The recent addition of edge rusher Tyler Baron provides the Miami football team with a clear two-deep rotation in 2024. The return of ACC Defensive Player of the Year Rueben Bain, Akheem Mesidor, who missed most of last season and Marshall transfer Elijah Alston solidifies the top four Miami edge rushers.
Alston transferred to Miami during the spring transfer portal window. Bain, Baron and Mesidor, all have experience playing defensive tackle and edge rusher. Miami defensive coordinator Lance Guidry will have a lot of versatility on the defensive line this season led by Bain, Baron and Mesidor.
Bain and Mesidor are the projected starting edge rushers for Miami. Who the top four DL are depends on what alignment Guidry wants. Miami will have a strong rotation at defensive tackle with incoming transfers Simeon Barrow, C.J. Clark and Marley Cook. Barrow, Clark and Cook are more traditional DTs.
Bain led Miami DL in 2023 with 44 tackles and 12.5 TFLs and tied for the overall team lead with linebacker Francisco Mauigoa recording 7.5 sacks. In four years with Tennessee, Baron had 101 tackles, 27 tackles for loss, 13.5 sacks, four pass breakups, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery.
156 combined career starts for Miami’s defensive line now with Baron in the fold. https://t.co/iMnJEOrNco
— Manny Navarro (@Manny_Navarro) May 21, 2024
Alston produced 108 tackles, 19.5 TFLs, one interception, five passes defended, four forced fumbles and one fumble recovery. Alston and Baron both had their best seasons in 2023. In 2023, Alston set career highs across the board with 45 tackles, 11.5 TFLs, 6.0 sacks, 3.0 PBUs and 2.0 FF.
Baron had 28 tackles, and set career highs with 10.5 TFLs, 66.0 sacks and one fumble recovery while tying his career high with 2.0 PBUs. In his only full season with Miami in 2022, Mesidor had 38 tackles, 10 TFL, 7.0 sacks, 1.0 FF and four PBUs. Miami has four proven pass rushers in its top four entering 2024.
Baron and Alston transferring to Miami allow the Hurricanes time to develop and elite group of blue-chip pass rushers in the 2024 class. Five-star 2025 signees Armondo Blount and Marquise Lightfoot lead an elite group of Miami freshmen who are the projected successors to Alston, Bain, Baron and Mesidor.
