Miami Hurricanes could make a major move in the spring transfer portal window, continuing head coach Mario Cristobal’s emphasis on transfer additions since returning to his alma mater.
Cristobal landed Georgia quarterback Carson Beck during the winter cycle, pulling him away from both Athens and the NFL Draft. This move mirrored last offseason when Miami added Cam Ward, who became one of the most productive quarterbacks in school history.
Last spring, Cristobal made key additions to support Ward, including Oregon State running back Damien Martinez, Houston wide receiver Sam Brown Jr., and Michigan State defensive lineman Simeon Barrow Jr.
So far this spring, Miami has only seen players exit the program, with no transfer commitments coming in. That may soon change.
According to ESPN’s Tom Luginbill, the Hurricanes are favored to land Syracuse wide receiver Trebor Pena.
“Pena’s game is similar to that of former Miami receiver Xavier Restrepo,” Luginbill said. “If you’re the Hurricanes, why not land a perfect replacement? The 6-foot Pena is two inches taller than Restrepo and finally broke out last season when paired with Syracuse quarterback Kyle McCord, catching 84 passes for 941 yards and nine touchdowns. The sixth-year senior doesn’t have Restrepo’s overall body of work, but he’s a reliable playmaker who converts on critical downs. He’s a great route runner who could replace Restrepo’s ability to navigate zone coverages and get open.”
Restrepo was one of Ward’s most dependable weapons last season, recording 1,127 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns on his way to first-team All-American honors.
There’s history between Pena and the Hurricanes. He caught six passes for 128 yards and a touchdown in Syracuse’s upset win that knocked Miami out of ACC title contention last fall, effectively ending their College Football Playoff hopes.
Adding Pena won’t come cheap. Syracuse head coach Fran Brown told ESPN Syracuse that Pena is looking for a massive payday.
“We paid him enough. He was going to get paid more,” Brown said. “There were some numbers that were asked to me that I didn’t feel I would be able to do and move on. I treated him right, did everything that was needed, and I just said, ‘Yo, you got to go.’
“You gonna make $2 million at wide receiver? That’s the homie at Ohio State [Jeremiah Smith],” Brown added. “Ain’t nobody else making that money. I’m not giving no wide receiver $2 million in college. That ain’t me. I ain’t doing that unless they tell me we have a chance to have Travis Hunter come back to college. He can come here and play for us, then he gonna get some of my check.”
Miami is no stranger to big NIL offers. The Hurricanes reportedly signed Beck to a $4 million deal. However, Beck filled a more pressing need and is widely viewed as a more elite talent than Pena.
Whether Miami views Pena as a worthy investment remains to be seen — but if they want him, the price tag is already set.
