The Miami Hurricanes had a strong showing in the 2026 NFL Draft. Not only did Miami have a trio of first round picks — OT Francis Mauigoa, EDGE Rueben Bain Jr., and EDGE Akheem Mesidor — but the Canes had nine total draft picks. That was tied for third most in the country, and tied for second most in a single draft in program history.
As we turn the clock to the 2026 CFB season, let’s take a second and make a quick list of the players on this roster who figure to be the next crop of Canes selected for the 2027 NFL Draft.
Potential 1st rounders
After having the number one overall pick in 2025 (Cam Ward), Miami backed that up with a trio of first rounders in 2026 (Mauigoa, Bain, Mesidor). With the combination of elite talent acquisition and dynamic player development, the expectation is and should be that Miami continues to have multiple first round picks every single year.
QB Darian Mensah
Quiet as its kept, Miami is becoming one of the premier destinations for quarterbacks again. Once known as “Quarterback U”, the recent run figures to continue with new starter Darian Mensah.
A talented 6’3” 205lb passer, Mensah brings top tier talent to the U. The California native had a breakout 2024 season at Tulane, posting 2723 passing yards on 65.9% completions, with 22 touchdowns and 6 interceptions. Mensah led Tulane to a 9-2 start before injuries and tough competition (and his departure before the bowl game) saw the Green Wave drop their final 3 games.
After that season, Mensah moved to Duke for 2025. And there, playing for former Miami coach Manny Diaz, Mensah took his game to another level. 3,973 yards passing on 66.8% completions with 34 touchdowns and 6 interceptions. For his efforts, Mensah was named 2nd team All-ACC. Mensah was 2nd nationally in passing yards, and tied for 2nd in touchdown passes. So yeah, that’s pretty decent.
Now, Mensah makes the move to the big stage to play for Miami. This is a team with championship aspirations, and he honestly represents an upgrade at QB over last year’s starter Carson Beck, and if Mensah has the kind of season he had last year, or better, then he will easily be in the conversation as a 1st round pick for 2027.
EDGE Damon Wilson II
Miami just had a pair of edge rushers picked in the first round, and they could very well add another with Wilson II. A veteran player with prior stops at Georgia and Mizzou, Wilson II looks to be the next in that line.
Wilson II had a breakout year at Mizzou last year, posting 9.5 TFLs, 9 sacks, an interception and a fumble recovery. He’s a dynamic, athletic edge rusher and he will benefit from the tutelage of Jason Taylor to take his game to new heights.
Akheem Mesidor went from a probable 7th round pick to actual 1st round pick after a healthy senior season at Miami. With Wilson already on the radar with a higher initial projection, the path is clear for him to end up as another first round pick for the Canes.
DT Justin Scott
A 5-star recruit in the 2024 recruiting class, Scott has all the talent in the world. A sturdy and explosive 6’4” 303lb tackle, Scott can easily take over drives and games when he wants to. There’s been flashes of his elite talent — when he puts it all together and is unblockable — but there’s also been times where the absence of such impact is noticeable.
Along with the next player on this list, if Scott has a strong season and continues to raise the level of his performance, he could easily land in the first round of the 2027 draft. He can stop the run, collapse the pocket, get to the quarterback, and more. Miami fought tooth-and-nail to get Scott, and he is in prime position to take a big step forward on the field this year, and then into the draft.
Mid Round Picks (Round 2-4)
RB Mark Fletcher Jr.
A powerful 6’2” 225lb back, Fletcher Jr. could work his way into the conversation for a top 4 round pick in 2027.
With more than 2300 yards and 28 TDs in 3 years, Fletcher Jr. has proven himself to be a valuable RB on a dynamic and explosive offense. He improved his statistics each year and is now the featured back in Miami’s offense. Fletcher Jr. could have gone to the draft this year, but elected to return for his senior season. He’s among the best backs in the country, and will likely be one of the top backs picked next April. While I don’t think he has the explosive athleticism of other backs that have been taken in the 1st round recently, Fletcher should easily slot in as a 2nd or 3rd round pick.
DT Ahmad Moten Sr.
There are some who like Moten Sr. more than Scott…and I get it. He’s developed at an incredible rate, and is now a standout starter on Miami’s defense. Moten routinely makes game-changing plays, and his impact can be felt even when he doesn’t make a tackle himself.
