3. DE Gregory Rousseau, Soph. Miami
The 2019 Miami football season wasn’t a total disappointment.
The offense might have struggled and sputtered, but the defensive side did its part. The linebacking corps was solid, the secondary was fine, and the team led the ACC – and was fourth in the nation – in tackles for loss and was sixth in the country in sacks.
The star of the show is returning.
6-7, 253-pound Gregory Rousseau was a good recruit who stayed close to home, but his true freshman season stopped before it got going after he hurt his ankle. Fine as a redshirt freshman, he led the ACC in sacks with a dominant and consistent season.
He was a nightmare for offenses in Year 1⃣, just imagine the next few 😬🏈@Greg_R5 definitely earned Defensive Rookie of the Year#ItsAllAboutTheU | @CanesFootball pic.twitter.com/zkJ55hh2MI
— ACC Digital Network (@theACCDN) December 6, 2019
His size and frame matter, but he’s quick off the ball for his size, too. He kept on coming in game after game, registering at least one sack in nine of the team’s 13 games, finishing with 15.5 sacks, 19.5 tackles for loss, and 54 tackles.
With Temple pass rusher Quincy Roche transferring in, the pressure won’t be on Rousseau to handle the load on his own. It’ll be another great year for the Miami D, and with D’Eriq King likely taking over at quarterback, the O should do its part, too.