The 7-5 Miami Hurricanes will play the 6-6 Rutgers Scarlet Knights in the 2023 Pinstripe Bowl. How many NFL Draft prospects will play in this game, and what are their projections at the next level?
Pinstripe Bowl Prospect Preview
For the Pinstripe Bowl, Rutgers will miss their top 2024 NFL Draft prospect in Max Melton.
Luckily for them, many of their secondary prospects — Kyle Monangai, Hollin Pierce, Wesley Bailey, Mohamed Toure, and Robert Longerbeam — chose to return and will play in the bowl game. Tyreem Powell also returned, but he’s out with an injury.
The Hurricanes weren’t nearly as lucky. Top 2024 NFL Draft prospects like Kamren Kinchens, James Williams, Leonard Taylor III, and Javion Cohen have all opted out to begin their draft preparations.
Meanwhile, Miami also lost key contributors like Tyler Van Dyke, Colbie Young, Don Chaney, Jahfari Harvey, and Corey Flagg to the transfer portal. For Miami, the Pinstripe Bowl will be more of a preview of what’s to come.
Miami (FL) NFL Draft Prospects
Rueben Bain, EDGE (2026)
True freshmen just aren’t built like Rueben Bain. In just his first year of college football, Bain already stands at 6’3″, 275 pounds.
He has the power to demolish tackles with long arms and bull rushes, but he’s also athletic enough to play out of two-point stances. He logged 7.5 sacks and 9.5 tackles for loss in 2023 and has a first-round upside in 2026.
Francis Mauigoa, OT (2026)
On the other side of the ball, Francis Mauigoa is an early name to watch as a potential top tackle prospect in the 2026 NFL Draft. At 6’6″, 315 pounds, Mauigoa showed glimpses of dominance at right tackle in 2023.
The former five-star recruit is a menacing space blocker with his athleticism, power, and aggression, and he’s only trending up.
Francisco Mauigoa, LB (2025)
Not to be confused with his very similarly named brother on the offensive side of the ball, Francisco Mauigoa is a 6’3″, 230-pound linebacker who amassed 70 tackles, 17 tackles for loss, and 7.5 sacks in 2023. He had a case to declare for the 2024 NFL Draft but will instead return.
Entering his fourth year, Mauigoa could be one of the top LB prospects in the 2025 NFL Draft with another strong season. At his size, he’s incredibly explosive and instinctive, attacking downhill and splicing through gaps, and he flashes good coverage mobility.
Xavier Restrepo, WR
Every NFL Draft cycle, a few sleepers at WR emerge because they can play the slot at a high level.
Xavier Restrepo could be one of those prospects in the 2024 NFL Draft. In 2023, Restrepo achieved career-high numbers with 74 catches for 993 yards and five touchdowns. At 5’10”, 186 pounds, he’s a good route runner, but his ability to adjust for passes catches the eye.
Jaden Davis, CB
Transferring to Miami from Oklahoma in 2023, veteran Jaden Davis put together a solid final season. At 5’10”, 185 pounds, his lacking catch radius can hurt him in 50-50 situations, but he’s a fleet-footed and active cover man with impressive corrective quickness and sticky coverage chops in the short and intermediate ranges.
Rutgers NFL Draft Prospects
Max Melton, CB
Max Melton has officially declared for the 2024 NFL Draft and will opt out of the Pinstripe Bowl, but he’s a must-mention as Rutgers’ top prospect in the coming cycle.
MORE: Free NFL Mock Draft Simulator With Trades
Melton, who amassed eight interceptions and 21 pass breakups over the past three seasons, could be a Top 100 prospect in the 2024 NFL Draft. At 6’0″, 190 pounds, he’s a twitched-up long-strider with great speed, man coverage upside, and the exhaustive physicality to dominate the catch point.
Isaiah Iton, DT
As mentioned earlier, most of Rutgers’ secondary prospects past Melton chose to return to school for 2024, but Isaiah Iton is a name to watch as a PFA sleeper if he enters the 2024 NFL Draft pool. At 6’3″, 290 pounds, Iton — a former JUCO product and Ole Miss transfer — is a sturdy run defender with mass, natural leverage, and tools to mold.
Kyle Monangai, RB (2025)
From the same school that brought the NFL Isiah Pacheco, we present Kyle Monangai. Monangai is returning to school in 2024, but he’s undoubtedly a name to watch in the 2025 NFL Draft class. The 5’9″, 210-pound Monangai rushed for 1,099 yards at over five yards per carry in 2023.
At his size, Monangai is an urgent and energetic runner with excellent contact balance, but he doubles as a truly spectacular pass blocker on third downs. That trait, in particular, will win over NFL evaluators, much like Kyren Williams won over the Rams.
