The Miami Hurricanes aren’t short on star power entering the 2026 college football season.
ESPN released its annual preseason Top 100 players in college football, and Miami landed five players on the list.
There weren’t many surprises among the Hurricanes who made the cut.
But there were a few notable names missing.
Still, five Hurricanes made the cut, and some landed remarkably high.
No. 4 — Malachi Toney
It’s hard to argue with Miami’s highest-ranked player.
Malachi Toney comes in at No. 4 overall, making him one of the five
highest-ranked players in the country entering the season.
Toney exploded onto the national scene as a freshman, helping Miami reach the national championship game while establishing himself as one of the most dynamic playmakers in college football.
Now, the expectations are significantly different.
Toney isn’t a breakout candidate anymore.
He’s one of the players ESPN expects to be among the best in the sport.
Toney is arguably the best football player in the country and has a huge sophomore year ahead of him with championship expectations.
No. 18 — Ahmad Moten
Miami’s defensive front gets represented by Ahmad Moten at No. 18.
Moten enters the season as one of the most highly regarded interior defensive linemen in the country and could be one of the biggest reasons Miami’s defense remains among the nation’s best.
He returned to Coral Gables after flirting with the idea of declaring for the NFL Draft. Moten was a beast and made his presence known nationally during the CFP run.
He recorded 31 total tackles, nine tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks and four QB hurries last season.
I expect another huge year and his draft projection to be a first-round pick in the 2027 NFL Draft.
No. 23 — Darian Mensah
Perhaps the most intriguing ranking is Darian Mensah at No. 23.
Mensah has yet to take a snap for Miami, but ESPN clearly believes his production at Duke wasn’t a fluke.
And you can make an argument that he should be higher, especially with the quarterbacks that are ranked ahead of him.
After throwing for nearly 4,000 yards and 34 touchdowns in 2025, Mensah enters his first season in Coral Gables with Heisman Trophy and national championship expectations.
If he lives up to the hype, No. 23 could look silly by December and rumblings of being a top pick of the 2027 NFL Draft.
No. 29 — Mark Fletcher Jr.
Just outside the top 25 is Mark Fletcher Jr. at No. 29.
Fletcher is coming off a 1,192-yard, 12-touchdown season and returns as one of the most experienced pieces of Miami’s offense.
He was the engine of this Hurricanes offense last season and is one of the best backs in the country.
With defenses forced to account for Mensah and Toney through the air, Fletcher could have plenty of opportunities to improve on those numbers.
In my opinion, Fletcher should be ranked better.
No. 63 — Damon Wilson II
The final Hurricane on the list is Damon Wilson II at No. 63.
Wilson is coming off a nine-sack season at Missouri and gives Miami another legitimate pass-rushing threat on a defensive line that has massive expectations.
His presence could be particularly important after Miami lost Rueben Bain Jr. and Akheem Mesidor to the NFL.
He is already on the radar for a lot of NFL scouts, and he has a great opportunity on a big stage to prove his worth.
The Snubs
For all five players who made the list, there are a few names that Miami fans can reasonably argue deserved consideration.
Cooper Barkate is the biggest one, especially with the production he had last year at his former school.
The Duke transfer caught 72 passes for 1,106 yards and seven touchdowns last season and was Mensah’s top target. ESPN previously ranked Barkate No. 38 on its list of the top newcomers entering 2026, making his absence from the overall Top 100 somewhat surprising.
Bryce Fitzgerald deserved to be on this list, as I don’t see how he is not one of the top 100 players in college football right now. After recording six interceptions as a true freshman, he was the young stud on the defensive side of the ball that proved his worth early.
The shocking one was DL Justin Scott. He has been on NFL scouts’ radar for this upcoming season and has been projected to be a 2027 first-round pick on multiple mock drafts early into the season. His opportunities were limited last season due to the abundance of talent on that defensive line, but he still had flashes of greatness.
He recorded 13 QB hurries in just the last seven games of the season and is primed to be one of the best defensive linemen in the country alongside Moten this season.
Then there’s Omar Thornton, who enters the season with an opportunity to become a major piece of Miami’s secondary and has been the camp darling for the Canes. Another camp star and has been raved about by coaches and teammates thus far.
None of those omissions are necessarily egregious, but worth mentioning as some of the best players in the country.
