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Canes need more from their NFL prospects; here’s how they’re doing. And recruiting update

The Miami Hurricanes need more NFL-quality players to raise the level of their program.

But here’s what else they need: Better play by the NFL prospects already on their team.

Before the season, four Hurricanes were listed among the top five draft-eligible prospects at their position among ESPN’s draft analysts, headlined by Mel Kiper and Todd McShay.

None of the four has produced the desired results in the first quarter of the season.

Tyler Van Dyke’s quarterback rating,using ESPN’s formula, is 102nd in the country among 123 FBS qualifiers. Last year, it was 13th.

His passer rating, using the NFL formula, is 80.8, which would typically rank among the worst NFL starters. Last season, it was a sterling 109.8.

He has gone from 25 TD passes and six interceptions last season to four and three so far this season.

ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. has dropped Van Dyke from third to fifth on his quarterback prospect list. More importantly, he stands at risk of losing his starting job to Jake Garcia.

One UM source noted that former offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee made it easier for Van Dyke — and helped get him into a groove — by calling consecutive passing plays, while playing up tempo, that would result in easy completions, including screens and short passes off rollouts.

New coordinator Josh Gattis, playing a slower pace, has been unable to get Van Dyke into a rhythm, and there’s more thinking for Van Dyke between plays.

Zion Nelson, rated by Kiper as the No. 7 offensive tackle in his newest rankings, has played just 61 snaps because of a knee injury and has graded out below average according to Pro Football Focus, particularly in pass protection.

Will Mallory, now ninth on Kiper’s tight end list, has had another uneven start, with 12 catches (and two drops) in 21 targets, for 127 yards and no touchdowns.

According to WQAM, UM coaches predicted Mallory will catch more than 50 passes this season. He’s on pace for 36.

Pro Football Focus rates him 263rd of 391 qualifying FBS tight ends and in the bottom 10 as a run blocker.

Tyrique Stevenson, rated by Kiper as the No. 8 cornerback, had had three bad plays: allowing receptions of 44 and 71 yards against inferior competition and fumbling a punt in the Texas A&M game.

Overall, per PFF, he has permitted five of 13 passes in his coverage area to be caught for 132 yards, one touchdown and one interception; that 70 passer rating against is very good. But the three mistakes stand out.

He was on the sidelines, limping, late in the Middle Tennessee game.

RECRUITING UPDATE

Per 247 Sports’ Andrew Ivins, four-star Plantation American Heritage Class of 2023 cornerback Damari Brown was at Hard Rock Stadium for the loss to Middle Tennessee.

“A lot of people assume Damari will end up at Miami, but I don’t think that’s the case,” Ivins said. “Damari always has brought up the Seminoles to me.”

He also has visited Clemson and will visit FSU in two weeks when the Seminoles play Clemson.

Ivins said that five-star Lakeland-based Class of 2023 cornerback Cormani McClain is considering only three schools — Florida, Alabama and Miami.

“This sounds like it’s a two-team race, between Florida and Alabama,” Ivins said.

There’s no evidence that UM’s loss on Saturday hurt the Canes among their 17 nonbinding commitments for the Class of 2023.

But Fort Lauderdale Dillard Class of ‘23 four-star running back Christopher Johnson, a UM target who hasn’t committed to any school, told Canesport’s Matt Shodell that the loss “does affect how I view Miami, yeah, a little bit.

“I was thinking coach [Mario] Cristobal would change things around right away, but nothing really has changed yet… Win, that’s what I need to see from Miami now.”

247 Sports ranks UM’s 2023 class 10th in the country. The Canes have one five-star commitment, eight four-star commitments and eight three-star commitments.