Three Players From Miami’s 2023 Signing Class Poised for Big Role This Fall Camp
A new season should bring new opportunities for some of the top players from one of Miami’s recent signing classes.
There’s turnover every year in college football. It’s part of the game. Sometimes coaches get players for just a single year. Sometimes it’s four or even five.
But the best coaches bring in top talent year after year and reload their roster rather than rebuild.
The Canes lost a number of top players from the 2023 season including safeties James Williams and Kamren Kinchens, offensive lineman Matt Lee, and Javion Cohen to name a few.
Today I’m taking a look at four players from Miami’s 2023 signing class, which was ranked No. 8 by On3, that are poised for a big role next season.
Rueben Bain
Bain had 44 tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks, three forced fumbles and one fumble recovery as a true freshman in 2023. Garrett had 49 tackles, 12.5 TFLs, 11.0 sacks and one pass defended as a true freshman for Texas A&M in 2014. Bain surpassed three college football legends during his freshmen season.
Bain followed in Lawrence’s footsteps, winning the 2023 ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year. Lawrence won the award in 2016. Bain was also a unanimous Freshman All-American in 2023 and third-team All-ACC. The ACC named Bain the Defensive Freshman of the Week twice and the Defensive Lineman of the Week once in 2023.
Samson Okunlola
Okunlola debuted in the season opener versus Miami (Ohio) and played versus Bethune-Cookman and Temple before suffering a season-ending injury. The 30 snaps Okunlola played in 2023 were the least among the top 2023 recruits who received any playing time.
Expect Okunlola to be part of the rotation in 2024. Left tackle Jalen Rivers and Mauigoa return as starters in 2024. Rivers could be moved to guard and Okunlola left tackle to get the five best OL on the field. With Mauigoa and Okunlola on the Miami OL, the Hurricanes should have significantly more talent up front in the next two years.
Ray Ray Joseph
The Miami native was a huge recruiting win in the class of 2023. A four-star talent, the Edison product was a top 25 receiver and the No. 151 ranked player in America, according to the 247 Ranking.
Despite the hype, the Canes has yet to see much from Ray Ray. The speedy inside wide receiver did not see much of the field in his junior season but he was noticed out on the field during some of the kickoffs, but he is looking to change that during this Spring to go up on the depth chart.
Currently in the middle of a talented, crowded wide receiver room, he’s shown potential in the first two weeks of spring practice according to reporters.
Trinton is the owner of CanesToday. He writes for all sports, with a focus on football and recruiting, he is a freshman in high school and wants to graduate from the University of Miami
