Miami loses 8th DB to transfer portal; 3-star center commit flips
The 16th University of Miami football player has entered the NCAA transfer portal — on the same evening that a previous Hurricanes commit flipped his allegiance to Auburn.
Miami true freshman cornerback Khamauri Rogers, a consensus fourstar prospect when he came to Miami this past season from Lexington, Mississippi’s Holmes County Central High, became UM’s eighth defensive back to seek another program.
And three-star offensive lineman Connor Lew (247Sports composite rankings), a center out of Kennessaw Mountain
High in Georgia, announced his flip on social media. Lew committed to UM in August as the Canes’ fifth offensive lineman in the class. He was regarded as one of the best centers in the country with excellent size for the position at 6-3 and 280 pounds.
“I will forever be grateful to Coach Cristobal, Coach Mirabal, and the entire Miami coaching staff for believing in me and for all the love they’ve shown me over the last year. I’ve been thinking a lot about life after college and life after football and, after careful consideration and discussion with my family, I have decided to make some changes more closely aligned with my long-term objectives. With that being said, I have de-committed from the University of Miami and I’m changing my commitment to Auburn University.”
As for Rogers, he was the 20th-ranked corner in the Class of 2022, according to the On3 consensus rankings, and 165th overall recruit. This season he made his career debut in the opener against Bethune-Cookman, finishing with one tackle. That was the lone game in which he played.
The father of Rogers lashed out at UM secondary coach Jahmile Addae on Twitter after the Georgia
Tech game before deleting the tweet. The tweet from the account of Marcus Rogers said: “@coachaddae: you are a piece of work but it’s all good. I’m going to pray for
you and your family; you obviously have serious issues.”
Brian Balom was the seventh UM defensive back (fourth safety) to enter the portal. The others: Gilbert Frierson, Keshawn Washington, Al Blades Jr., Jalen Harrell, Avantae Williams
and Isaiah Dunson.
Washington, Harrell and Williams were also safeties, and Blades was trained primarily as a cornerback.
Eight others have entered the portal. They are, on defense: end Elijah Roberts and tackles Allan Haye, Darrell Jackson and Jordan Miller.
The departed Hurricanes on offense: running backs Thad Franklin and Jaylan Knighton, and receivers Key’Shawn Smith and Romello Brinson.
THIS AND THAT
Signs continue to point toward UM quarterback Tyler Van Dyke returning to play for the Hurricanes next season.
Van Dyke agreed to an NIL deal with John Ruiz’s LifeWallet, announced Ruiz, who indicated Van Dyke will remain with the Hurricanes. UM officials have been expecting Van Dyke to bypass the NFL draft to return to UM next season.
He would very likely be Miami’s starting quarterback next season.
Van Dyke was sidelined and limited by a shoulder injury over the final month of this past season. He finished the season with 1,835 yards passing, 10 touchdowns and five interceptions in nine games.
Receiver Smith became the fourth Hurricanes player in the transfer portal to announce he’s transferring to SMU, which is coached by former Canes offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee.
Smith joins Knighton and defensive linemen Roberts and Miller.
Former UM defensive back Blades Jr. announced he’s transferring to Duke.
Texas A&M transfer defensive lineman Tunmise Adeleye is visiting UM this week and has UM in his final four with Southern California, California and Michigan State. The 6-4, 295 pound defensive lineman was rated by 247 Sports as the 39th best prospect in the 2021 class but has appeared in only two games in two seasons with the Aggies.