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The 2024 season is on the horizon, and Hurricanes fans hope to see a major step forward in Year 3 of the Mario Cristobal era.
As Miami keeps adding talent through high school and transfer-150portal recruiting, UM appears poised to be a major contender in the ACC this season.
This summer, we will take a look at a different position group each week to see who departed, who arrived and who should have big impacts this year.
Last week, we previewed the Hurricanes’ new-look defensive line. Now we move into the other part of the Front 7: UM’s linebackers.
Who left
Four Hurricanes linebackers departed in the offseason: two to the pro ranks and two via the transfer portal. Two of those linebackers received a significant amount of snaps last season.
K.J. Cloyd, who spent one season at Miami after transferring from Louisville, had the most playing time of those who left. The veteran linebacker played 393 snaps last year and started six games.
Cloyd was a solid addition to the room, racking up 44 tackles with 6.5 tackles for loss and two sacks. Pro Football Focus gave Cloyd a 67.6 defensive grade. He did especially well against the run, notching a 76.4 grade. Cloyd signed with the Minnesota Vikings after going undrafted.
Corey Flagg Jr. played just as much as Cloyd, notching 392 snaps. The Houston native played four seasons at UM, and he started two of the 12 games he played last year. Flagg notched 48 tackles with seven for loss. Flagg had a 69.3 defensive grade, excelling in the run game with an 82.9 grade. Flagg opted to transfer to Missouri after the season.
Keontra Smith, a five-year Hurricane, did not play much last season, getting 87 defensive snaps in eight games, most of which came in a start in the Pinstripe Bowl against Rutgers. Smith, a Chaminade-Madonna alum, took part in New England’s rookie minicamp in May but did…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/francisco-mauigoa-leading-way-hurricanes-194500735.html
Author : South Florida Sun Sentinel
Publish date : 2024-07-12 19:45:00
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