2021 NFL Draft: Strong start for group of Miami Hurricanes prospects

Taking stock for Miami Hurricanes 2021 NFL Draft prospects following their first game of the 2020 season.

The Miami Hurricanes opened their season on Thursday night against the UAB Blazers at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami. While many eyes were focused on the NFL, the Hurricanes put together a strong performance to beat UAB 31-14 in their opener. More than that, there were quite a few 2021 NFL Draft prospects to watch in this one for the Canes.

Top edge rusher Gregory Rousseau opted out of the season, but many others made the decision to play the season, including two prospects who have garnered top 50 attention, a couple of transfers, and one flying under the radar. Let’s take some stock in Miami draft prospects after game one.

The top two

The first of those two is a player who has the attention of many as a top-three player at his position. That player is tight end Brevin Jordan. Jordan had a productive evening, catching three passes for 51 yards and a score.

While one pass did travel through his hands, Jordan made a living working the middle of the field while lined up in the slot. He took snaps on the perimeter and inline as well. His athleticism plays a big part in his smooth route-running ability, and that helped on his touchdown, a quick out route at the end of the third quarter. He also made a big play after the catch, showing off the straight-line speed and toughness through contact. His tenacity as a blocker showed up as well. If Jordan keeps it going, he should secure a spot in the top 50 come April.

The other top player many analysts had eyes on was edge rusher Quincy Roche. Roche will be primarily viewed as a 3-4 outside linebacker because he’s listed at 235 pounds, and it’s evidenced by primarily rushing upright. Roche wins a lot with refined hand usage and ability to dip/rip around the edge. On Thursday, Roche finished with four tackles, one sack, a tackle for loss, and a hurry.

His sack came when he quickly shot a gap, and he created pressure with a great dip and rip move around the edge. There were a couple of reps where Roche got moved well off the line of scrimmage against the run, but he did look good in a few reps dropping into coverage in the flat.

What stood out most from Roche was his processing skills. He was quick to disengage to pursue plays from behind and quickly closed on plays in front of him. Adding more weight to his frame will be important throughout the 2021 NFL Draft process, but Roche had a solid evening.

The Transfers

Many were anticipating the debut of transfer quarterback D’Eriq King. King is still widely viewed as a developmental prospect. While he won’t likely jump into first-round conversation, King is an electric playmaker. Miami kept things pretty close to the vest for King in the passing game, but there were a couple of nice throws outside the numbers.

King is a natural at escaping the pocket when under duress, and he made big plays as a runner all night long. As a passer, he showed a glimpse of timing and anticipation, especially on the touchdown to Jordan. The issue is that King doesn’t move off his first read much and is always thinking run first. He also missed some easy throws, including a touchdown in the red zone.

There is a chance teams may view him as a position change candidate, and that might be his best avenue to the NFL.

Another player who grabbed headlines as a transfer was edge rusher Jaelan Phillips. Phillips made the move to Miami, and while it didn’t look like he’d start at first, Rousseau’s opt-out gave him the chance. Phillips also got involved on Thursday, registering two tackles, 0.5 sacks, and two passes defended.

Phillips primarily won with his athleticism against UAB, showing a quick get off and transitional quickness to attack gaps and win around the edge. His length was a major part of his performance, as he got in the way of passing lanes twice with deflections. He’s got a lot of talent, but his game needs refinement to become an early pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.

Under the Radar

Miami running back Cam’Ron Harris had a big game on Thursday, and hopefully, the best is yet to come for the junior. He rushed for 134 yards and two touchdowns on 17 carries and could be a major factor in the offense all season long.

Harris showed off good burst, agility to make defenders miss in space, and contact balance en route to his big night. He looked a little uncomfortable catching passes out of the backfield, and his pass protection needs work. In a deep class, he will fortunately have the full season to convince scouts to move him up boards.