Hurricanes stars Rueben Bain Jr. and Malachi Toney can add more postseason awards to their trophy case.
The UM defensive end was named the AP All-ACC Defensive Player of the Year, while Toney was named the AP ACC Freshman Newcomer of the Year. Eight Hurricanes were picked as first- or second-teamers.
Bain and Toney were picked as first-team selections. Toney earned first-team honors as an all-purpose player (including his contributions as a punt returner, quarterback and runner, as well) and was a second-team wide receiver. Offensive lineman Francis Mauigoa, defensive end Akheem Mesidor and defensive tackle Ahmad Moten Sr. were picked as first-team selections.
Offensive lineman Anez Cooper and defensive backs Keionte Scott and Jakobe Thomas were voted to the second team.
Bain and Toney were previously named award winners by the ACC itself, as the conference panel of media and coaches voted Bain as the Defensive Player of the Year and Toney as the Rookie of the Year. Both were first-team All-ACC selections in that vote, as well.
Bain was one of the nation’s top defensive players this year. The junior Miami native had 37 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks. But his relatively low traditional statistics belied a stellar season. Bain had a 92.9 defensive grade, which was second-best in the nation. Bain was fifth in the nation with 57 total quarterback pressures.
Toney has excelled in his first season of college football, setting the Miami record for receiving yards by a freshman (970). Toney had seven touchdown catches in the regular season and has a good chance to set the UM record for receptions in a season in the playoffs. Toney has also made highlight-reel plays as a punt returner and as a quarterback, throwing a pair of touchdown passes.
Mauigoa is expected to be a first-round pick in next year’s NFL draft. The UM right tackle has started every game since he arrived at Miami. This season, Mauigoa had an 85.9 offensive grade from Pro Football Focus, which ranked eighth nationally and second in the ACC. His 88.8 pass-blocking grade was 20th nationally and second in the conference. His run-blocking grade was also 20th nationally and second in the ACC. Mauigoa allowed just two sacks and nine total pressures this season.
Mesidor has excelled alongside Bain on the edges of the defensive line. He closed out the regular season with 46 tackles, 12 tackles for loss and a team-best seven sacks. Mesidor had a 92.2 defensive grade, which was seventh in the nation and second in the ACC (behind only Bain). Mesidor was 19th nationally with 44 quarterback pressures.
Moten, a Cardinal Gibbons alumnus, has had a strong redshirt junior season. Despite dealing with injuries that limited him to 10 games, he had 23 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks. Moten had an 80.7 defensive grade, which was second among ACC defensive tackles.