Moten really took a star turn through last year’s College Football Playoffs, and the expectation is that he continues his ascension this upcoming season. Miami’s defense was noticeably different when Moten was off the field, so his healthy return from an ankle injury sustained in the CFP which kept him out this spring will be essential for Miami’s team success, and his draft fortunes as well. There’s a chance that, with a strong season, Moten Sr. could elevate into the first round, but I think he projects more in the 40-60 range (early 2nd to 3rd).
CB Xavier Lucas
An uber talented defensive back, Lucas has all the traits of a high round draft pick. A 6’2” 198lb corner, Lucas has the height, length, and athletic profile of a high caliber defender. The Wisconsin transfer immediately stepped into the lineup for Miami in 2025, and looks to take his game to another level in 2026.
Lucas is a top notch size-speed combo player, and another strong season at Miami could jump him up into consideration for a mid round pick.
CB O.J. Frederique
A talented player, Frederique burst onto the scene with a strong Freshman All-American season in 2024. He was solid again in 2025, but wasn’t as consistent as the previous year. Another strong season for Frederique should put him squarely in the conversation for a mid-round pick, if not higher. One of the things that could hold him back is his athletic profile — particularly his moderate-at-best foot speed — which several teams exploited last season. This will be something worth monitoring though the 2026 season.
Late round picks (rounds 5-7)
S Zechariah Poyser — A talented 6’2” defensive back, Poyser was a freshman All-American at Jacksonville State in 2024, and started every game for Miami last year. He’s got the physical profile and performance to be a draft pick after this season, but he needs to show a bit more consistency. He’s a prime candidate to jump up higher on this list with a strong season.
EDGE Marquise Lightfoot — The first guy off the bench behind last year’s first rounders Bain and Mesidor, Lightfoot looks to get paid with a big season with a probable starting role. At this point last year, I had Mesidor in this same early draft range, so that’s proof that a strong season can end with a big payday in the draft. I’m very interested to see how Lightfoot plays as a high snap count starter instead of rush down situational super sub.
DL Armondo Blount — A big, physical player, Blount has a world of potential. He’s super young for his classification (19 years old as a college junior), so there will still be room to grow once he moves to the NFL. Blount has played both inside and outside at Miami, so it will be interesting to see where he gets the majority of his snaps this upcoming season. He could take a star turn a la Mesidor and skyrocket into the top end of the draft, or he could take a big step forward in his performance this year, and elect to return for his senior season in 2027.
OL Matthew McCoy — A big, physical player with plenty of experience, McCoy should find his way into being drafted next April. He’s another 6’6” 320lb monster on Miami’s OL, and he’s shown solid performance and development over the course of his career. Another strong season should end with him getting drafted.
DB Omar Thornton — The Boston College transfer already has 2 years of solid performance to his credit, so he could elevate into the draft with another strong season now that he’s at Miami. I think he’s probably less likely than the others on this part of the list to jump up into the draft, but it’s possible.
WR Cooper Barkate — The former Harvard and Duke receiver led the ACC in receiving yards in 2025. Now at Miami, he teams up again with QB Darian Mensah, with whom he has a very strong on-field connection. While Barkate isn’t the twitchiest receiver in the world, he’s a technician, has very good hands, and more athleticism than you might think. He should be a draft pick after he closes out his collegiate career.
DT Keona Davis — A new face for Miami, Davis joins the Canes after 2 years at Nebraska. He’s a big, physical defensive tackle with solid potential. With Scott and Moten Sr. at the top of the roster at this position, it’s unlikely that Davis will supplant either of them to start. So, this is more a projection of his talent than expectation of his performance this year. But, big, physical players like Davis are always in high demand, so he’s on the list for now, even if he doesn’t end up heading to the draft.
There are plenty of other draft-eligible players on the roster, but at this point, I think they profile as undrafted free agents, most likely. Even with that being the case, strong seasons on the field for the Canes in 2026 could change their fortunes.
Those are my thoughts on which Miami Hurricanes players are on the radar for the 2027 NFL Draft. Am I too high on someone? Too low? Did I miss someone altogether? Hop in the comments and let me know.
