Miami Football: 5 holiday wish list items for Hurricanes in 2019

3. Shaq Quarterman stays at Miami

Shaquille Quarterman, the Miami middle linebacker, has the potential to leave early for the 2019 NFL Draft. Hurricanes fans have to hope and pray that Quarterman decides to stay for his senior season in Coral Gables. Quarterman walked directly in from Oakleaf High School (Orange Park, Fla.) to start for Miami’s defense in 2016.

The 6-foot-1, 240-pound linebacker logged 84 tackles with 10 tackles for loss as a true freshman. Then, Quarterman followed that up with a good but not great sophomore campaign in Miami’s 10-win 2017 season. Quarterman picked up 83 tackles in 2017, and then 76 with 13 tackles for loss in 2018.

Projected as a third or fourth-round draft pick, Quarterman could leave early for the NFL and get out of Miami now that Manny Diaz is at Temple. However, he’s been a captain and leader of the defense for three years in Miami and could see through his entire career in orange and green.