Louis Riddick predicts Damon Wilson to be top-10 pick in 2027 NFL Draft after Miami commitment

Just days after losing the national championship, Mario Cristobal is already working on improving the 2026 roster. Much of what Miami is doing comes through the NCAA transfer portal. And a major commitment came on Thursday, landing star EDGE Damon Wilson from Missouri.

Expectations for Wilson are going to be high, both internally and those outside of the program. Just ask ESPN’s Louis Riddick, who went as far as to say Wilson will be a top-10 selection in the 2027 NFL Draft. Wilson’s talent certainly plays a role in the equation. But Riddick likes getting the pass rusher under the tutelage of Jason Taylor.

“Jason Taylor got another one to work with,” Riddick said, followed by a shocked emoji, via X. “Saw this young man play 2x live in 2025. He will be a top 10 pick in 2027 draft.”

Taylor is likely about to see two of his guys get taken on Thursday night this upcoming April. Rueben Bain has a chance to be one of the first names called by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell. A little further down the line is Akheem Mesidor. Both project to be first-round talents after wreaking havoc for Miami throughout the entire season. Getting propped up by the College Football Playoff stage certainly helped.

Replicating either Bain or Mesidor with Wilson joining Miami would be a massive success for Taylor and the Hurricanes. Riddick appears to have an immense amount of confidence in the relationship between the two working out.

Damon Wilson heading to Miami after time at Missouri, Georgia

Miami is actually the third stop of Wilson’s career, starting with Kirby Smart at Georgia. He was a five-star prospect out of Venice (FL) and the No. 20 overall recruit in the 2023 cycle, according to the Rivals Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.

Two years in Athens brought consistent playing time but not much when it came to production. Wilson entered the transfer portal following the 2024 season, landing in Missouri. There, he began to flourish and become one of the SEC’s best players. This saw Wilson record 23 tackles, 9.5 tackles for a loss, and 9.0 sacks this past year.

It’s easy to understand why so many big-name programs were seeking his signature. The On3 Industry Transfer Portal Rankings had Wilson as the No. 6 overall player to enter this cycle. Folks in Coral Gables certainly believe they just hit a home run.