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Do U Feel A Draft In Here?

Five Miami Hurricanes heard their names called on the final day of the 2025 NFL Draft Saturday at Lambeau Field, bringing the University of Miami’s three-day total to seven draft selections.

Offensive lineman Jalen Rivers (fifth round, Cincinnati Bengals), linebacker Francisco Mauigoa (New York Jets, fifth round), defensive end Tyler Baron (fifth round, New York Jets), kicker Andy Borregales (sixth round, New England Patriots) and running back Damien Martinez (seventh round, Seattle Seahawks) were all selected.

The five selections Saturday joined QB Cam Ward, who was picked No. 1 overall Thursday by Tennessee, and tight end Elijah Arroyo, who was selected in the second round (No. 50 overall) Friday by Seattle.

Rivers, Miami’s starting left tackle for the last two seasons and a four-year starter, was a key member of an offensive line that paved the way for the No. 1 offense in the country last season. An All-ACC Honorable Mention selection last season and All-ACC second-team pick in 2023, Rivers made 31 starts over the course of his career.

In his two years as starting middle linebacker for the Hurricanes, Mauigoa served as one of Miami’s top defensive contributors. Mauigoa finished with 178 tackles in his two seasons in Coral Gables – including a team-high 96 tackles in 2024. A second-team All-ACC pick both seasons, Mauigoa totaled 29 tackles for loss and 9.5 sacks at Miami.

In his lone season with the Hurricanes, Baron pulled in All-ACC Honorable Mention honors. Baron tied for the team lead in tackles for loss (11.0) and sacks (5.5) and was tied for fourth on the Hurricanes in total tackles (38), including 18 solo stops. He totaled a season-high seven stops in Miami’s bowl game.

Borregales was drafted after a record-breaking career at Miami, where he set the school record for career points with 405. A first-team All-ACC selection in both 2023 and 2024, Borregales was a multi-time finalist for the Lou Groza Award honoring the nation’s top kicker. He finished 74-for-86 on field goals for his career.

Martinez was an All-ACC Honorable Mention selection in his lone season with the Hurricanes, posting the first 1,000-yard campaign by a Miami running back since 2016. Martinez rushed for 1,002 yards and 10 touchdowns, leading the team with 1,206 all-purpose yards. The junior made 10 starts and averaged a whopping 6.3 yards per carry.

The Hurricanes’ seven selections were the most since the 2017 NFL Draft, when nine players were picked.

Kings of Spring 2025

For weeks, they’ve practiced on Greentree, learned from their coaches, studied film and worked toward improving in every facet of the game.

And on Saturday afternoon, in front of family, friends, former players, alumni, and season-ticket holders, the Hurricanes had a chance to put it all together and close spring drills with their annual spring game, this one held at Cobb Stadium on campus.

The action on the field was modified – full contact was limited to the first half – but there were still more than a few moments, including an impressive touchdown grab by freshman wide receiver Malachi Toney, that elicited cheers from the crowd in attendance.

“It was very exciting,” Toney said of the chance to play in his first spring game. “[Offensive analyst Donovan] Varner and [wide receivers coach Kevin Beard], they gave me the opportunity to come in as a freshman, show my talent and that’s what I’m doing right now. We had a great spring. Now, it’s time to transition over to the summer. Got to keep going.”

The rest of the Hurricanes, including head coach Mario Cristobal, echoed that sentiment.

While Saturday, yes, may have been an opportunity for fans to get their first look at new defensive coordinator Corey Hetherman’s scheme and see how much progress freshmen like Toney have made during their first months on campus, the Hurricanes know they still have plenty of work to do ahead of their Aug. 31 season opener against Notre Dame.

Spring practice, and Saturday’s spring game, were just two of the steps on the journey toward the upcoming season and the games that await.

“We feel really good about our spring. We really do,” Cristobal said. “We play football, and we practice football and we’re in pads and the guys did a really good job attacking a very demanding regimen. … A couple guys were held out due to being nicked up or bumped up, nothing major. We don’t see anything major, but overall, just a very, very good spring. A lot of progress and a lot more progress to go.”

For the Hurricanes, one of the big points of focus this spring was learning Hetherman’s scheme, given that the defensive coordinator joined Miami’s staff in January.

In Saturday’s game, the defense turned several big plays, including a goal-line stand during the first half that prompted Cristobal – a former national championship offensive lineman – to give the unit some praise – even if it was somewhat begrudgingly.

“As an offensive lineman, what do you think I’m going to say?” he quipped. “I want to projectile vomit on the offensive side. But on the defensive side, I’ll tell you two things – number one, great job from a schematic standpoint, just finding a way to expose certain gaps and timing it up really well. And even more so, a couple guys just hunkering down, putting their feet in the ground and knocking people back. So, you can’t take away from that. … We kind of needed that. … We’ve done short yard [situations], but we haven’t done a bunch of goal line in the spring. … Overall, that was a great job by the defense, so I’ll hold my personal feelings aside.”

Said linebacker Wesley Bissainthe, “I felt like the defensive performance was great. You know, just running basic things, getting our feet wet, making plays.”

Beck Back Soon

The Hurricanes have been without quarterback transfer Carson Beck for much of the spring as the sixth-year redshirt senior recuperated from the elbow surgery he had in December.

But Cristobal told CBS Sports this weekend that the quarterback is cleared to begin throwing on Monday. At Saturday’s spring game, the coach reiterated that, saying the expectation is that Beck will be fully available for any upcoming player-led practices.

Quarterbacks Emory Williams, Luke Nickel and Judd Anderson handled the reps in Saturday’s spring game.

“The good part is, as you know, our PLP – player led practices – [are] coming up. He’s going to be fully cleared for all of those, so he will have the opportunity to have about 16 of those before we even head into fall camp,” Cristobal said. “So, not to mention throwing on his own with the players. So, there’s a lot of opportunity coming up. He certainly took advantage of whatever he could mentally. The physical part begins on Monday, so we’re excited for that.”