With ten days until the 2026 NFL Draft kicks off in Pittsburgh on April 23, the Miami Hurricanes are poised for a historic class. There is a real-world scenario where 12 Hurricanes hear their names called – which would not only beat the program’s modern-era record of 11 set in 2002, but mark the first time Miami has had 10 or more players drafted since that legendary squad from the 2001 national championship team.
Three names are considered near-locks for Round 1: DE Rueben Bain Jr., OT Francis Mauigoa,
and EDGE Akheem Mesidor, while DB Keionte Scott sits on the cusp. Below them is a remarkable depth of prospects fielding visits and generating genuine NFL buzz up and down the draft board.
Here’s your full Miami Hurricanes 2026 NFL Draft primer, loaded with the latest intel as of April 13.
A few key storylines worth calling out beyond the obvious what’s in the cards such as way too much talk on Bain’s arm length:
Bain and Mauigoa – First OL/DL Duo in the Top 5 Since 2010 Oklahoma?
If Rueben Bain Jr. and Francis Mauigoa both crack the top five overall picks – a scenario multiple mock drafts have floated – they would become the first offensive lineman and defensive lineman from the same school to both land in the top five since Oklahoma’s Gerald McCoy (No. 3, DT) and Trent Williams (No. 4, OT) in 2010. StateOfTheU has previously noted that the top-five threshold has only been reached by an OL/DL duo from the same school three times in modern draft history – OU in 2010, Pittsburgh in 1985, and USC in 1977. If they land in the top 10 together (the more likely floor), they still join rarefied company; 17 programs have placed an OL and DL in the top 20 together, most recently Alabama in 2024. Miami doing it in the top five or top 10 would announce, loudly, that Cristobal’s trench-building philosophy has paid off at the highest level, as that has only occurred five times in the modern-era.
Bain and Mesidor – Two Miami DEs in Round 1, and Higher Than Phillips and Rousseau
Bain and Mesidor are on track to become the second pair of defensive ends from the same school to both be selected in the first round since Miami itself accomplished it in 2021 with Jaelan Phillips (No. 18, Dolphins) and Gregory Rousseau (No. 30, Bills). Before that duo, you have to go back to NC State in 2006 – Mario Williams (No. 1, Texans) and Manny Lawson (No. 22, 49ers) – to find the previous instance. Notably, Manny Diaz was on the staff for both those NC State and Miami teams. The added intrigue in 2026: Bain and Mesidor are projected to go considerably earlier than Phillips and Rousseau. Phillips went 18th and Rousseau 30th. If Bain lands anywhere from picks 2–10 and Mesidor slots around picks 15–25, as current mocks suggest, they will represent the highest-drafted Miami defensive end pair in program history – and one of the most elite pass-rush classes any school has ever produced in a single draft.
The Case for 12 – And Why the Bottom of This Class Matters as Much as the Top
The three Round 1 locks, combined with Keionte Scott (top-50 caliber), Markel Bell and Anez Cooper (legitimate day-two targets), Carson Beck and Jakobe Thomas (strong day-three cases), and James Brockermeyer (Cowboys, Bears, Titans visits), get you comfortably to 8–9 drafted players. The push to 10, 11, or 12 comes from the players the draft will surprise you with CJ Daniels, Wesley Bissainthe, and David Blay – and Miami’s recent history provides the perfect blueprint for why that hope is grounded in reality.
Recent Hurricanes like Jonathan Ford, DJ Ivey, and Jaden Davis found their names called in the late rounds when few expected it. Conversely, Xavier Restrepo – who by any objective measure had the tools to be drafted – went all three days without hearing his name and signed as a UDFA. Leonard Taylor, one of the most physically gifted interior linemen in Miami’s recent history, suffered the same fate. The draft is not a meritocracy on days 2 and 3.
A player like Bissainthe – praised by ESPN’s Miller as a hidden gem linebacker, drawing Dolphins and Panthers visits – could easily be a Ford or Ivey story. Daniels, who posted an elite 4.27 shuttle and 7.03 three-cone at Pro Day, drew genuine Vikings and Dolphins interest and is exactly the kind of undervalued technician a team steals in the sixth round. Blay’s 27 bench press reps and functional pass-rush interior profile give him a legitimate seventh-round argument. Even Keelan Marion’s agility numbers (4.19 shuttle, 6.91 three-cone) are genuinely elite and could convince a special teams coordinator to spend a pick.
