UM football hosting several veteran transfers this weekend. Details and potential roles

The Hurricanes, this weekend, will welcome to campus several veteran players they’re pursuing in the portal, hoping to supplement a group of nine transfers previously added this offseason.

A look at each one, by position, and how they would fit in if they pick Miami:

LINEBACKER

▪ The visitor: North Texas’ Larry Nixon III

▪ The background: Nixon, who was rated the No. 198 outside linebacker prospect out of North Richland Hills, Texas, in 2018, has blossomed in four years at North Texas and is now attracting considerable interest in the portal.

He had 70 tackles, including 2.5 for loss, in 2021, and 105 tackles (fourth in Conference USA), including 2.5 for loss, last season. He ended last season with 45 tackles in his final four games.

Pro Football Focus rated him 367th of 789 FBS linebackers last season. Run defense is his strength; he finished 270th of 789 linebackers in that area, per PFF.

The questions are his size (236 pounds) and the fact he hasn’t played against Power 5 competition.

Auburn, West Virginia, Oregon State and Cincinnati are among his other suitors.

▪ The potential role: If he signs, he would compete with Wesley Bissainthe to start at outside linebacker. Washington State transfer Francisco Mauigoa is the front-runner to start at middle linebacker in a battle with incumbent Corey Flagg Jr.

WIDE RECEIVER

▪ The visitor: Reedley (California) Community College’s Shemar Kirk.

▪ The background: Kirk was a lightly recruited prospect out of Nashville and opted instead to work two years at a Nissan assembly plant, as Canesport’s Matt Shodell explained.

But he missed playing football, enrolled at Reedley and caught 45 passes for 782 yards and eight touchdowns in eight games in 2021, then caught 31 for 664 and seven TDs in 10 games in 2022.

Mississippi State, Purdue and Texas A&M are among his other suitors.

▪ The potential role: UM is pursuing a handful of receivers in the portal and hopes to land at least one. Florida’s Xzavier Henderson and University of California (Pennsylvania) receiver JaQuae Jackson previously visited and remain uncommitted.

Kirk can play on the boundary or in the slot.

DEFENSIVE TACKLE

▪ The visitors: Louisiana Tech’s Keivie Rose and Mississippi’s Tywone Malone.

▪ The background: The Canes have two 300-plus pound defensive linemen, according to their official roster — Leonard Taylor at 305 and Ahmad Moten at 325.

But they need another to replace the girth and run-stuffing skills of 300-pound Darrell Jackson, who transferred to FSU to be closer to his ailing mother.

Rose (a 6-foot-3, 303-pounder) had 24 tackles (including four for loss), two sacks and two forced fumbles last season, his third year at Louisiana Tech. He was first-team All-Conference USA, and PFF rated him 306th among 867 defensive tackles.

Among defensive tackles, PFF rated him 486th (among 867) as a run defender and 134th as a pass rusher.

247 Sports rated Malone (6-4, 315) as the No. 11 defensive lineman and No. 63 player in the country in the 2021 class.

He appeared in 13 games for Mississippi last season, finishing with 12 tackles, including one for loss and a sack. He visited Ohio State last weekend. Mario Cristobal previously recruited him at Oregon, and they have a good relationship.

UM previously added Purdue defensive tackle Branson Deen (280 pounds) and Georgia State’s Thomas Gore (270 pounds), but neither has the size of Rose and Malone.

▪ The potential role: Either addition would very likely join Taylor and Jared Harrison-Hunte (and two others, likely including Deen) in UM’s tackle rotation.

OFFENSIVE LINE

▪ The visitor: Coffeyville College guard/center Amuary Wiggins.

▪ The background: Wiggins, from Pensacola, emerged as an FBS prospect after a strong junior college season. He could play guard and center.

Maryland, Illinois, Memphis, Wyoming and Temple are among a bunch of schools that have expressed interest.

▪ The potential role: The 310-pounder could back up at guard and provide depth (along with Ryan Rodriguez) at center behind Matt Lee.

RUNNING BACK

▪ The visitor: per 247’s Gaby Urrutia: Nebraska’s Ajay Allen, whose UM visit is ongoing Friday.

▪ The background: Allen, who’s 5-11 and 185 pounds, was rated a four-star prospect and 247’s No. 40 running back in the 2022 class but spent only one year at Nebraska.

He had 33 carries for 190 yards (a 5.8 average) and two touchdowns, including 11 carries for 49 yards (4.5 average) against Oklahoma. But he then sustained a collarbone injury that sidelined him for the duration of the season.

After signing Allen 17 months ago, then-Nebraska coach Scott Frost said when he was interviewing running backs coaches, several mentioned Allen to him, and Nebraska started recruiting him.

“When I put on his tape, he was one of my favorite guys I watched all year,” said Frost, who was fired last season. “There’s a lot of backs that can do something. He’s a guy who can potentially do everything we need a running back to do. Really impressed with his quickness and ability to make somebody miss in short spaces and the hole.”

UM also is pursuing Houston’s coveted transfer running back Alton McCaskill, who has a background with UM offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson, who previously coached at Houston. He ran 189 times for 961 yards (a 5.1 average) and 16 touchdowns and caught 21 passes for 113 yards during an exceptional freshman season in 2021. He missed last season with a torn ACL.

Colorado and Florida are among others in the mix. 247 Sports says he’s also visiting UM this weekend.

▪ The potential role: A transfer back would compete with Henry Parrish, Don Chaney Jr. and summer arrivals Mark Fletcher and Christopher Johnson for carries. McCaskill would be the front-runner to start if he picks UM.

It’s unclear if TreVonte’ Citizen will be ready for the 2023 season after a serious knee injury last August.

Cristobal previously said that every injured player should be ready by the start of the season, but Citizen was wearing a large leg brace at UM’s spring game.

DEFENSIVE BACK

▪ The visitor: Vanderbilt cornerback Jadais Richard, according to 247’s Urrutia.

▪ The background: Coming out of West Monroe, La., Richard was rated by 247 as the No. 31 safety and No 368 overall prospect in the 2022 class. He chose Vanderbilt over Baylor and Louisville.

As a freshman last year, Richard had six tackles and two pass breakups in 11 games and played well in late-season victories against Kentucky and Florida. He had a good chance to be Vanderbilt’s No. 1 cornerback before entering the portal.

▪ The potential role: He could battle Davonte Brown, Te’Cory Couch, Daryl Porter Jr. and Oklahoma transfer Jaden Harris for a top four cornerback job or become UM’s third safety behind Kamren Kinchens and James Williams. If Richard joins UM, he very likely would come with the knowledge that he would get significant playing time.