The Hurricanes signed two five-star offensive linemen in the 2023 recruiting class.

The first one to commit, Francis Mauigoa, has become a star right tackle. He has started all 38 games since arriving on campus, and he is projected to be a first-round pick in the NFL draft.

The second, Samson Okunlola, played just 93 snaps across eight games in his first two seasons at Miami. But Okunlola stayed at Miami to work with coach Mario Cristobal and offensive line coach Alex Mirabal.

Through two games this season, he has already surpassed the number of snaps he had played those first two seasons, and he has been one of the Hurricanes’ top offensive linemen.

“He was such a highly touted guy, everyone wanted it to happen right away,” Cristobal said. “But that’s not the way football works. Football’s a developmental sport, and sometimes it pops for guys a little bit later than others, and he’s hitting on all strides right now. He’s hitting on all cylinders right now.”

In the spring, Mirabal said Okunlola’s “work is about to be rewarded.” His teammates took note of that work, as well.

“I’ve always thought he was a really good player,” center James Brockermeyer said. “He’s a guy who works really hard, and he’s not seeking attention when he does it. He likes to work in the dark and move in silence. And he’s a really good player, a really good person, and (we are) blessed to have him on our team.”

Although Okunlola was primarily a tackle in high school, he has been working at guard and tackle since he arrived at Miami. At 6-6 and 330, his size could have been a challenge on the inside of the line, but he has improved at the position..

“You always wonder, because he’s so long, can he actually fit in there and generate power?” Cristobal said. “The A-gaps are really important as it relates to both keeping a clean pocket and then running the football. But Samson, you’d be hard-pressed — and we have a lot of these guys now — you’d be hard-pressed to find people like him that work as hard as he works. You’ll find him in here at all hours.

“So he has worked himself, he has learned himself into being an excellent football player at guard, which was very new for him. He’s learned to play with his feet in the ground and to play with power with bend in his knees and a flat back, which is really important. And understanding that those man blocks and combinations, the timing is different than it is outside at tackle, both in the pass game and the run game.”

Offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson said it was evident during fall camp that Okunlola had improved, and now the redshirt sophomore is getting a chance to prove himself.

Okunlola has rotated in at tackle and guard against Notre Dame and Bethune-Cookman, playing 80 total snaps. The majority of those snaps were at left guard. In that time, Okunlola has earned a stellar 89.3 pass-blocking grade from Pro Football Focus. That grade is the best on the team and tied for 10th-best in the nation.

“He’s playing with a lot of power in the run game, a lot of balance and body control (and) great use of his hands in the passing game,” Cristobal said.

Whether he moves into an official starting role or continues to rotate in, Okunlola is earning more chances to prove that he deserved that five-star billing.

“I think the mother of all learning, the repetition, has taken its course, and he’s had so many reps at all those that he’s really evolved into an excellent football player,” Cristobal said. “And he’s another one that’s just getting started, so we look forward to more great play for him.””

 

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2025/09/11/hurricanes-okunlola-playing/