Miami Hurricanes: All-Star Recaps & What to Watch at NFL Combine

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Miami Hurricanes, Miami Football, NFL Combine, The League Winners

The latest iterations of the Senior and Shrine Bowls are in the books, and the NFL Combine is set to commence in just under two weeks. Most of the draft-eligible players in the country will attend the event, allowing all 32 NFL teams to get another in-person look at their preferred prospects in this class. This is the case for the draft-eligible football prospects from the Miami Hurricanes. Some standouts from “The U” had a chance to participate in the all-star events, and now these Miami Hurricanes will have a chance to further improve their draft stock at the NFL Combine.

Who are these Miami players in the 2025 class? And how have they performed up to this point in the draft process? Follow along with my latest article, where I detail how the 2025 Senior and Shrine Bowl players for the Miami Hurricanes have looked up to this point, and what to keep an eye on going entering the NFL Combine.

Editor’s Note: Cam Ward is not featured in this article because he was not a participant in neither the Senior Bowl or Shrine Bowl.

Miami Hurricanes: Players to watch at the NFL Combine

Shrine Bowl

Jacolby George, WR

Throughout the four practices of the 2025 East-West Shrine Bowl, Jacolby George was one of the best offensive players on the field.

When talking about George, any analysis starts with his movement skills on the field. Having a chance to watch practices in person, how the Miami wideout operated immediately popped. George, no matter on what route it was, operated smoothly on the field.

He won on short routes, using quick movements to create separation. On medium and deep routes, George consistently attacked cornerbacks vertically. This allowed the Miami wideout to make his routes all look the same; whether he carried further downfield or made a change of direction, George had more than enough room to operate.

On top of his route running skills, George displayed a high level of speed and body control. It was rare for a cornerback to keep pace with him, as he created some of the biggest throwing windows through sheer speed. If George got a step on a defender, it was essentially game over for them.

In terms of body control, George had one of the more impressive catches in the back of the end zone. On a route he easily won, George twisted around, secured the catch, and got both feet down for an NFL-level touchdown reception.

 

Even with a smaller frame, the former Miami Hurricanes receiver showed that he can make things happen at the next level and contribute for an NFL offense almost immediately.

The key question now, though, is how George can further elevate and cement his stock at the 2025 NFL Combine.

The first thing the Miami wideout must accomplish is confirming his high-level of speed. While it is obvious that George can outrun defenders on the field, he needs to register a 40-yard-dash time in the 4.4-range. This would, whether right or wrong, help NFL teams confirm that the Miami wideout has the athleticism to play at the next level.

More importantly, George needs to light up the agility drills if he chooses to do them. As a wideout who is highly explosive in and out of breaks, George could turn eyes with an upper-level short shuttle drill or 3-cone drill.

There is plenty of more room for George to elevate his stock over the remainder of the draft process, and that will happen at a much quicker pace if he lights up the drill work in Indianapolis.

Sam Brown Jr., WR

Not to be outshined by his former teammate, Miami’s Sam Brown also had a good performance in the Shrine Bowl.

Even though he carried a bigger frame than George at 199 pounds and 6-feet-1-inch, Brown displayed impressive athleticism and receiving ability. The Miami wideout’s highlight play came during one-on-one’s; on a bit of an errant throw, Brown leaped into the air and secured the catch through contact.

Outside of the leaping grab, Brown Jr. displayed nice route running ability and solid hands. He created space for his quarterbacks and secured the ball consistently when he was targeted.

Additionally, Brown displayed some good speed during practices. A standout rep in this regard came against Rutgers cornerback Robert Longerbeam; despite an errant throw, the wideout beat the talented defender deep with route running and speed.

Heading toward the NFL Combine, the Miami wideout is in a very good spot to continue building on his stock. Yet, how can Brown specifically build on this stock at the combine?

While a player like George needs to show off some specific traits, Brown needs a solid all-around performance at the Indianapolis-based event.

The Miami wideout needs to show explosiveness in events like the broad jump and vertical jump. He needs to record a solid time in the 40-yard dash and build on his Shrine Bowl performance with good showings in the agility drills.

A good all-star game performance helps confirm priors or make decision-makers reevaluate how they view a player. Brown, for as good as he looked in Texas, did not have the college production or usage of some of the other players in this class. With another solid performance that confirms his receiving and overall athletic ability, Brown will be in a good spot for the draft.

Francisco Mauigoa, LB

On the defensive side of the ball, linebacker Francisco Mauigoa showcased a very versatile skillset during his week at the Shrine Bowl.

Just like he showed during his college career, the Miami Hurricanes linebacker was a good run defender during the four practices. He understood how to get through his reads, flew past blockers downhill, and made plays in the backfield. Mauigoa played fast and decisive, utilizing his speed and quickness all over the field in this regard.

