July Miami Hurricanes Player Performance Index top 30 deep dive: No. 6 OL Jalen Rivers

CaneSport is breaking down the top 30 Miami players on the roster based on projected production, and today we’re at No. 6, Jalen Rivers .

THE BIG PICTURE

A fifth-year redshirt junior, Rivers was a second team All-ACC pick last year and is an NFL level lineman with experience starting at guard and tackle. He’s the returning starter at left tackle, so Cam Ward’s blind side will be well protected. He has 23 career starts and is as solid lineman as you’ll find in the conference. joined by returning starters Anez Cooper and Francis Mauigoa, plus the addition of Indiana multi-year starter Zach Carpenter, Rivers headlines what should be an excellent Miami offensive line.

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 … No. 15 Zach Carpenter … No. 14 Tyler Baron … No. 13 Mishael Powell … No. 12 Dylan Joyce … No. 11 Francis Mauigoa … No. 10 Daryl Porter, Jr. … No. 9 Anez Cooper … No. 8 Jacolby George … No. 7 Andy Borregales

THE ANALYSIS

Rivers has shown his versatility at Miami starting as a guard and tackle, and last season was his first starting at left tackle. He performed well: per Pro Football Focus he graded out at a solid 74.1 percent (73.5 pass block grade, 70.2 run block grade). He was noted allowing three sacks and six hits on the quarterback. Prior to that he had not graded out particularly well per PFF, with a 60.6 grade in 2022 (631 reps, 73.3 pass blocking, 53.6 run blocking) and 55.3 overall grade in 2021 (159 reps, 45.9 percent grade pass blocking, 55.0 run blocking). But prior to last season he’d missed time in both 2021 and ’22 injured. He’s a key returning piece of a line that a year ago helped Miami improve from 3.7 to 5.1 yards per carry rushing and from allowing 36 to 16 sacks. This year there could be more improvement in front of a strong run game spearheaded by Oregon State tranfser Damien Martinez, plus the talented playmaking of mobile QB Cam Ward.

THE PROJECTION

Injuries really cost Rivers in 2021 and ’22 (missed nine games in 2021 and three in 2022), or his emergence as a top ACC lineman might have come sooner than last season. We expect this line to help Miami better last year’s No. 44 rushing offense, with an assist from newly added RB Damien Martinez, of course. And even the 16 sacks allowed can be bettered with a mobile QB Cam Ward who gets the ball out quickly and from different arm angles. We would expect Rivers to push to be a first team All-ACC tackle and then emerge as a guy who goes in the first several rounds of the NFL Draft. He has that kind of potential.

THE JUMP HE NEEDS FROM SPRING TO FALL CAMP

Rivers already is one of the ACC’s top returning linemen, so for him it’s just a matter of continuing to stay healthy like he did last season and simply doing his job. As one of four linemen with starting experience on the front line, it’s an experienced group with a very high ceiling, and we fully expect Rivers to be a standout. Ward’s blind side should be very well protected.

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