ESPN’s Matt Miller has 12 Canes in his top 361 overall rankings and The Athletic’s Dane Brugler has nine draftable grade Canes and additional three on the cusp. I am including Miller and Brugler’s rankings in the below.
As to the below, while pre-draft visits are a reliable breadcrumb trail for potential draft destinations, 2026 is shaping up to be one of the most trade-heavy in recent memory, so this could indicate visits by Bain, Mauigoa, and Mesidor may end up elsewhere to teams drafting outside the top 10 or 15-20.
Nonetheless, the path to 12 is real: three in Round 1 (Bain, Mauigoa, Mesidor) + Scott, Bell, Cooper in Rounds 2–3 + Beck, Thomas in Rounds 4–5 + Brockermeyer, Bissainthe, Daniels, and Blay sneaking in on day 3. Any combination works. And if Miami hits the over? It’s the most historic draft class this program has produced in over two decades – and a clear signal that The U is genuinely back.
Oh, and this comes one year after placing QB Cam Ward number one overall and as next year’s class may be even better.
FIRST ROUND LOCKS
DE Rueben Bain Jr. (NFL Combine)
Height: 6’2”| Weight: 263 pounds | Arm Length: 30 7/8 | Hand: 9 1/8 | Wing: 77 1/2
2025 Consensus All-American; ACC Defensive POY; First Team All-ACC; blocked FG
Visits: Chiefs, Bengals, Titans, Dolphins
Dane Brugler’s Ranking (The Athletic): 9, EDGE3 (1st round)
Matt Miller’s Ranking (ESPN): 13, EDGE3 (1st round)
The most-visited prospect in this class right now, Bain has been the subject of frenzied pre-draft activity. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport confirmed top-30 visits with the Chiefs (April 9) and Bengals (April 10) – with KC holding the No. 9 pick and Cincinnati at No. 10. The central debate: his 30 7/8″ arm length is a historical outlier for an edge rusher, prompting ESPN’s Matt Miller to report him sliding outside the top 10. An executive with a top-10 pick told ESPN it’s “not nothing.”
But the tape crowd fires back – Bain led all edge rushers with 83 pressures in 2025, posted 20.5 sacks and 33.5 TFLs over three seasons, and was a monster in the playoffs. Rapoport has noted multiple teams around picks 6–10 are willing to trade up for him. His own response to the arm concern: “Like Mike Tyson — he wasn’t the tallest guy or the longest-limbed guy. But when you felt him, you felt him.”
On top of Bain’s arm length drama, he has been in the news this week linked in a car crash that resulted in a fatal injury. This information has reportedly already been known to NFL teams, and most consider the matter handled.
OT Francis Mauigoa (NFL Combine)
Height: 6’5” 1/2 | Weight: 329 pounds | Arm Length: 33 1/4 | Hand: 10 5/8 | Wing: 80 3/4
40-yard: 5.13 | 10-yard: 1.78 | Shuttle: 4.59 | 3-cone: 7.77 | Vertical: 29-inch | Broad Jump: 8’10”
2025 Consensus All-American; Jacobs Blocking Trophy (top ACC blocker); First Team All-ACC
Dane Brugler’s Ranking (The Athletic): 11, OT2 (1st round)
Matt Miller’s Ranking (ESPN): 7, OT1 (1st round)
ESPN’s Peter Schrager called Mauigoa “expected to be the first offensive lineman off the board,” with multiple mocks slotting him in the top 10 – including picks No. 5 (Giants) and No. 10 in various projections. ESPN’s Daniel Oyefusi flagged Cleveland at No. 6 as a possible landing spot. Mauigoa is one of only two Hurricanes invited to attend the draft in person in Pittsburgh. The one storyline to monitor: he headed to Indianapolis for combine rechecks on a minor back disc issue that caused some discomfort late in the season as a precautionary measure. He performed fully at Pro Day, is currently symptom-free, and is not considered a surgery candidate – but some teams requested additional imaging and early reports show that some teams believe he may require a cleanup procedure on his back at some point. That said, Mauigoa starting 42 straight games in college indicate he should not be flagged as a serious injury concern.
