Miami NFL Draft Tracker: Ward top pick; Arroyo in 2nd round; Rivers/Mauigoa/Baron in 5th; Borregales in 6th and Martinez in 7th

The Miami Hurricanes are, to some extent, chasing history in this year’s NFL Draft. And it’s not just because QB Cam Ward was the first No. 1 pick out of UM since DT Russell Maryland was the top pick all the way back in 1991. Oh, and it’s also notable that no UM quarterback prior to Ward had gone in the first round since some guy named Vinny Testaverde was the top pick back in 1987.

The history aspect goes beyond that, though, since Miami was chasing legitimately having 7-9 players go in the draft. And when the draft ended April 26 Miami had the most UM players go in one draft (seven) since nine went in the 2017 NFL Draft. Since then the numbers have dwindled to six in 2018, five in 2019 and then four, four, one, three and four last year.

Getting sizable NFL talent in the program year after year is a must, so this is a start, right?

So here we go with your NFL Draft Tracker, Miami 2025 edition.

Ward, of course was already off the board with the top pick.

The next Cane that was picked?

That was TE Elijah Arroyo. He went in the second round with the 50th overall pick to the Seattle Seahawks … that’s about where he was generally projected to go (Mel Kiper had him 37th, Brent Sobleski 41st with PFF analysts placing him at No. 55 and Jordan Reid drops him to the third pick of the third round).

From ACL Tear to NFL Bound: Elijah Arroyo’s Inspiring Miami Hurricanes Comeback Story

After that there were three Canes projected to go in the middle rounds of the draft: WR and two-time 1,000-yard receiver Xavier Restrepo, RB Damien Martinez and guard/tackle Jalen Rivers.

It was Rivers who went next, landing with the Cincinnati Bengals … albeit after a long wait from the Arroyo pick. Rivers was selected with the 17th pick of the fifth round (153rd overall pick). Heading into the draft he was typically getting a fourth round grade – Reid projected him going at the end of the third round, Brugler had him with the third pick in the third round and Valentino had him with the eighth pick of the fifth round while PFF also put him in the fifth round. And the fifth round it was.

But it wasn’t Restrepo or Martinez that went with the next three Canes taken.

In a surprise, a guy most projected as a free agent was taken as the fourth Cane off the board – linebacker Francisco Mauigoa. He led Miami in tackles the last two years but his size/speed combination is why he was considered a borderline pro prospect. Mauigoa was taken with the 26th pick of he fifth round by the New York Jets (162nd overall pick).

The fifth Miami player to go? That was DE Tyler Baron. He was generally projected to be taken in the fifth or sixth round (Sobleski and PFF have him in the fifth round, Reid late in the sixth). He went to the Jets with the final pick of the fifth round (176th overall pick).

Six picks after Baron it was kicker Andy Borregales‘ turn (Valentino has him in round five, Reid with the fourth pick of the final round and Sobleski has him going in the seventh round while PFF has him undrafted). Borregales went to the New England Patriots with the 182nd overall pick.

Then it was Martinez going with the seventh pick in the seventh round (No. 223 overall) to the Seattle Seahawks. He ran for 1,000 yards after transferring in to UM, and slid in the draft. He was projected going with the second pick of the third round according to Sobleski, while Reid has him at the end of the third round, Valentino has him at the bottom of the fourth round and PFF put him in round 3 with the 94th overall selection.

It was a tough draft for Restrepo, who was predicted to go anywhere from the third to sixth rounds. He went undrafted. Ian Valentino of the33rdteam.com did a full mock draft and had Restrepo going with the ninth pick of the third round while PFF has him 74th overall. ESPN’s Jordan Reid had him going in the fifth round and Miller with the first pick of the fifth round. His 4.8 Miami Pro Day time hurt.

Others that had hoped to be drafted and weren’t? At DT there were mixed reviews on Simeon Barrow. Barrow had a strong Pro Day but many expected him to be a free agent while some have him going late in the draft (for instance PFF has him in the fifth round, Valentino in the seventh and Reid and Sobleski have him undrafted). Some also had WR Sam Brown going late (Sobleski has him in the sixth round, PFF in the seventh and Valentino listed him with the third pick in the sixth round; Reid had him undrafted).

FREE AGENT SIGNINGS

DT Simeon Barrow: Atlanta Falcons

WR Jacolby George: Carolina Panthers

CB Daryl Porter, Jr.: Buffalo Bills

S Meesh Powell: Minnesota Vikings

WR Xavier Restrepo: Tennessee Titans