Miami Hurricanes hoping this group of new offensive linemen is one for the ages
If there’s a position that the Miami Hurricanes — under Mario Cristobal — should dominate in recruiting, it’s the offensive line.
And Cristobal and his staff did just that, assembling arguably the best offensive line recruiting class in the nation, led by two elite bookend tackles and three other talented prospects, plus Alabama’s Javion Cohen, who was considered the best lineman in the transfer portal.
A strong offensive line is at the foundation of everything Cristobal wants to achieve on that side of the ball.
It also happened to be among the Canes’ weakest units. The Canes allowed 36 sacks this past season; only 25 of the 131 teams in FBS permitted more. Per ESPN, the Canes averaged just 3.7 per carry, which was 96th in the country.
But this class also should facilitate the type of offense, one with pro-style, power spread elements that can run the ball consistently, drain the clock with a lead and bully some teams into submission. This past season’s team could do nothing of the kind.
There should be optimism that this line will be developed, considering that Cristobal and offensive line coach Alex Mirabal have sent multiple polished linemen to the pros, including Oregon Duck and Detroit first-rounder Penei Sewell. That’s a convincing selling point with elite linemen.
And Mirabal, according to Cristobal, “continues to be known as the best o-line coach in the country.”
Even before spending any time in Aaron Feld’s strength and conditioning program, these five offensive line additions — and Cohen — have the size UM covets.
Five-star tackle Francis Mauigoa is 6-foot-5, 327 pounds and the other five-star tackle, Samson Okunlola, is 6-5, 305. They are universally ranked as two of the top three offensive tackles in the 2023 class. During the past 20 years, Alabama and Georgia had been the only schools to snag two top-three tackles in one class.
Offensive tackle Tommy Kinsler is 6-5, 305 pounds. Tackle Frankie Tinilau is 6-5, 315.
And the one interior lineman freshman, Antonio Tripp, is 6-3, 301.
Those five are already similar to weight to many of the Canes’ veteran offensive linemen, and bigger than the three linemen added by Manny Diaz in his final class (2021). Size doesn’t necessarily translate to quality, but these five have size and athleticism.
Mauigoa and Okunlola should be foundational starters at tackle and future pros.
“It doesn’t get better coming out of high school,” Cristobal said of those two. “I’ve been fortunate — Penei Sewell, Alex Leatherwood, Cam Robinson, Jonah Williams. These are elite guys. These guys are elite monstrosities, ginormous human beings that don’t move like big guys. They move like linebackers. They play with power. They have exceptional football IQ. Relentless work ethics. They’re as mean and nasty on the field as you can imagine.”
Cristobal has made sure that Kinsler and Tinilau aren’t glossed over.
“Tommy Kinsler — Big Bruno — is an elite, powerful, knock-you-back road grader but able to dance on the perimeter with you at offensive tackle,” Cristobal said. “And Frankie the exact same thing.”
UM offered Tinilau a scholarship without seeing any football game tape. His workouts left them that impressed.
“Watching those movements of his workouts on tape — he can get his ankle in the ground while fully bending and dropping his lower half down,” Cristobal said.
He grew up playing rugby in Australia.
All five freshman offensive linemen will be cross-trained at multiple positions.
“Frankie is a five-position guy, Tommy Kinsler is a five-position guy,” Cristobal said.
And Cristobal noted that Cohen “did not allow sack in 1,600 snaps at Alabama — athletic, tough, smart guy.”
Here’s something else that appeals to the top freshmen linemen: Mirabal and Cristobal are known for preparing them for the NFL by cross-training them at different positions.
“Penei Sewell back in the day, he played left tackle his entire college career,” Cristobal said. “Penei Sewell got drafted [seventh overall and Detroit coaches] tapped him on the shoulder and said, ‘Hey, buddy. I know you’re a first-round pick, you’ve got to go to right tackle.’”
Mirabal had made sure to get Sewell practice reps at right tackle at Oregon.
“Shame on us if we don’t prepare those guys to be successful,” Cristobal said. “I know these guys want to play in the NFL. We’ve got to make sure they stay in the NFL if that’s one of their goals. We have to make sure they’re very versatile. That’s part of our training regimen.”
Tripp, the one interior lineman in this class, projects as a guard.
“He’s like the flagship recruiter of the class,” Cristobal said. “He committed early and he led the charge. Him and his mom were unbelievable; we should have put them on staff early. Also a really good person and a great football player. He made a move to IMG to further challenge himself.”
It’s too early to project a starting group, but two among Mauigoa, Okunlola and Zion Nelson figure to start at tackle. Cohen likely will start at left guard.
Jakai Clark and Jalen Rivers will obviously be very much in the mix at center and guard, but it wouldn’t be surprising if second-year player Anez Cooper seizes a starting spot at guard after starting late in the 2022 season.
Alabama transfer Cohen — a 15-game starter for the Crimson Tide — and Cooper also have the size that Cristobal and Mirabal were seeking. Cohen is 6-4, 305, while Cooper is 6-4, 350.
“The line of scrimmage has to look a certain way,” Cristobal said. “You cannot compromise.
“If you don’t have them, it’s hard to make up for that in the weight room. Our strength coach is probably the most excited guy. We’re bringing in some real deal awesome elite athletes to work with.
“The line of scrimmage always needs a little more time to develop. That’s what January, February, March, April is for guys. You shouldn’t have to redshirt anymore. [Those winter/spring months] should be that redshirt space.”
Okunlola, the five-star tackle, can’t wait to arrive on campus in two weeks.
“Our class can really propel what Miami is going to mean in the coming years,” Okunlola told 247’s Steve Wiltpong at the All-American Bowl this week in San Antonio [1 p.m Saturday, NBC]. “...I like how the head coach is an O-line guy and supports the line and... the bond” that Cristobal and Mirabal have.
This story was originally published January 3, 2023 at 1:34 PM.
