Welcome to the ninth and final installment of a complete position-by-position breakdown leading up to the start of the football season. The safety group could be the most talent-heavy and star-powered position on the team. Upwards of five potential NFL prospects roam the back-end of the defense.
Seven former highly ranked prospects litter the safety depth chart for the Canes, as recruiting at the position has been in the upper echelon for the better part of the last five-plus years.
Defensive coordinator Kevin Steele has already shown that he is not afraid to build his defense around the safeties, running several coverage looks and personnel groupings. That scheme flexibility could put three Miami safeties on All-Conference watch for 2022.
Projected Depth Chart
Co-Starters
Star Position
Depth
How do the top three safeties get on the field together?
The biggest Canes conversation piece of the last two years has been about how to get James Williams, Avantae Williams, and Kamren Kinchens on the field at the same time. The trio has been considered co-starters since taking the reigns at the position and despite underwhelming defensive results, we have seen a significant time where they are all playing a high number of snaps.
The new staff has been hush-hush about depth chart possibilities and scheme, but scrimmage results from fall camp show that having Kinchens and Avantae flying over the top and James roaming the underneath makes this defense more athletic, and more versatile. Scheme wise it raises the level of aggression, as all three make plays on the ball consistently.
Getting James closer to the line of scrimmage without actually putting him at linebacker will pay off for Steele. We saw him play the role of an athletic overhang player with some roaming freedom in his state championship-winning senior year at American Heritage. James' length eliminates underneath routes and intermediate passing attack to his side of the field.
His versatility will assist with linebacker responsibilities in coverage and adds to the pass rush thanks to edge blitzes from his safety spot.
Kinchens and Avantae are two of the best cover safeties in the nation. Both blue-chip prospects coming out of high school, the duo can play in two-high settings with ease. Both also have the physical nature to seesaw to cover three/cover one calls and play more of an underneath/box type presence.
More often than not, the Williams/Kinchens trio should be part of the main personnel grouping and this will only make this new Miami defense better.
Who steps up at the Star position?
Two veterans, Al Blades Jr. and Gilbert Frierson, are battling it out for the role of 'Star' player in this defense. The 'Star' position will be similar to the 'Striker' position in former head coach Manny Diaz's scheme. Blades, Frierson and James Williams could provide length, and the ability to play in space. Their speed in coverage and against the run, make this a hybrid defense that is neither a 4-3 defense, nor is it a true 4-2-5 scheme.
Frierson has been the favorite and overall best fit for the role in fall camp. He intercepted a short pass in the first scrimmage. The fifth-year redshirt junior is familiar with the pressure packages Coach Steele has conjured up and it seems Miami is going to be able to continue to be aggressive. Based on what is seen at fall camp Miami has improved play from the backend and the 'Star' role will be a huge reason for that.
Blades will play every position in the defensive backfield this year and will probably be the reliever-type player that plays nearly starter snaps rotating around the defense. His football intellect and overall experience as a fifth-year junior make him a depth asset.
Final Thoughts
Overall, the expectations are still as high as ever for the safety room. The top four all have the skillset and ability to be highly coveted next-level prospects. Expect a jump in turnover production, as the five total interceptions for the safeties in 2021 could be the number for each James, Avanate, and Kinchens.
The Miami Hurricane defense is deeper and more talented than we have seen in years. The ceiling of the defense can only be reached if the safeties live up to the billing and step up as the best position group on this team
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