The Miami Hurricanes have several linebackers who need to step up during spring football with alpha Kiko Mauigoa likely out for spring with a minor injury.
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00:00 But if I look at the linebackers to me, I'm only putting one player in tier one heading into the 2024 season.
00:07 He's an unquestioned starter and he was the alpha of the room last year.
00:12 And that's Kiko Maui.
00:14 Noah led Miami, the entire team with 82 tackles last year was the co-leader in sacks with Ruben Bain at seven and a half.
00:22 He had two forced fumbles.
00:24 I also, I credited Kiko with a safety, even though the ACC referees didn't.
00:28 Now, again, with Kiko, don't expect to see him a whole lot in spring football, but, you know, obviously if there's anybody who, you know, he's, he had his shoulder cleaned up.
00:37 If there's anybody who can afford to miss a few spring practices, it's, you know, the guy who is arguably, you know, one of the two or three best players on the entire team last year, maybe the best player on the team last year.
00:47 So rest up and get a heal up Kiko, please.
00:51 But he's tier one all by himself.
00:53 Now tier two, probable starter, but I think he, he still needs to stand out and make a case that he's taken the next step.
01:02 And that's Wesley Besaint.
01:03 I expect Besaint to be starting next to Kiko.
01:07 44 tackles last season, two sacks, fine player.
01:11 Um, you know, I think that, uh, internally and externally, they're, they're just, they're expecting that Besaint has another gear that he's not hit yet.
01:19 And hopefully this is the year that he hits that.
01:21 He's he's got a little more to prove than Kiko, like Kiko, one of the best linebackers in the country last year, but Saint, I still think is kind of an ascending guy.
01:29 And I think in his third year, hopefully he can hit that, uh, tier three.
01:33 And I'll say this overall, because I know, again, we've had people commenting like Dono, you're such a sunshine pumper.
01:39 Every position group you talk about Miami is going to win a national championship, deepest room in football.
01:46 Yeah, I don't, I don't necessarily feel that way with the linebackers.
01:49 I think there's some, there's some good young talent there, but there's a lot of guys who, uh, haven't really done a lot and have something to prove.
01:57 Cause remember from that linebacker room, Miami lost Corey flag, you know, say whatever you want to flag had a fantastic year.
02:05 Last year, he left in the transfer portal.
02:07 Uh, you know, Miami lost KJ Cloyd, the veteran who played a lot and had some good moments this past season and Keiontre Smith.
02:14 So you, you lost some experience and some good players in that linebacker room.
02:19 Thankfully Kiko is back.
02:21 Cause I don't know what we would do without him this year.
02:23 Uh, so tier three competing for playing time or even possible starts, uh, popo Aguirre heading into his second year.
02:31 Uh, I remember being so excited for this guy coming out of high school.
02:35 He had some moments last year practices really well.
02:37 Marcellus Pulliam, another one who came in as a true freshman last year.
02:41 He was not as highly touted as popo and Malik Bryant, who's also in this tier.
02:47 Uh, but Pulliam, yeah, at an interception last year, uh, apparently he's really rocking the off season program.
02:53 So do not sleep on Marcellus Pulliam.
02:55 He's a three-star coming out of high school.
02:58 He's performing more like a four-star plus in practices.
03:02 Uh, so yeah, again, Malik Bryant and Chase Smith are also in that tier for me.
03:06 And then tier four, um, bright future for both of these guys.
03:11 I just don't know.
03:12 Oh, I almost forgot.
03:13 Bobby Washington is also in that tier three.
03:15 I forgot to write his name down, but it just, it just popped into my head.
03:18 And we already, we complimented Bobby earlier because he, he is, uh, he could
03:23 be like high tier three borderline tier two because Bobby, Bobby has been rocking
03:28 in the weight room, rocking in the off season program.
03:30 He's up to 230 pounds.
03:32 He looks like a stone cold killer out there right now.
03:34 So tier four are the rookies, the new guys, a Darius Hayes.
03:39 Four star, uh, and Bobby Pruitt three-star probably should be a four-star.
03:44 He may be a four-star in some places, uh, you know, get some seasoning,
03:47 show us a little something out there in spring in the practice
03:50 fields and let's freaking go.