Miami’s defensive back room, especially at cornerback, underwent a lot of change this past offseason. 2022 starters Tyrique Stevenson and D.J. Ivey were drafted into the NFL, while other corners elected to enter the transfer portal to pursue opportunities at different schools.
To fill these vacancies, the Hurricanes acquired several cornerbacks through the portal, and many of these new players were scattered among the two-deep lineups during the media-viewing portion of UM’s first fall practice.
In three-on-three passing drills, UCF transfer Davonte Brown and Oklahoma transfer Jaden Davis received first-team reps, while freshman Damari Brown and Vanderbilt transfer Jadais Richard were featured on the second team.
Richard showed off his defensive playmaking ability during these drills, recording multiple pass-breakups and intercepting a pass. At 6-foot-1 and 195 pounds, the sophomore has the length and size, along with the experience of playing multiple positions, to be a chess piece for defensive coordinator Lance Guidry to use in different ways when needed.
Head coach Mario Cristobal was impressed by Richard and the rest of Miami’s secondary when asked about the unit.
“Jadais is a really good player. Mind you, he started at nickel, at corner, at the boundary safety spot [and] at the field safety spot last year at Vanderbilt, so he’s a very experienced player, and he’s long. He’s a big, strong, explosive guy, so yeah, he has more than flashed out there, but so have all those guys,” Cristobal said. “Daryl Porter’s done a really good job. [Te’Cory Couch] continues to do really well. Jaden Davis [is] a really, really good player. Damari Brown. Davonte Brown … picked up right where he left off in the spring. He had a good spring. So we feel like the competition there has gotten better. We’re gonna amp it up, though, and they understand that.”
While there’s plenty of competition at cornerback, South Florida natives Kamren Kinchens and James Williams enter their junior years as the assumed starters at safety. Throughout fall camp, Miami’s coaches will look to find clarity about which players will back up this aforementioned duo.
Some candidates for these roles include veteran Brian Balom and redshirt freshman Markeith Williams, who displayed promising flashes in the limited playing time he received last season. The versatile Richard, as well as cornerback-convert Jaden Harris, are a couple more players who are expected to contend for two-deep playing time at safety.
Kinchens, who harped on the importance of player-to-player accountability after practice, along with James Williams, figure to be the leaders of a UM secondary trying to rebound from a struggling 2022 season.
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