The most impressive part of Mauigoa’s game, in my opinion, was his pass coverage. On pass both in the short and deep areas of the field, Mauigoa stuck with his assignments. He showcased good footwork, deep speed, and an ability to make plays on the ball.

 

 

To make matters better for Mauigoa, he was clocked as the seventh-fastest player in the Shrine Bowl game, registering a speed of 19.68 miles per hour. He also was in the top-10 in explosive efforts, max acceleration, and distance traveled on the field.

Versatile linebackers are very important at the NFL level. Thanks to his early performance, Mauigoa should have multiple teams keeping tabs on him going forward. That will be further exaggerated if he lights up the NFL Combine next week. How can Mauigoa do this? It comes down to speed testing and agility drills.

The Miami Hurricanes standout, just as he did at the Shrine Bowl with his GPS reading, will need to record times in the upper level of his position group. Based on his sprint speed of just under 20 miles per hour, a time of around 4.5 seconds or lower would be great for Mauigoa. Additionally, if he does agility drills, Mauigoa needs to get average or better times in the short shuttle and 3-cone drill.

Beyond the numerical testing, I want to see fluidity from Mauigoa during drill work. Whether it comes to flipping his hips or changing directions, the linebacker needs to show that his Shrine Bowl practice and game movements were not a fluke.

Can the Miami Hurricanes linebacker achieve all of this at the NFL Combine? It is definitely possible. And if he does, Mauigoa could put himself in a position to be a middle-round contributor at the NFL level right away.

Tyler Baron, EDGE

While I would not call him one of the biggest Shrine Bowl standouts, Tyler Baron still had a positive start to his 2025 draft process.

In one-on-one and team drill reps, Baron displayed his play strength consistently. As a pass rusher, he used his strong hands to rip or swim past offensive linemen. Even if they got their hands on him, the Miami edge rusher found a way to get by them and make plays in the backfield. This continued as a run defender; Baron held firm with his hands and did not let the offensive players dictate the action.

With the promise he showed at the Shrine Bowl, the 2025 NFL Combine is now very important this former member of the Miami Hurricanes.

Outside of interviews, Baron will have to show off his athleticism, bend, strength, and overall ability as a pass rusher. In terms of testing, this will come from the short shuttle or 3-cone drill.

In terms of drill work, I want to see how he operates moving at different angles and utilizing different pass-rushing moves. I will be very interested to see these drills from Baron, as bend is not something I immediately link to his game. If he displays it consistently, it will definitely make me consider him a “riser” at the position.

Overall, Baron having another solid performance at the combine should solidify his 2025 draft stock, and there is room for him to rise with enough of a standout performance.

Andres Borregales, K

To be frank, I did not get a great chance to watch Andres Borregales in person during the Shrine Bowl. However, he did have a very good week kicking some footballs down in Texas.

The prestigious Miami kicker, according to Ryan Fowler, met with a long list of teams at the all-star game event. Some notable teams included in that list were the Philadelphia Eagles, San Francisco 49ers, and Detroit Lions. Additionally, Carolina Panthers beat writer Mike Kaye said that Borregales was “nails” during practice.

At the kicker position, it is good not to be noticed at all, especially if it is a bad week. The fact that Borregales had a great Shrine Bowl is a best-case scenario, and he now gets a chance to build on his stock at the NFL Combine. If he kicks accurately and interviews well, the Miami standout could solidify himself as the best kicker in the class.

Senior Bowl

Elijah Arroyo, TE

On the complete opposite spectrum from Borregales, it was impossible to miss Elijah Arroyo at the 2025 iteration of the Senior Bowl.

As a receiver, Arroyo was dominant all week. If the quarterback needed a quick win, Arroyo got it done. If the play called for an intermediate route, the tight end won and made sure the route was crispy. Even on deep routes, Arroyo showed speed deep down the field and made plays for the offense.

Even if you include wide receivers and running backs, the former Hurricane had one of the best overall offensive performances in Mobile. He made every type of catch, ran every type of route, and won in all of the ways he displayed on his college tape.

Additionally, Arroyo showed some blocking upside during drills. He was not perfect by any means, but the Miami product shows that he can play in line at the next level.

The next stage for the tight end from the Miami Hurricanes is the NFL Combine. In terms of testing, I am very excited to see how the straight-line speed and agility drills look for Arroyo. Thanks to his Senior Bowl performance, many already know the route running and wiggle that the Miami standout plays with. Most people know that he is a ready-made receiving weapon at the next level.

What people may not know is that Arroyo is one of the most athletic players at his position this year. The tight end could challenge to have one of the better 40-yard-dash times (think 4.5 range) and some of the best agility drill times in his 2025 class. A performance like that would only solidify or raise his stock, but after his performance in Mobile, it will not surprise anyone if Arroyo keeps rising in Indianapolis.

