Miami Hurricanes Secure Commitment from 5-Star EDGE Damon Wilson II for 2026 College Football Season
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The Miami Hurricanes ended the 2025 campaign as national runner-ups after falling 27-21 to the Indiana Hoosiers in the CFP title game, and will enter 2026 without many key defensive linemen.
Akheem Mesidor, Wesley Bissainthe, Mohamed Toure, Chase Smith, Jaylin Alderman and David Blay Jr. have graduated, and Rueben Bain Jr. is expected to declare for the NFL draft.
On a more positive note, Miami’s offseason defensive reset continued Thursday with the news of Ahmad Moten’s return for the 2026 season, on top of a significant addition to its front seven.
Former Missouri defensive end Damon Wilson II announced his commitment to the Hurricanes, per On3’s Pete Nakos, providing a proven pass-rushing threat for a unit that will lose its two top edge defenders to the NFL.
Wilson, listed at 6-foot-4 and 250 pounds, spent the 2025 season at Missouri after two years at Georgia.
The former five-star recruit ranked third in the SEC with nine sacks and tied for 10th nationally with 54 quarterback pressures, according to Pro Football Focus.
Wilson arrives in Coral Gables with one year of eligibility remaining and will work under assistant coach Jason Taylor, who previously helped develop Miami stars and soon-to-be NFL players Bain and Mesidor, who combined for 22 sacks and 33 TFL during Miami’s run to the national championship game.
Wilson’s lone year with the Tigers vaulted him to No. 6 overall in the On3 Transfer Portal Rankings and No. 3 among edge defenders entering the portal this cycle.
BREAKING: Missouri transfer EDGE Damon Wilson has committed to Miami, @PeteNakos reports🙌https://t.co/d4OdzuPsEQpic.twitter.com/7vqKEu83Gx
— On3 (@On3) January 22, 2026
Outside of his elite on-field production, Wilson remains involved in a legal dispute with Georgia over a previous NIL contract.
The Bulldogs filed a lawsuit last year seeking $390,000 in damages, while Wilson countersued in December, alleging improper retaliation. Both cases were ongoing at the time of his commitment to the Hurricanes.
Wilson chose Miami over offers from LSU and Texas Tech, whom he visited before landing with the Hurricanes. He played 26 games for Georgia before entering the transfer portal following the 2024 Sugar Bowl, and he appeared in 13 games for the Tigers last season.
Related: Miami All-American OL Shares Farewell Message After 2026 NFL Draft Decision
Related: Miami’s 4-Star Running Back Reverses Transfer Portal Decision
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Jan 23, 2026, where it first appeared in the College Football section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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