NFL Scout at Combine: How Did Canes "Not Win at Least Nine Games?"
The Miami Hurricanes appear to have quite the imposing batch of incoming NFL talent, with ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. even projecting three Canes to have their name called in the first round. That's more than defending national champion Ohio State, more than dominant ACC rival Florida State, and any other team in college football.
At last week's NFL Combine in Indy, one NFL scout questioned how a team oozing with this much talent could have possibly gone 6-7 last season, as told to Fox Sports' Bruce Feldman:
"They had one of the best running backs in college football (Duke Johnson); the best tight end (Clive Walford); the fastest wideout (Phillip Dorsett); one of the best O-linemen (Ereck Flowers); one of the top linebackers (Denzel Perryman); and the guy who was the most impressive player at the East-West game (DE Anthony Chickillo), and I know they got a young QB that's a stud too (freshman Brad Kaaya)," one longtime NFL scout told FOX Sports in Indy. "They had more front-line talent than half the teams in the SEC. They didn't have as much talent as Florida State, but they were still pretty loaded. How does that team not win at least nine games in that league?"
Yet none of this year's outgoing players have pointed the finger at Al Golden or the Miami coaching staff.
"I'm not gonna blame any coach," Dorsett said. "Coaches coach. Players play. So that's on us."
Feldman describes Golden's status at Miami as "one of the hottest seats in the country" as he heads into his fifth year in Coral Gables. Considering his tenure with the Canes has been eerily similar to Randy Shannon preceding him, this is likely a make-or-break season for Golden.
Thankfully Al has a rising young phenom at quarterback in his corner in Brad Kaaya, the ACC's most efficient passer last season -- ahead of Jameis Winston, the projected No. 1 overall pick.
Will that be enough?
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