Xavier Restrepo, WR

Xavier Restrepo did what he needed to do down in Mobile this year.

The standout playmaker was a dynamite route runner for the Canes in college. Whether operating in the slot or outside, Restrepo took defenders’ lunch money and gave quarterback Cam Ward plenty of easy targets throughout the season. Add in strong hands and some underrated contested catch ability, and you have the most dynamic threat for one of the more electric offenses in college football.

Did Restrepo continue this play style at the Senior Bowl? Yes, he did.

The wideout displayed his high level of play and route running throughout the week in Mobile. He won across the middle of the field and broke off clean routes during one-on-one periods. All of the throws were not on target, but Restrepo did everything that he needed to do.

Restrepo’s performance is only enhanced by his GPS metrics throughout the week. Outside of hitting 19 miles-per-hour for his top speed, the Miami wideout led the National team in Max Deceleration, was top-10 in explosive efforts, and was second on his team in yards traveled.

What does this mean? Restrepo had good speed, was able to change directions and speeds on a dime, and was running all over the field during the practices.

Expect this to continue at the NFL Combine this year for the former Miami Hurricanes wide receiver. Restrepo is a player built for the various receiving drills that take place throughout the workout. Whether it is route running, hands, or even speed, the former Hurricane has a chance to showcase it all on the field.

In terms of testing, keep an eye on Restrepo’s explosive scores. He is already a player that comes with value, but upper-percentile 40-yard dash and vertical jump results, for example, could start to push him up boards.

The former Miami standout may not be the most physically gifted wideout, but as Restrepo showed this season, during the Senior Bowl, and is likely to show during the combine, he is a ready-made slot threat at the NFL level.

Damien Martinez, RB

In an event where it is sometimes hard for running backs to stand out, Damien Martinez popped in some key areas.

The former Miami running back was extremely solid in pass protection and was arguably one of the best at the position during the week. Martinez had great feet and hand positioning when attacking linebackers. Additionally, he did not over-extend or struggle to deal with speed from defenders during these reps.

As a runner, Martinez was smooth and effective during the week. His vision was upper-level; he did not hesitate when receiving the ball and knew exactly what holes to attack. The Miami running back also showed nice burst and quickness, as evidenced by his max speed reading of 19.82 miles per hour.

I would personally like to see more receiving work from Martinez, as I feel that he has untapped potential in this area of his game. However, the Miami running back has the skillset to make an immediate impact at the next level. He has the speed, quickness, vision, and pass-blocking necessary to be an asset for an NFL team right off the bat.

Heading into the NFL Combine, Martinez can solidify this fact with positive testing metrics.

A 40-yard dash in or under the 4.5 range will help Martinez answer the long-speed question. Short shuttle and 3-cone drill times in the ranges of 4.3 and 7.0, respectively, will show that he has the short area burst necessary to be successful. Adequate vertical and broad jump numbers will answer the explosiveness question.

I personally do not have many worries about Martinez, and testing numbers are not a killer if a player’s tape is as solid as Martinez’s is. But if the Miami Hurricanes running back tests like he is capable of, he will not have to worry about the adverse effects of the NFL Combine.

Jalen Rivers, OL

As a draft prospect, Jalen Rivers has a nice floor and showed some nice ability at the Senior Bowl.

Playing multiple positions, Rivers displayed nice power in both the running and passing games. He stayed with his assignments for the most part, shutting them down once he got his hands on them. As a pass protector, he had good footwork and was smooth in his movements. As a run blocker, I enjoyed the power he played with, especially on one play during the week where he was a pulling guard.

Was Rivers perfect during the week? No. He lost some reps and did not flash the “ceiling” that some of the other linemen did. But when it comes to a player’s floor, Rivers has one of the highest in this year’s class.

This floor can be shown at the NFL Combine next week as well. To accomplish this, though, Rivers must test well and move well during drills. The 40-yard dash time and short area quickness drills must be in a good place. Similar to his Senior Bowl performance, he must show power and some lightness on his feet.

I do not expect Rivers to light up the combine, but the Miami offensive linemen should confirm that he has the athleticism necessary to play at the next level. To put it in other words, I am a big fan of his, and I think he will be a great asset on the offensive line for whatever team drafts him.

Graduated Summa Cum Laude from Fairleigh Dickinson University in May 2023 with a Communications Degree, a concentration in Multimedia Journalism, and a minor in Broadcasting. Received an M.A. in Communication from Fairleigh Dickinson University in May 2024. Wrote for Jets Insider for two years, previously hosted a Knicks podcast for Let's Talk Knicks, and contributed to Inside the Iggles. Currently a writer for Jets X-Factor. Avid movie watcher, gym goer, music listener, and MMA fan.

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