Transfer Spotlight – Miami CB Tyrique Stevenson

At CFB Saturdays we recognize that the landscape is always changing in College Football and the undeniable impact transfers have had on our beloved sport in recent history.  Transfers have gone on to make College Football Playoff runs, win the Heisman, the National Championship, and become top NFL Draft Picks (Joe Burrow recently accomplished all of the above).  In the Transfer Spotlight we take a look at the potential impact of top Transfers in 2021.  Today we take a look at Miami CB Tyrique Stevenson who was an impact player in the defensive backfield for Georgia.

A Starter At The Star Position

Stevenson was a highly touted member of Georgia’s 2019 recruiting class and earned playing time as a true freshman. He was not a starter, but played in 14 games in 2019. The true freshman accounted for 13 tackles, 1 tackle for loss and 5 pass breakups in his limited playing time. He made an impact when he got the chance and was a bigger part of Georgia’s defensive plan in 2020.

Tyrique Stevenson earned the starting spot at the star position in 2020. He played in the slot most of the year and had a productive season, recording 34 tackles, 1 tackle for loss and 5 pass breakups in ten games. Stevenson was a regular for a defense that performed well, despite injuries and the ineptitude of the Georgia offense for most of the year.

Stevenson decided Georgia was not the best fit for him after the season and entered the transfer portal. He decided to transfer closer to home and continue his career at Miami. The Hurricanes bounced back from a rough 2019 season in 2020 and will look to build on that in 2021. Stevenson will look to win a job as an outside cornerback for the Hurricanes and help restore the Miami program to past glory.

Tyrique Stevenson’s Talents

Tyrique Stevenson is over six feet tall and played at over 200 pounds in 2020. He has the size and physical presence needed to match-up with the better receivers in college football. He is an athletic specimen, with good speed, burst and leaping ability that will allow him to compete with anyone on the outside. Stevenson is as an athletically gifted corner, who will only get better as he polishes his game.

Stevenson is a physical player on the field who will compete with bigger receivers and will come up and make a hit in the run game. He has good ball skills and can adjust to the football quickly, allowing him to make a play on the football in a short amount of time. He has experience playing in the slot and did start on the perimeter in Georgia’s bowl win over Cincinnati. As he continues to develop Stevenson could become one of the best cornerbacks in the country.

Outlook at Miami

Miami had a good season in 2020, but still has work to do in 2021. The Hurricanes finished 8 – 3, which was a marked improvement on their 6 – 7 finish in 2019. The team improved offensively and will look to build on that success in 2021. The defense was not as strong, especially in the back seven, and will have to play better for Miami to compete for the ACC title.

The Hurricanes lose their top two pass rushers from 2020. Jaelan Phillips and Quincy Roche were a headache for opposing offenses but will be plying their trade in the NFL next season. With the pass rush not as formidable next season, the defensive backs will have to play better. Miami has plenty of options returning in the secondary, but none of them has proven to be a true number one corner.

Tyrique Stevenson has the potential to be a number one corner who could stabilize the secondary in 2021. He is a veteran presence who has significant experience against good competition and has the athletic traits to succeed at the position. With young defensive talent coming via the 2021 recruiting class and Stevenson’s potential impact as a transfer the defense could be more balanced next season.

Stevenson is not being brought in to provide depth, but instead to be an impact player. He has already proven he can play at the college level and will be looked at to be a leader on the field. Miami has become one of the best teams at using the transfer portal and appear to have done it again by bringing in Stevenson in 2021.

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