With only one secondary starter returning, Miami will rely on Porter and Brown to step up

Fifth-year cornerback Daryl Porter Jr. and sophomore cornerback Demari Brown are no strangers to each other. Both attended American Heritage School in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., where they overlapped during the 2019 football season. Now, nearly five years later, both teammates are reunited on the Miami Hurricanes football team: but now they’ll play side-by-side.

“I remember when [Brown] was about 5-foot-11, 160 pounds,” Porter said.

A half decade later, Brown is now three inches taller and 40 pounds heavier, and the expectations are much higher now than when he was a freshman in high school.

“[Brown] is gonna be really, really good, if not a first-round draft pick,” Porter said. “He has all the tools and attributes to be an all-world corner [and] an All-American. I feel like I’m taking him under my wing and I feel like he’s gonna have a breakout season this year.”

Three secondary players were drafted from last year’s Hurricanes’ roster: safety Kamren Kinchens, safety James Williams and cornerback Jaden Davis. Without those players and cornerback Te’Cory Couch, Porter remains the only starter in the secondary from last year’s team. For a secondary unit that lacks experience, Brown’s emergence could be the key to unlock the entire Canes’ defense.

“The opportunity was there for me last year, [and] it’s here for me now,” Brown said. “So I’m just gonna take advantage, keep moving forward and get better day by day.”

Brown will likely be the starting nickel cornerback next to Porter and junior cornerback Jadais Richard. The sophomore will be tasked with guarding slot receivers, and he’s getting daily reps against one of the nation’s best in fifth-year senior Xavier Restrepo.

“He’s good work. [He is] the best of the best,” Brown said. “When I go against him, I make sure my Ps and Qs are on.”

It’s evident in Brown’s high school tape why he was such a highly regarded recruit. At American Heritage, he displayed the ability to mirror receivers, to make open-field tackles after gaining depth and to play press man coverage consistently.

Brown has demonstrated a lot of potential, but he will need to improve his overall game drastically, as his 65.3 coverage grade from Pro Football Focus last season was underwhelming.

While more eyes will be on the up-and-coming cornerback this season, the Canes will likely count on Porter to shut down the other team’s number one receiver this fall.

Porter, who spent the first two seasons of his college career at West Virginia before returning home to South Florida, was one of the ACC’s best cornerbacks last season. Last season, Porter allowed just 46% of passes thrown against him to be caught, which ranked eighth best in the ACC. His 80.2 coverage grade from Pro Football Focus also ranked 7th best in the ACC.

Despite these numbers, Porter did not earn a spot on an All-ACC team this past season, which adds extra motivation for his final college campaign.

“I wake up with a chip on my shoulder every morning,” Porter said. “I feel like I should be an All-American [and] I feel like I should be high on these draft boards. Things happen, but I feel like things will change after this year.”

Porter will have more to worry about than just his individual play this year. As the lone returning starter in the secondary, the fifth-year senior will also need to counsel the less experienced players in the defensive backs room..

“I feel like I have to turn into a couch sometimes,” Porter said. “Telling [the secondary] everything that I know from experience on and off the field. I have to do more outside of football.”

Despite a slow start, Miami has improved through the first two years of the Mario Cristobal era, going from 5-7 in year one to 7-6 the next year. These improvements were displayed on defense as the Hurricanes jumped from 65th in total defense to 24th. They also jumped from 68th nationally in scored defense to 43rd nationally. But to win the ACC and make the college football playoffs, Miami will likely need to elevate its defense into the elite tier of college football.

If they are to make that jump and perhaps secure the school’s first ACC title, Porter and Brown’s play will play a significant role in that accomplishment.