How Malachi Toney generated early Heisman buzz, broke Miami records in Hurricanes' emphatic 2026 debut

How Malachi Toney generated early Heisman buzz, broke Miami records in Hurricanes' emphatic 2026 debut

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How Malachi Toney generated early Heisman buzz, broke Miami records in Hurricanes' emphatic 2026 debut
Malachi Toney Miami

How Malachi Toney generated early Heisman buzz, broke Miami records in Hurricanes' emphatic 2026 debut originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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Considering Week 1 isn't even over, it's far too early to assess the 2026 Heisman Trophy race — but heading into the new season, there only one wide receiver who was a popular pick to contend for the prestigious award. He may have company soon enough.

Jeremiah Smith will make his 2026 debut against Ball State on Saturday, but first, it was Malachi Toney and the Miami Hurricanes who opened the year on an explosive note. The defending CFP runner-ups, now with star transfer Darian Mensah at quarterback, dominated Stanford 45-6 on Friday night.

The Toney-Mensah connection looked dynamic off the bat, with the Hurricanes' second-year receiver setting a school record and hitting the "Heisman pose" multiple times.

Here's a look at Toney's terrific Week 1 performance and more to know about Miami's rising star.

MORE: Week 1 picks against the spread

Malachi Toney stats, highlights vs. Stanford 

  • Receptions: 12
  • Receiving yards: 234
  • Yards per catch: 19.5
  • Touchdowns: 3

It was a trifecta of touchdowns for Toney in his 2026 debut; he and Mensah diced up Stanford's secondary with ease, getting out to a 28-3 lead by halftime.

Toney finished with 12 catches for 234 yards, a new Miami single-game record, on top of his three scores. Perhaps even more impressively, 10 of his 12 catches came in the first half.

"His skill set really fits what we do," Miami coach Mario Cristobal said of Toney postgame, per ESPN. "His ability to read the field and his ability to digest concepts and to continue to evolve is really, really impressive. Sky's the limit." 

He opened the record-setting night with an easy, walk-in score as Mensah got pressured.

Toney's second score was particularly impressive — college football fans noted how he essentially made two Stanford defensive backs tackle each other.

It was with Miami already up big in the second half when Toney caught his third touchdown pass, helping cap what was a 401-yard, five-touchdown night for Mensah.

Malachi Toney strikes Heisman pose vs. Stanford

There's almost all of the 2026 season left to play, but a dominant Week 1 performance will always get college football fans discussing the early Heisman race. Toney played into the hype.

After scoring his first touchdown of the season, he subtly hit the "Heisman pose," clearly out for big numbers in 2026.

He wound up doing the celebration after all three of his touchdowns.

BENDER: The seven teams who can win the national title

Most single-game receiving yards in Miami history

Toney's Week 1 set a new Miami record — he surpassed Eddie Brown's 1984 mark of 220 receiving yards for the most in a game in Hurricanes history.

Toney had more single-game yards than all-time greats like Andre Johnson or Michael Irvin ever had in college.

"It means a lot, knowing how many greats played at this university," Toney said postgame, per ESPN.

Here's a look at the new leaderboard for single-game receiving yards in Hurricanes history:

RankPlayerOpponentYearReceiving Yards
1Malachi ToneyStanford2026234
2Eddie BrownBoston College1984220
3Wesley CarrollCalifornia1990208
4Andre JohnsonNebraska2002199
5Michael IrvinEast Carolina1986194
6Andre JohnsonVirginia Tech2002193
7Joe SchmidtHouston1969186
8Andre JohnsonSyracuse2002181
9Santana MossFlorida State1999180
10Tommy StreeterVirginia2011176

Is Kadarius Toney related to Malachi Toney?

While they share a last name as wide receivers, former Florida and NFL wideout Kadarius Toney is not related to Malachi Toney.

Both happened to play college ball in Florida — but Kadarius Toney is from Mobile, Alabama, while Malachi Toney is from Miami, Florida.

When is Malachi Toney eligible for the NFL Draft?

A performance like Toney's in Week 1 will certainly have NFL scouts on notice. However, it will be a bit before he's eligible to head to the pros.

Toney will be eligible for the 2028 NFL Draft, as he's only in his second collegiate season in 2026. He'll be around in college football for the 2027 season before he can join the NFL.

MORE: The Sporting News' early 2027 NFL Mock Draft

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