NFL roster cutdown day just gave Miami Hurricanes head coach Mario Cristobal another major asset in his recruiting toolkit
It was a terrific day for a number of Miami Hurricanes NFL rookies.
The Miami Hurricanes have not lacked for reasons to draw major interest from top recruits around the country.
The Canes’ run to the national championship game last year showed they’re a program very much on the rise. Add in the Hurricanes’ aggressive NIL packages and living in South Florida, and it’s not a hard sell for Mario Cristobal these days. That’s evidenced by Miami’s top 3 class for 2027 in both On3/Rivals and 247 Sports.
But Sunday night’s NFL roster cutdown day might have just given Cristobal even more ammunition in the recruiting battle. Nine Miami Hurricanes were drafted in the 2026 NFL Draft. Eight of them made the cut for their NFL team’s roster this year, with the ninth landing on injured reserve.
8 of 9 Miami Hurricanes selected in 2026 NFL Draft made their team’s 53-man roster, with Jets OL Anez Cooper landing on IR
Eight of those nine players have been formally announced and listed on their respective team’s 53-man roster. The ninth — Jets offensive lineman Anez Cooper — will start the year on injured reserve designated to return, meaning the team can activate him on IR and add him to their 53-man roster after the first four games.
Rueben Bain, Jr. and Keionte Scott made the Bucs, with Bain a shoe in to start and Scott the top nickel corner candidate. Francis Mauigoa is a starter for the Giants, and Mesidor is in the two-deep rotation for the Chargers. Third rounders Carson Beck (Arizona) and Markel Bell (Philadelphia) stuck, as did Jakobe Thomas (Minnesota). The last confirmed is CJ Daniels with the Rams. Daniels’ selection is particularly noteworthy, as he was a seventh-round pick by LA.
That’s clear proof of the development that Miami’s coaching staff provided. Head coaches of other programs certainly have been able to make that claim in recent years, particularly Georgia’s Kirby Smart. Now, Cristobal has an incredible success rate this year to point to when he’s sitting down in a top recruit’s living room with his family.
