Five Miami players to watch for in Texas A&M's CFP matchup

As Texas A&M prepares for its first-round CFP matchup against the Miami Hurricanes, there are several outstanding weapons that the Aggies must halt if they want to make history in Bryan-College Station, Texas, this weekend.

Miami has captured 10 victories, four of which were against top-25 opponents, so far this season. Head coach Mario Cristobal has a plethora of talented and electric athletes who have aided the Hurricanes to reach the next level as a program in 2025 by making their first playoff appearance in school history.

That success has been due in large part to players like wideout Malachi Toney, who has well-earned his title as one of the most talented wide receivers in college football in his first season in South Beach.

Here are five Hurricanes to watch on Saturday, as Cristibol's squad visits Kyle Field for a CFP showdown against the Aggies:

WR Malachi Toney

2025 stats: 84 REC | 970 YDS | 7 TD | 80.8 YDS/G | 17 CAR | 89 YDS | 1 TD

Tale of the tape: Texas A&M's secondary must shut down Toney and limit the explosive plays that he can create downfield. Toney ranks 21st in the FBS with 80.8 receiving yards and sixth with 7.0 receptions per game in 2025. He will be Beck's top target on Saturday.

DL Akheem Mesidor

2025 stats: 46 TKL (26 SOLO) | 12.0 TFL | 7.0 SACKS | 5 QBH | 4 FF

Tale of the tape: The 6-foot-3, 280-pounder from Ottawa, Ontario, has wreaked havoc in the trenches this season. Ranking top-five in sacks and tackles for loss this year, Mesidor is an experienced veteran with six years of collegiate football on his resume. Texas A&M's offensive line will be tested heavily against Miami's strong defensive front.

DB Keionte Scott

2025 stats: 44 TKL (30 SOLO) | 10.0 TFL | 3.0 SACKS | 5 PBU | 6 QBH | 1 FF | 1 INT | 1 TD

Tale of the tape: Scott's aggressive play in the secondary has contributed tremendously to the success of Cristobal's defensive unit, which ranks 30th in the FBS in passing yards allowed per game (190.9). Sophomore quarterback Marcel Reed's consistency and accuracy will be key, matched up against the Miami secondary.

DB Jakobe Thomas

2025 stats: 49 TKL (31 SOLO) | 3.5 TFL | 3.0 SACKS | 4 PBU | 2 FF | 4 INT | 1 TD

Tale of the tape: The team-leader in interceptions flies across the gridiron with an urgency. Ranking 16th in the FBS in interceptions in 2025, Thomas swarms the football and has elite tracking. The Aggie wide receiving corps must find ways to expose him and create enough space for Reed to find them to avoid potential turnovers.

QB Carson Beck

2025 stats: 3,072 YDS | 74.7 COMP% | 25 TD | 10 INT

Tale of the tape: While Beck's 10 interceptions can be misleading, he still ranks second in the country with a 74.7 completion percentage and 20th in total passing yards for the Canes. Since transferring from Georgia, Beck has flashed at times throughout the season, but his inconsistency has also been detrimental. If the Aggies can force Beck to feel the heat, he could make some mistakes that Texas A&M must capitalize on.

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This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: Five Miami players to watch for in Texas A&M's CFP matchup