July Miami Hurricanes Player Performance Index top 30 deep dive: No. 15 C Zach Carpenter

CaneSport is breaking down the top 30 Miami players on the roster based on projected production, and today we’re at No. 15, Zach Carpenter .

THE BIG PICTURE

Carpenter is the new Matt Lee, arriving as a multi-year starter from Indiana who will plug the hole left by Lee’s departure in the middle of the offensive line. Carpenter joins three returning starters – Anez Cooper, Jalen Rivers and Francis Mauigoa – and the battle for the fifth spot is likely going to be between former 5-star Samson Okunlola, Matthew McCoy and Markel Bell in fall camp. Certainly Cooper, Rivers and Mauigoa showed last year they are solid performers, and if Carpenter can replicate what he did at Indiana then the middle of the line should be just fine, too, and help make this one of the ACC’s top front lines.

JULY PLAYER PERFORMANCE INDEX: No. 30 Elijah Alston , No. 29 Josh Horton , No. 28 Raul Aguirre … No. 27 D’yoni Hill … No. 26 Samson Okunlola … No. 25 Jaden Harris … No. 24 Markeith Williams … No. 23 Akheem Mesidor … No. 22 Jaylin Alderman … No. 21 Damari Brown … No. 20 Wesley Bissainthe … No. 19 Simeon Barrow/CJ Clark … No. 18. Elijah Arroyo … No. 17. Sam Brown … No. 16 Elija Lofton

THE ANALYSIS

Carpenter was a standout at Indiana, starting 27 games in his career there after originally signing with Michigan in the Class of 2019 (he redshirted that year and served as a backup in 2020 prior to transferring). After arriving at Indiana he started five games at right guard in 2021 before becoming a full-time starter in 2022. He didn’t allow any sacks that year playing center and guard – he began the season playing center, missed two games due to surgery for a torn hand ligament and then played guard with a club protecting his hand before moving back to center (he taught himself to snap lefty while the injury was affecting him, and he can still snap effectively with either hand). This past season at center Carpenter allowed 10 quarterback pressures in 445 pass blocking reps, and his 2.3 percent pressure rate was third-best in the Big Ten. Per Pro Football Focus in 804 overall reps this past year he graded out at 64.4 percent overall (was 53.3 percent in 2022) with a 71.8 percent pass block grade (54.6 in 2022) and 61.0 run block grade (49.7 in 2022). He is a solid addition for Miami.

THE PROJECTION

Carpenter may not be at the same level as Lee, who was one of the nation’s top-graded and performing centers, but he’s more than good enough to hold his own and get the job done in the middle of Miami’s line this season. He has experience and talent and will just have to adjust to ACC interior linemen. There’s really no depth/proven talent behind him, so the job is all his and he’s likely to take every meaningful rep in close games just as Lee did a year ago. At 6-5 and 295 pounds he’s a more physically imposing center than Lee, and if he can have a strong year then this explosive Miami offense will be all the better for it.

THE JUMP HE NEEDS FROM SPRING TO FALL CAMP

Carpenter was solid at Indiana but was a bit slow out of the gate this spring in terms of really showcasing being a physical center, which is what Mario Cristobal/Alex Mirabal demand. Finesse isn’t going to do it. He has the size, leverage ability and strength, and has to show more of that this fall to be as dominant as Lee was last season and catch the eye of NFL teams, which ultimately is why he came to Miami for his final season (he’s the only senior offensive lineman on the roster).

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