EDGE Akheem Mesidor
Height: 6’2” 1/2 | Weight: 260 pounds | Arm Length: 32 1/3 | Hand: 10 | Wing: 80
2025 Second Team All-American; First Team All-ACC; led ACC in sacks; led team in FF and TFL
Visits: Bengals, 49ers
Dane Brugler’s Ranking (The Athletic): 28, EDGE5 (1st-2nd round)
Matt Miller’s Ranking (ESPN): 26, EDGE5 (1st round)
One of the more underrated stories of this entire cycle. Mesidor formed one of the most feared pass-rush duos in college football history alongside Bain, and some evaluators inside the league privately view him as the better prospect. His versatility – able to align inside or outside – makes him a scheme chameleon that should appeal to multiple front systems. Some teams are cooling on him slightly given his age as a redshirt senior (25 years old), but his motor and tape remain elite.
GENERATING SERIOUS NFL INTEREST – DAY TWO TARGETS
CB Keionte Scott
Height: 5’11” | Weight: 191-pounds | Arm Length: 31 1/2 inch | Hand: 9 1/3 inch | Wing: 76 1/3 inch
40-yard: 4.33 | 10-yard: 1.53 | Shuttle: 4.59 | 3-cone: 7.70 | Vertical: 34-inch | Broad Jump: 10’3”
Visits: Texans, Bears, Commanders, Cowboys, Patriots, Dolphins
2025 1st-Team All-ACC 2025
Dane Brugler’s Ranking (The Athletic): 53, S4 (2nd-3rd round)
Matt Miller’s Ranking (ESPN): 46, CB8 (2nd round)
Scott stole the show at Miami’s Pro Day with a blazing 4.33 40 – a time that likely represents the floor of his speed given that he ran even faster in the Cotton Bowl against Ohio State. He has some of the best nickel traits in the class/secondary blitzer and analysts tracking him project a late first round to early second round outcome. His 2025 stat line was remarkable: 64 tackles, 13 TFLs, 5 sacks, 5 PBUs, 2 pick-sixes, 2 forced fumbles. He is fielding visits from multiple franchises, reflecting genuine multi-team competition for his services.
OT Markel Bell (NFL Combine)
Height: 6’9” | Weight: 346 pounds | Arm Length: 36 3/8 | Hand: 9 | Wing: 87 1/8
40-yard: 5.36 | 10-yard: 1.84
Visits: Browns, Steelers, Eagles, Dolphins, Patriots
Dane Brugler’s Ranking (The Athletic): 97, OT10 (3rd-4th round)
Matt Miller’s Ranking (ESPN): 118, OT11 (fourth round)
At 6’9″ with 36-plus-inch arms and an 87-inch wingspan, Bell is the kind of freakish length prototype that NFL offensive line coaches dream about. The multi-team interest reflects serious league-wide attention for a player who could still be refining the technical aspects of his game. His combination of size and athleticism gives him upside well beyond a late-round draft position if a team is willing to develop him.
QB Carson Beck (NFL Combine)
Height: 6’5” | Weight: 233 pounds | Arm Length: 30 5/8 | Hand: 10
2025 Third Team All-ACC
Visits: Dolphins, Steelers, Cardinals, Browns
Dane Brugler’s Ranking (The Athletic): QB6 (4th-5th round)
Matt Miller’s Ranking (ESPN): 131, QB6 (5th round)
Beck is a polarizing prospect – a blue-chip recruit who started for three years at Georgia and Miami, leading both programs to CFP appearances. The Steelers’ interest is notable: ESPN reported Pittsburgh has done extensive homework on Beck alongside Penn State’s Drew Allar and LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier, with coach Mike McCarthy specifically valuing long arms, big hands, and a cold-weather pedigree. Beck improved his pocket presence in 2025 and profiles as a backup at the next level, but the thin 2026 QB class and Top-30 team visits suggests he could climb into Day 2 territory and could be a surprise as QB3 in the class after Fernando Mendoza and Ty Simpson, especially in a QB-needy league.
