The Miami Hurricanes lost a talented local player to the transfer portal on Tuesday.
Defensive lineman Nyjalik Kelly plans to enter the transfer portal, he shared on his Instagram account. The next transfer window starts on April 15.
Kelly, a former Dillard High star and Sun Sentinel Super 11 pick, was a standout for the Panthers. He was rated a four-star recruit and the No. 90 player in the 2022 class, according to 247Sports’ composite rankings.
Kelly was a major signee in head coach Mario Cristobal’s first recruiting class at Miami, and he looked to make a quick impact on the field. As a freshman in 2022, he had 11 tackles and four sacks.
However, Kelly played in just five games in 2023 due to injury and has not participated in spring practice.
The Hurricanes have depth at defensive end, with rising sophomore Ruben Bain Jr. expected to play an even larger role this season after winning ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2023. Miami also returns Akheem Mesidor, a former All-ACC honorable mention.
The Hurricanes added defensive line depth with edge rusher Elijah Alston, who starred at Marshall, as well as promising freshman prospects like Marquise Lightfoot and Cole McConathy II, who enrolled in time for spring practice.
