The Miami Hurricanes have revamped their wide receiver room through both recruiting and the transfer portal. The Canes brought in arguably the top transfer wide receiver in Sam Brown Jr. and added an elite blue-chip recruiting haul in the 2024 recruiting cycle. Now, the Canes are set to have the best and deepest receiving corps in the ACC. Which players are expected to make significant impacts?
WR – Jacolby George
If you ask anyone which upperclassman wide receiver is the most talented, Jacolby George will be at the top of the list. Entering his senior season, George is coming off a 57-reception, 864-yard season, leading the team with 15.2 yards per catch. George has everything you want in a wide receiver: speed, good hands, and the ability to make plays when you need them. What has held George back from complete superstardom is his maturity. There were instances last year where he lost focus and his temper, leading to unnecessary penalties. However, the Jacolby George who showed up for camp this year was all business. Cam Ward and other players recently praised George’s unselfishness and willingness to put the team first. If that is truly the case, we are set to see George dominate this year and easily have a 1,000+ yard season with 10+ touchdowns—he is that good. Expect big things from Jacolby as it seems he has put everything together, both from a production and mental standpoint. This turn of events and focus means it will be scary hours for the ACC, especially for Florida in week one.
WR – Xavier Restrepo
Xavier Restrepo had one of the most productive seasons for a wide receiver in Miami Hurricanes history in 2023. Restrepo finished with 85 receptions, 1,092 yards, and six touchdowns, averaging 12.8 yards per catch. He became just the eighth wide receiver in program history to have 1,000 or more receiving yards. Restrepo was a safety blanket for both Tyler Van Dyke and Emory Williams in 2023, and he has the opportunity to go down as one of the best slot wide receivers in program history. Despite the wide receiver room being revamped, I expect Restrepo to replicate his historic 2023 campaign and continue serving as a safety blanket for Cam Ward. His ability to get open and make plays over the middle of the field, along with his IQ and awareness, will catapult Restrepo into Canes legend status when all is said and done this year.
WR – Sam Brown Jr.
Sam Brown totaled 62 receptions for 815 yards and three touchdowns in 2023, earning Honorable Mention All-Big 12 Conference honors. He finished fifth in receptions per game (5.2), eighth in receiving yards per game (67.9), and tenth in total receiving yards (815). His ability to force missed tackles after the catch, ranking second in the conference with 20 missed tackles, showcases his play-extending skills. Brown is a versatile player who can line up in different areas, logging 624 snaps as an X wide receiver and 70 snaps in the slot. Brown Jr. was one of the best wide receivers in camp and really separated himself. At worst, he is the second-best wide receiver on the team if we account for camp performance. If anyone can challenge Jacolby George from a talent standpoint, Brown is that guy, and I suspect George’s game has been elevated by the competition with Brown this past fall.
WR – Isaiah Horton
Another player who has impressed and taken a major step forward is Isaiah Horton. Horton showed flashes of his talent last year, especially in the memorable Texas A&M blowout win when he caught a 46-yard bomb in the second quarter to cut the Aggies’ lead to three. Horton has had a great camp, and because Shannon Dawson loves to rotate his wide receivers, expect Horton to get plenty of snaps this year and be a serious contributor with starter-level production.
WR – Shemar Kirk
Shemar Kirk will play this year for the Canes, but the question is, how much? Coming in as a transfer last year, he didn’t see much playing time for Miami. Now, with the wide receiver room revamped and upgraded, many young freshmen and sophomores are ready to take the next step forward. Kirk will not start for the Canes but can serve as a depth piece who can contribute in one of the outside wide receiver spots.
WR – Nathaniel “Ray Ray” Joseph
If there is one wide receiver I am excited to see play, it is Ray Ray Joseph. Last year, Joseph had a quiet season as he adjusted to the college game. Despite the logjam at the top of the wide receiver depth chart, I expect Ray Ray Joseph to get more playing time this year as he is now more comfortable with college football. Joseph had a solid spring and fall camp, and although he plays in the slot behind Restrepo, who is a monster, expect Joseph to make the most of his opportunities. He will be ready to fill Restrepo’s shoes next year. The scary part for the Canes is that Joseph might be even more talented than Restrepo, being quicker and faster. Miami’s slot receiver position is in great hands for years to come.
WR – Joshisa Trader
Joshisa Trader was one of the “whales” of the 2024 recruiting cycle. Trader chose Miami over FSU and was considered a five-star talent and one of the most electric playmakers in the country. Already, Trader has been turning heads, making all sorts of acrobatic plays in camp. Trader is raising the floor of the wide receiver room and will get some playing time this year despite the crowded room full of talented playmakers—he is just too good to keep off the field.
WR – Ny Carr
Carr was also a “whale” type recruit that Miami flipped from Georgia. Considered one of the most electric playmakers in the country, Carr has also been making plays and raising eyebrows in camp. Like Trader, I expect him to get some action this year and continue to raise the floor of the wide receiver room. The upperclassmen cannot take a breather with these ultra-talented young guys waiting in the wings. Expect a huge role next year for Trader, Carr, and Joseph.
WR – Robby Washington
Robby Washington is entering his sophomore year at Miami, and despite his talent, he is a little behind guys like Carr and Trader. Washington continues to adjust to the college game, but his talent is undeniable. Washington has elite speed, and I expect him to provide quality depth for the Canes this year, even if he doesn’t play much. His role should increase when most senior wide receivers leave.
WR – Chance Robinson
Entering his true freshman season, Robinson was a blue-chip wide receiver in one of the best wide receiver recruiting hauls in recent memory for the Miami Hurricanes. Robinson will most likely redshirt this year as he adjusts to the college game.
Miami’s air attack is primed to be lethal this year. The Canes can easily rotate six to seven wide receivers, including a top four that are as good as any in the conference. With Cam Ward leading the helm, I expect Miami to have multiple receivers in the PFF College rankings, with at least one and possibly two reaching 1,000 yards. It sounds ambitious, considering that Miami will also have a power running game. Yet, I fully expect Shannon Dawson to maximize this offense with Ward and see a three-headed monster of George, Restrepo, and Brown terrorize opponents.
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