Last year, Jason Taylor was a defensive analyst for Miami and this year he was elevated to the defensive line coach.
The defensive line will naturally elevate its overall level of play under the tutelage of the NFL Hall of Famer. In addition, Taylor will work with a talented group of players in his first-ever year as a college position coach.
Pro football focus graded Akheem Mesidor and Jahfari Harvey 1st and 7th in the ACC when it comes to Edge rushers.
Miami ranked 25th in the country in creating pressure last season and that ranking has a good chance to rise in 2023. Aside from Mesidor and Harvey, young talents Nyjalik Kelly and Leonard Taylor will very likely continue their ascension of play at the University of Miami.
Kelly received an 82.7 grade in tackling and a 65.4 grade in creating pressure in his freshman year last season. Taylor received an outstanding 85.5 pressure grade last season.
The aforementioned group alone should be lethal this upcoming season, but there will be plenty of young pass rushers that will add quality depth to that group.
Rueben Bain, albeit a true freshman, definitely has a chance to get into the rotation based on his performance in the spring. Ahmad Moten, Jayden Wayne, Collins Acheampong, Joshua Horton, and Cyrus Moss are all bound to see the field and make an impact at some point in 2023.
Miami also has veterans that will contribute in Chantz Williams, Jacob Lichtenstein, and Jared Harrison-Hunte. Transfers Thomas Gore, Branson Deen, and Anthony Campbell will allow this defensive line to not skip a beat in case of injury.
This Miami defensive line is not ready to be compared to the D-Line's of the early 2000s or late 80s and early 90s, but it very well is on an upward trajectory with the influx of talent and with Taylor as its leader.
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