PITTSBURGH – The U is officially back — and Pittsburgh proved it.
Nine Miami Hurricanes heard their names called across three days at the 2026 NFL Draft, headlined by three first-round picks for the first time since 2007. Mario Cristobal’s program-building vision crystallized in the most emphatic way possible: dominant in the trenches, deep across the roster, and producing NFL talent at a rate not seen from Coral Gables in nearly two decades.
THE FULL DRAFT CLASS
Here is the complete, verified 2026 Miami Hurricanes NFL Draft class:
| Rd | Pick | Player | Pos | Team |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | #10 | Francis Mauigoa | OT | New York Giants |
| 1 | #15 | Rueben Bain Jr. | DE | Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
| 1 | #22 | Akheem Mesidor | EDGE | Los Angeles Chargers |
| 3 | #65 | Carson Beck | QB | Arizona Cardinals |
| 3 | #68 | Markel Bell | OT | Philadelphia Eagles |
| 3 | #98 | Jakobe Thomas | S | Minnesota Vikings |
| 4 | #116 | Keionte Scott | CB/S | Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
| 6 | #188 | Anez Cooper | OG | New York Jets |
| 6 | #197 | CJ Daniels | WR | Los Angeles Rams |
DAY ONE: THREE FIRST-ROUNDERS AND HISTORY IN THE TRENCHES
Thursday night in Pittsburgh set the tone immediately and loudly.
Francis Mauigoa went #10 overall to the New York Giants — the second offensive lineman off the board and the highest-drafted Miami offensive lineman since Ereck Flowers went ninth overall to the same Giants franchise back in 2015. Sports Illustrated reports the Giants expect Mauigoa to potentially move inside to guard, adding versatility to protect their young quarterback Jaxson Dart.
At #15, Rueben Bain Jr. landed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers — one of the draft’s most disruptive pass rushers, whose college career at Miami was defined by relentless edge dominance.
Then at #22, Akheem Mesidor was called by the Los Angeles Chargers, giving Miami three defensive players or offensive linemen in the first round for the first time since 2002.
The Bain-Mesidor pairing is historically significant: they became the first pair of defensive ends from the same school to both go in the first round since Miami’s own Jaelan Phillips (#18) and Gregory Rousseau (#30) in 2021 — and they went earlier than that duo, making them the highest-drafted Miami DE tandem in program history.
Miami’s three first-rounders trailed only Ohio State’s four in the entire 2026 draft.
DAY TWO: THREE MORE IN THE THIRD ROUND
Friday delivered three more Hurricanes in rapid succession, all in Round 3:
- Carson Beck (QB, #65, Arizona Cardinals) — Beck enters an immediate starting competition in Arizona after a strong final season at Miami. The Cardinals are betting on his development as their franchise signal-caller.
- Markel Bell (OT, #68, Philadelphia Eagles) — The offensive tackle adds depth and flexibility to Philadelphia’s line, continuing a theme of Miami producing NFL-ready trench talent under Cristobal.
- Jakobe Thomas (S, #98, Minnesota Vikings) — The hard-hitting safety made a massive impression during his lone season with the Hurricanes before heading to Minnesota.
DAY THREE: DEPTH AND VERSATILITY
Saturday’s later rounds added four more Hurricanes to NFL rosters:
- Keionte Scott (CB/S, #116, Round 4, Tampa Bay Buccaneers) — Scott joins Rueben Bain Jr. in Tampa Bay, giving the Buccaneers two Hurricanes in one draft and further bolstering their defensive depth.
- Anez Cooper (OG, #188, Round 6, New York Jets) — A powerful interior blocker who gives New York depth along the offensive line.
- CJ Daniels (WR, #197, Round 6, Los Angeles Rams) — Daniels brings speed and playmaking ability to a Rams receiving corps looking for reinforcements.
UNDRAFTED FREE AGENTS
Within the first hour after the draft concluded, four more Hurricanes signed priority UDFA deals:
| Player | Pos | Team |
|---|---|---|
| James Brockermeyer | C | Atlanta Falcons |
| Wesley Bissainthe | LB | Kansas City Chiefs |
| Keelan Marion | WR | Atlanta Falcons |
| David Blay | DT | New England Patriots |
HISTORICAL CONTEXT: HOW BIG IS THIS?
The numbers tell the full story of just how significant this draft class is for The U:
- Nine picks — tied for the most since 2004 (also nine); most recent prior instance was 2017.
- Three first-rounders — first time since 2007 (Brandon Meriweather, Jon Beason, Greg Olsen).
- Six players in the top 100 — first time since 2006.
- Three offensive linemen drafted in the same class — a rare feat.
- Tied for fourth-most players drafted among all schools nationally — behind only Ohio State (11), Alabama (10), and Texas A&M (10).
- Tied with Clemson for most players drafted in the ACC.
- 16 draft picks over the last two years (2025–26) — most in a two-year span since 2003–04 (17).
WHAT IT MEANS FOR MARIO CRISTOBAL
State of the U put it best: “This is not The U coming back — it is back.”
Cristobal arrived in Coral Gables preaching trench dominance and purposeful recruiting. The Mauigoa-Bain pairing going inside the top 15 — both players he recruited together — is the most fitting possible punctuation on that promise. Coming off a national championship game appearance and with Cam Ward going #1 overall in 2025, Miami has now produced back-to-back drafts with top-10 picks for the first time since a four-year run from 2002–2005.
The program’s recruiting pitch just got a lot louder.
Sources
State of the U: Nine Hurricanes, Nine Stories: Miami’s 2026 NFL Draft Class is the Best in Two Decades
Miami Herald: Nine Notable Stats as Nine Miami Hurricanes Selected in 2026 NFL Draft
247Sports: Nine Miami Hurricanes Selected in 2026 NFL Draft, Most Since 2017
Sports Illustrated: List of Every Miami Hurricane Player Picked in 2026 NFL Draft
