Miami, under Mario Cristobal, finished 10-3 last season thanks to Cam Ward. This is a statement that you would certainly have heard time and time again. And while much of it is true, other players, too, helped Cam Ward take his game to a whole other level and deliver a Heisman-level performance. One of those names was Xavier Restrepo, the Miami wide receiver who has now gone to the NFL draft. But how good was he?
Well, for starters, watch his highlights against Duke, and you will know just how lethal Restrepo was last season. This was arguably one of the most explosive performances delivered by a Miami player. Restrepo not only notched up 146 yards in the game and scored 3 touchdowns but also surpassed Miami’s all-time career receiving yards, overtaking Santa Moss (2,547 yards). The prolific wide receiver finished the season with 1,127 yards at a stellar average of 16.3 yards per reception. Imagine a team without Restrepo and much of the receiver corps that delivered the 10-3 season.
Jacolby George (752 yards), Sam Brown (509 yards), Isaiah Horton (616 yards), and the stalwart Restrepo have all departed Miami. Together, the players made the best receiving team corps in the ACC, and thus, the current receiver room looks like a massive downgrade in Miami. So, the case for Beck is grim currently. Carson Beck came with much fanfare and anticipation, but where will the passes go if there aren’t talented receivers to back him up? This is the reason Miami and Mario Cristobal are going for someone who can replicate the success of George and Brown.
As per recent reports, the talented BYU wide receiver Keelan Marion has officially entered the portal and will be looking to join a major ‘power’ program. Guess what? Miami fits the bill quite perfectly. According to On3, major teams like Texas and Miami are after the player, with Miami emerging as the top contender. But Miami will have to move incredibly swiftly for the move.
The BYU wide receiver is continuously posting the offers he has received since entering the portal. According to the player’s feed, he has received offers from Virginia Tech, West Virginia, Tennessee, Baylor, FSU, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kentucky, ASU, and finally Miami. From the player’s perspective, Miami is proceeding with negotiations quickly and was the first to make an offer. This bolsters Mario Cristobal’s case. However, some may question whether the player will be able to perform effectively in Miami with Carson Beck as the quarterback.
Miami offered! pic.twitter.com/ggRAePN0sQ
— Keelan Marion (@keelanmarion1) April 19, 2025
Keelan Marion has notched up a total of 2,266 yards in his career and just last year received 914 yards at an average of 14.4 yards per reception. In total, the wide receiver has received 1,125 yards at BYU after transferring from the UCONN Huskies. So, yes, Keelan has everything Mario Cristobal would want in a wide receiver. Add to that, he is an adept return specialist too (two returning kickoff TDs last year), which will offer an added treat in different departments.
Triple blow a concern for Carson Beck?
Mario Cristobal has roped in 12 transfers this 2025 offseason. Some of the players, such as Keeshawn Silver (DL), DJ Harvey (CB), and Eli Sanders (RB), appear well-prepared and ready for action. Yet, despite the 12 additions, the head coach still needs to take care of the existing players he has on his roster and keep them from jumping on the portal. But the Miami gaffer has already lost three players.
The players were Joshua Horton (DL), who is currently visiting Georgia; Zaquan Patterson (safety), who announced his departure just one day after the portal opened; and Ny Carr, who remained on the sidelines for the entirety of the last season. Alex Donno, a Miami insider, even said. “Carr is sure to generate interest, possibly from Power 4 programs. This is something not completely unexpected on the Miami side, because we know the Hurricanes are looking at possibly multiple receivers in the portal. So, Carr has decided to hit the market and take his talents elsewhere.”
This is because Mario Cristobal is looking for wide receivers in the portal, and Carr, who didn’t get the game time last year, will be looking to take his services elsewhere. The WR also has the talent to back his case up, as he received 3,195 receiving yards for 44 touchdowns in his high school career. The transfer would be a blow for Carson Beck, who had receiver problems at Georgia last season, and his efficiency dropped because of that.
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