Hurricanes position preview: Can UM make up for losing three top safeties?

College football season is fast approaching, with the Hurricanes opening their 2025 campaign with a big home game against Notre Dame on Aug. 31.

Miami is coming off a 10-3 season that started promising but ended with two late-season losses, which cost UM a shot at an ACC title and a College Football Playoff berth. The Hurricanes’ season ended with a loss to Iowa State in the Pop-Tarts Bowl.

But the 2024 season is in the rearview mirror. As we approach the end of the position previews, there is one group on defense left to look at: the safeties.

Who left

Three of the four safeties who got the most defensive snaps last year have departed.

Meesh Powell, a veteran who came to UM from Washington via the transfer portal, graduated after one season with the Hurricanes. He was a key veteran presence in the secondary, playing the most defensive snaps of anyone on the team. Powell had 38 tackles, six pass breakups and five interceptions. He earned All-ACC second-team honors.

Powell did not get drafted but signed with the Minnesota Vikings.

Three other safeties departed via the transfer portal.

Jaden Harris was Miami’s primary strong safety last year, playing 621 snaps. He struggled at times, earning a 54.8 defensive grade from Pro Football Focus. Harris ended the year with 40 tackles, two pass breakups and an interception. He transferred to Georgia.

Miami also lost promising sophomore safety Zaquan Patterson to the portal. The Chaminade-Madonna alum had 19 tackles in 12 games. He transferred to Oklahoma State.

Isaiah Thomas, a former three-star prospect, transferred to Kennesaw State. He did not play last season.

Who returned

The Hurricanes returned some promising safeties, but most of them did not play much last year.

Miami brings back redshirt junior Markeith Williams, sophomore Dylan Day and redshirt senior Isaiah Taylor. Those three combined for 209 defensive snaps last year, with Williams getting the vast majority of them (192 snaps).

Williams, who had 13 tackles and one pass breakup last year, received a lot of first-team snaps in the spring and could start this season. He had a 63.5 defensive grade from PFF last season, highlighted by a 75.3 pass-rushing grade. Williams had a 62.6 coverage grade.

Day is an intriguing option as well; he made big plays on special teams last season.

“His play on special teams has been nothing short of spectacular,” UM coach Mario Cristobal said last year. “He’s been a game-changer, and I think, over the years at Miami, we’ve all seen how great special-teams players end up becoming every-down players. He’s on track to do that.”

Taylor is a St. Thomas Aquinas alum and the son of Football Hall of Famer and UM defensive line coach Jason Taylor. He previously played at Arizona, but did not play last season while recovering from an injury.

Who arrived

The Hurricanes made major additions at safety this offseason, bringing in transfers and freshmen who can play the position.

Zechariah Poyser, who the Hurricanes added in the winter transfer window, could be the biggest addition. He had a stellar redshirt freshman season at Jacksonville State and arrived at UM in time for spring practice. In 2024, Poyser had 75 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, 11 pass deflections and three interceptions. PFF gave him a 79.9 defensive grade with a 79.9 coverage grade.

“We found ourselves a real one,” Cristobal said in spring. “ZP is made of the right stuff, raised the right way. He is mature, smart, really, really physical, really smart.”

Poyser could slot into one safety spot, and another transfer, Jakobe Thomas could line up next to him. Thomas was a spring addition, transferring from Tennessee. Thomas had 22 tackles and three tackles for loss last season. PFF gave him a 68.5 defensive grade and a 64.9 coverage grade while coming off the bench for the Volunteers.

Miami also added former Auburn defensive back Keionte Scott, who can play cornerback or safety. He played nine games for the Tigers last year but had a 48.1 defensive grade

The Hurricanes added a few defensive backs who played safety in high school or could play it in college.

Bryce Fitzgerald was a four-star prospect out of Miami Columbus High, Cristobal’s alma mater, and was listed as the No. 12 safety in the class in 247Sports’ composite rankings. He did not enroll early, so fall camp will be his first taste of college practice.

Two defensive backs who did arrive early were Chris Ewald Jr. and Amari Wallace. Ewald was a cornerback at powerhouse Chaminade-Madonna, but he practiced with the safeties at times in the spring.

Miami Central alum Amari Wallace, also a four-star prospect, played a mix of cornerback and safety in high school. Wallace made a small splash when he arrived on campus by wearing No. 26, becoming the first UM player since 2021 to wear Sean Taylor’s old number.

“I think he understands clearly the standard that must be upheld and the honor that comes with it,” Cristobal said.

Originally Published: July 21, 2025 at 2:49 PM EDT