S Jakobe Thomas
Height: 6’1” | Weight: 214-pounds | Arm Length: 31 1/2 inch | Hand: 10 1/2 inch | Wing: 76 1/2 inch
40-yard: 4.57 | 10-yard: 1.63 | Shuttle: 4.32 | Vertical: 33-inch | Broad Jump: 9’11”
2025 Second Team All-ACC; Fiesta Bowl MVP; led team in PD; 60-yard INT TD
Visits: Steelers, Bills
Dane Brugler’s Ranking (The Athletic): S11 (4th-5th round)
Matt Miller’s Ranking (ESPN): 139, S11 (5th round)
The most undervalued Hurricane in this draft, according to multiple analysts. Thomas is a physical, downhill box safety who plays with old-school tenacity in run support – exactly the kind of glue player winning defenses are built around. The Steelers and Bills are both showing interest, franchises with a track record of identifying and developing exactly this player archetype.
OG Anez Cooper
Height: 6’5” 1/3 | Weight: 342-pounds | Arm Length: 34 1/4 inch | Hand: 10 inch | Wing: 84 1/4 inch
40-yard: 5.52 | 10-yard: 1.94
2025 Second Team All-ACC
Dane Brugler’s Ranking (The Athletic): OG14 (5th-6th round)
Matt Miller’s Ranking (ESPN): 192, OG15 (6th round)
Cooper has been a mainstay on Miami’s offensive line for three years alongside Mauigoa, and helped with the trench warfare. Cooper is being inked as a strong day-two value due to a combination of his size, presence, and run-blocking upside (see Mark Fletcher dominance behind Cooper) gives him a clear role as a starter-in-waiting at the next level. With an 84-inch wingspan and 34-inch arms, his physical tools are elite for the position.
C James Brockermeyer
Height: 6’3” | Weight: 298 pounds | Arm Length: 32 | Hand: 9 1/4 | Wing: 78
40-yard: 5.30 | 10-yard: 1.80 | Shuttle: 4.72 | 3-cone: 7.98 | Vertical: 28.5-inch | Broad Jump: 8’5” | Bench Press: 26 reps
2025 Third Team All-ACC
Visits: Cowboys, Bears, Titans
Dane Brugler’s Ranking (The Athletic): C11 (7th round-UDFA)
Matt Miller’s Ranking (ESPN): 336, C11 (UDFA)
A former blue-chip recruit who played major snaps at Alabama and TCU before finding a home in Miami, Brockermeyer brings durability and intelligence to the center position. He posted 26 bench press reps at Pro Day, drawing legitimate Day 3 interest from at least three teams including the Cowboys and Titans. Had a strong Senior Bowl but then was snubbed from an NFL Combine invite. At 6’3″/298 with solid agility numbers, he has the tools to develop into a starting-caliber center with the right coaching staff.
LB Wesley Bissainthe
Height: 6’1” 1/3 | Weight: 224-pounds | Arm Length: 32 inch | Hand: 9 1/2 inch | Wing: 77 1/2 inch
40-yard: 4.63 | 10-yard: 1.57 | Shuttle: 4.52
2025 Third Team All-ACC
Visits: Dolphins, Panthers
Dane Brugler’s Ranking (The Athletic): LB30 (UDFA)
Matt Miller’s Ranking (ESPN): 308 (UDFA)
Bissainthe is a hard-hitting linebacker who anchored one of the country’s best defenses under Corey Hetherman and played with relentless effort. His 1.57 10-yard split is exceptional for the position, and his shuttle time reflects real range/athleticism. The NFL Combine invite and local interest from Miami is worth monitoring. Bissainthe has the identity of a defensive culture player that winning organizations treasure on special teams and in sub-packages.
WR CJ Daniels
Height: 6’2” | Weight: 200-pounds | Arm Length: 32 1/3 inch | Hand: 9 inch | Wing: 78 1/2 inch
40-yard: 4.58 | 10-yard: 1.61 | Shuttle: 4.27 | 3-cone: 7.03 | Vertical: 34.5-inch | Broad Jump: 10’3”
2025 50 rec, 557 yds, 7 TDs
Visits: Vikings, Dolphins
Dane Brugler’s Ranking (The Athletic): WR46 (UDFA)
Matt Miller’s Ranking (ESPN): 361 (UDFA)
Daniels could be the legitimate sleeper of this Miami class. He transferred from Liberty → LSU → Miami and came back strong in 2025 after battling a foot injury, immediately producing at a high level right off the bat with his acrobatic touchdown catch against Notre Dame. His elite agility numbers (4.27 shuttle, 7.03 3-cone) suggest route-running precision that translates. A technician on the outside with strong hands, he’s drawn visits from the Vikings and Dolphins and is a genuine late-round dart throw with the profile of a reliable catcher if an NFL team gives him time to develop other traits.
