherman) was abundantly clear in a recent interview with Josh Pate.
Hetherman has “been incredibly impactful on the field, off the field,” Cristobal said. “He’s increasing everybody’s football IQ. At night his room is flooded with guys.”
And “Dawson should be a head coach right now, we’ve been fortunate to have him for three years. Not many teams in the country have had a top 25 offense for three consecutive years. He’s made it work every way possible. … His ability to adapt is what really stands out.”
▪In that Pate interview, Cristobal said of new quarterback Darian Mensah: “By the time we finished playing and the portal was open, by the time we get a chance to meet him it was very quick. Very quickly realized this guy is special. Saw tape – watch him play and you’re like `man, this guy is special.’
“And the supporting cast here has been such a bonus for Cam Ward, Carson Beck and now we feel we’re supplementing our roster and Darian Mensah with high caliber talentwise. We have to shut our mouths and go to work, but he’s a really special player. Understands ball, pocket presence, deadly accurate, incredibly smart. Understands protections and he dives into it on a daily basis like a pro.”
▪ Even though UM’s Akheem Mesidor was exceptional last season and is projected by some to go in the 16 to 25 range, ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. said some teams have told him that they rate him as a second-rounder.
▪ The Canes basketball team reportedly has lost two players in the transfer portal so far: guards Tru Washington and Noam Dovrat.
Washington averaged 11.9 points and shot 44.3 percent from the field in his one season at Miami, after two at New Mexico. In late January and early February, he briefly left the team for “personal reasons” that were related to unhappiness about his role, according to a source. He provided a spark off the bench late in the season.
Dovrat had a skill the Canes badly needed -- three-point shooting -- but his minutes were limited nonetheless because of limitations in his game. He shot 44.6 percent on threes but averaged just 9.6 minutes in 27 appearances and didn’t play in UM’s season-ending NCAA Tournament loss to Purdue.
This story was originally published April 3, 2026 at 3:03 PM.
