Calling it now, the staff's ability to develop NFL-ready defensive backs is about to become our biggest recruiting pitch. Seeing Keionte Scott's draft profile pop up everywhere this week is not a coincidence. It's a direct result of the coaching hire we made in the secondary last year. That unit went from a liability to producing a draftable talent in one year. They improved their coverage grade by over 15 points from 2024 to 2025.
People focus on the flashy portal QB like Darian Mensah, and he's great, but sustainable success is built on identifying and developing guys like Scott. The new defensive backs coach came in with a specific technique and film study system that clearly works. When you can point to a tangible result, a guy going from a transfer to an NFL prospect, that resonates with high school recruits and portal players alike. It proves the path exists here again.
This is how you close the gap with Georgia and Alabama. You can't just out-talent them every year, but you can out-develop them at specific positions. Our 2026 class with Jackson Cantwell is a start, but the real win is showing every defensive back in the country that Miami is where you go to get to the league. That coaching hire is paying dividends that will last for multiple recruiting cycles. The proof is in the draft profile.