DL David Blay
Height: 6’2” 1/4 | Weight: 292-pounds | Arm Length: 32 inch | Hand: 10 1/8 inch | Wing: 78 inch
40-yard: 5.00 | 10-yard: 1.74 | Shuttle: 4.81 | 3-cone: 7.69 | Broad Jump: 8’2” | Bench Press: 27 reps
Dane Brugler’s Ranking (The Athletic): DT40 (UDFA)
Matt Miller’s Ranking (ESPN): 333 (UDFA)
Blay is the type of under-the-radar Miami defensive line prospect that has snuck into the seventh round in recent years a la Jonathan Ford, Jonathan Garvin, and Kendrick Norton. His 27 bench press reps demonstrate elite strength for an interior lineman. Blay was an underrated contributor who caused havoc from the inside for Hetherman’s defense. He has had minimal reported NFL team visits but has the frame to sneak onto an NFL roster but likely projects as practice squad at the next level.
WR Keelan Marion
Height: 5’11” 1/2 | Weight: 190-pounds | Arm Length: 30 1/2 inch | Hand: 8 1/2 inch |Wing: 74 1/3 inch
40-yard: 4.56 | 10-yard: 1.62 | Shuttle: 4.19 | 3-cone: 6.91 | Broad Jump: 9’6”
Dane Brugler’s Ranking (The Athletic): WR105 (UDFA)
Marion’s agility testing is legitimately elite – a 4.19 shuttle and 6.91 3-cone put him among the quickest receivers in this class in terms of change-of-direction. His speed (4.56 40) and short-area quickness give him a path as a slot receiver or special teams UDFA who could generate camp competition with multiple teams. That said, he was limited in production and will be limited.
TE Alex Bauman
Height: 6’3” 1/3 | Weight: 250-pounds | Arm Length: 33 1/4 inch | Hand: 9 1/4 inch | Wing: 81 1/8 inch
40-yard: 5.07 | 10-yard: 1.76 | Shuttle: 4.65 | 3-cone: 7.63 | Vertical: 26-inch | Broad Jump: 9’ | Bench Press: 12 reps
Dane Brugler’s Ranking (The Athletic): TE73 (UDFA)
Bauman has the size and length but his production was underwhelming at Miami. The final memory for Canes’ fans was Bauman’s bonehead missed block in the National Championship on a punt that altered the momentum significantly. He has an outside shot to be a UDFA candidate if a team sees his frame as a long-term investment.
K Carter Davis
Height: 6’0” | Weight: 218-pounds | Arm Length: 31 1/2 inch | Hand: 8 1/2 inch | Wing: 71 1/2 inch
Dane Brugler’s Ranking (The Athletic): K17 (UDFA)
Ranked 17th among kickers in this class by Dane Brugler, Davis is a UDFA target for a team needing camp competition at the position. He surprisingly won the kicker job over Texas transfer Bert Auburn and was pretty consistent throughout the season, minus a tough game against Texas A&M in windy conditions. He nailed a 64-yard field goal at Miami’s Pro Day which make him a darkhorse to be selected although it is relatively unlikely.
LS Michael Donovan
Height: 6’1” | Weight: 193-pounds | Arm Length: 30 1/3 inch | Hand: 9 1/8 inch | Wing: 75 3/4 inch
Dane Brugler’s Ranking (The Athletic): LS22 (UDFA)
Donovan participated in Miami’s Pro Day but he is highly unlikely to be selected next week.
The Path to 12: Bain, Mauigoa, Mesidor (R1) + Scott, Bell, Cooper (R2–3) + Beck, Thomas (R4–5) + Brockermeyer, Bissainthe, Daniels, Blay (R6–7) = 12 picks. The 2002 Hurricanes set the modern-era (7-round) record with 11. Going back further, Miami drafted 12 in the 8-round format in 1988. Twelve in Pittsburgh would be history in every format.
GO CANES!
