True freshman Miami cornerback Camdin Portis wants to build his own legacy with the Hurricanes.
I plan to respect his wishes, but I can’t help but notice that Camdin’s competitive spirit reminds me of his father - UM Sports Hall of Famer and former All-Pro running back Clinton Portis.
Clinton never shied away from competition or from any challenge. Young Camdin is already earning that reputation on the Greentree Practice Fields.
His older teammate, standout safety Bryce Fitzgerald, revealed that Portis goes out of his way to match up against former ACC Rookie of the Year Malachi Toney in practice.
“Every time he’s like, ‘Bryce, let me get a rep against [Toney],” Fitzgerald said during Thursday media availability. “He’s fearless,” Fitzgerald added.
Portis has played hard and shown development since arriving at Miami in January. The Myers Park (Charlotte, NC) product was noted for intercepting a pass during the first week of training camp.
Miami’s defensive backfield is deep with experienced players for 2026, but Portis will try and work his way onto the field in the present and future.
Miami’s receivers and DBs have described their practice battles as iron sharpening iron. The Hurricanes are the only team in America to feature two receivers who each recorded 1,000 yard+ seasons (Toney and Cooper Barkate) last year.
The Hurricanes are stacked at the skill positions and the DB room. The one on one drills are always a highlight during the media viewing at practice. Toney rarely makes a mistake, so it’s easy to see why he’s the measuring stick for Miami’s corners and safeties.
Another newcomer at defensive back has been earning praise: Boston College transfer Omar Thornton. The junior has been working both at safety and nickel, and has been described as a violent hitter by multiple teammates.
Thornton said Thursday that “it’s instilled inside of me to go hard on every play.” Coaches appreciate his versatility between multiple positions, and Thornton is more than happy to play wherever coaches need him in the defensive backfield.
When I asked Thornton which receivers give him the toughest time in practice, he praised sophomore Daylyn Upshaw and freshman Vance Spafford in addition to giving Toney his flowers. He described Spafford as fast, shifty and advanced in his technique.
The competition levels on the practice field have been high. The Hurricanes will continue to battle one another until the season opener at Stanford on September 4th.
