As every UM fan knows, the next best thing to rooting for the Hurricanes on Saturday is rooting for former Hurricanes on Sunday.
Here’s a breakdown of each Hurricane player invited to the NFL Combine and where they’re projected to land during the 2025 NFL Draft, which takes place from Thursday, April 24, through Saturday, April 26, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
Cam Ward: Projected First Overall Pick
The Tenessee Titans are expected to take Miami Hurricanes quarterback Cam Ward with the first overall pick in April's NFL Draft. Yeah, that transfer portal pickup went well!After transferring from Washington State in January 2024, Ward lit it up in Coral Gables and skyrocketed up draft boards. He’s the modern NFL prototype — a big arm, mobile, creative off-script, and poised under pressure.
The last Miami QB to go No. 1? Vinny Testaverde, to the Bucs, in 1987.
Damien Martinez: Projected Round 2-3
Damien Martinez, a transfer portal wonder who arrived from Oregon State last year — rushed for 1,002 yards and ten touchdowns in 2024. Like Ward, he is what NFL teams seek in a rookie. Big, physical, and just fast and shifty enough to make defenders miss. He's a three-down back with mid-round sleeper pick written all over him.While the NFL is seeing a bit of a running back renaissance, teams are still always looking for a back who can contribute on a cheap rookie deal. Martinez brings the wood and makeup of a reliable NFL back.
Jalen Rivers: Projected Round 2-3
Standing 6-foot-5 and tipping the scales at 331 pounds, Jalen Rivers is capable of playing tackle or guard. That alone sounds like a player Miami Dolphins fans should keep an eye on going into the draft, regardless of allegiance. Many have called Rivers the most talented non-quarterback Hurricanes player in this year's draft.Offensive linemen don't score touchdowns; they are usually only heard from when they do something wrong. In Rivers' case, he may not be the household name for that reason — he rarely got it wrong. He often was one of the main reasons Ward had as much time to throw.
Expect a team to make Rivers a core part of its draft haul.
Xavier Restrepo: Projected Round 3-4
Michael Irvin, Andre Johnson, Reggie Wayne, Santana Moss, Devin Hester, Lamar Thomas, Leonard Hankerson, Stacey Coley, Allen Hurns. You associate those names with the U in the wide receiver position. But it's Restrepo who holds the all-time receptions (182) and receiving yards (2,573) records for the Miami Hurricanes.One would think that would be highly desirable in the NFL Draft. One would think wrong. Unfortunately, Restrepo ran a 40-yard dash in 4.83 seconds on his Pro Day, a performance he later attributed to a tight hamstring. That, coupled with the fact that he's not prototypical No. 1 wide receiver NFL material, makes it unlikely any team will be willing to part with anything more than a third-round pick in exchange for his services.
Many teams have been burned for paying for production in college, which doesn't translate to the NFL. In Restrepo's case, teams must ask themselves if they're drafting the next Wes Welker or Braxton Berrios. We suspect he'll become much closer to the latter, making even a third-round selection a vast overpay.
Elijah Arroyo: Projected Round 3-5
Arroyo enters the NFL Draft with health and availability questions after knee injuries shortened two seasons from him. That said, general managers with multiple late-round picks could do worse than taking a flier on a talented 6-foot-5 tight end from the U, especially when said draftee is still just 22 years old and coming off a seven-touchdown season.Expect to hear Arroyo's name called on the draft's final day. And if he goes to the right team with the right situation, expect to see his name as a popular final fantasy football pick.
Tyler Baron: Projected Round 4-5
Tyler Baron is projected to be a middle-round pick. He's not the flashiest edge rusher Miami has ever sent to the big leagues, but he has the talent to make plays. He screams of a savvy, hard-nosed defensive pick a team like the Detroit Lions or Philadelphia Eagles would make.Expect Baron to be a need-fill for a team already on the cusp of competing for a Super Bowl, or a player the Cleveland Browns draft and ruin. What we're saying is we have no idea who or what Baron will be in the NFL.
Francisco Mauigoa: Projected Round 4-5
Francisco Mauigoa is one of the most talked-about versatile linebackers in this draft. He also seems to be one with the broadest range of predictions. Some project Mauigoa as a fourth-rounder and rising, while others see him as a player who'll drop to the fifth or sixth. Regardless, fit will be the key. And the former Canes glue guy has a knack for fitting in where he gets in.Whoever drafts Mauigoa will inherit a player they can depend upon from day one. That alone should be comforting to know when you're looking at a mid-round pick.
Jacolby George: Projected Round 5-6
Back-to-back 50-plus catch, eight touchdown seasons and a 4.44 40-yard dash time make former Plantation High School product Jacolby George somewhat of the opposite of Xavier Restrepo — which is to say, above-average stats and higher-upside.How the draft plays out and whether there's a late run on wide receivers will likely determine if George hears his name called in Round 4-5 or Round 6-7. The talent is there, but more highly regarded players are on the underrated free-agent line following the draft. It simply depends on team needs and how the chips fall.
Andres Borregales: Projected Round 6-Undrafted
If Allen Iverson were reading this, he would likely say, "Kickers? We're talking about kickers?" Indeed we are. Former Hurricanes kicker Andres Borregales should be one of the rare kickers who doesn't need to talk to teams after the draft but rather during it.Borregales made 183 of 184 PATs (99.5 percent) and 74 of his 86 field goal tries (86 percent) at Miami. But NFL teams are most likely interested in where those kicks came from. In Borregales' case, many came from long distances. Last season alone, he made seven of ten field goal attempts from 50-plus yards and 17 of 21 from 40 to 49 yards.
Placekicker is the most complicated position to predict. Numerous great college kickers have come into the NFL only to find themselves cut within weeks. But when you find the right guy, you're set for a decade. Borregales could be that guy with a team like — oh, say, the Miami Dolphins — setting and forgetting the kicker position for a good long time.
