Missouri transfer Damon Wilson II, ranked as the top available defensive prospect in 247Sports’ Transfer Rankings, confirmed on Thursday his decision to transfer to Miami. Wilson, recognized as the No. 8 transfer nationally and the No. 2 edge rusher, opted for the Hurricanes over schools like Texas Tech and LSU.

In making this move to Miami, Wilson will now be attending his third school within three years. He previously had a standout season at Missouri for the 2025 campaign, where he led the Tigers with a remarkable nine sacks, ranking third in the SEC.

He also garnered second-team All-SEC honors after totaling a team-leading 12 quarterback pressures and one interception along with his nine sacks. Notably, Wilson recorded at least one sack in four SEC games, highlighted by a two-sack effort against Alabama.

Originally a top-50 prospect from Venice, Florida, Wilson started his career at Georgia where he played as a true freshman before becoming more involved in his sophomore year, racking up 22 tackles, three sacks, and two forced fumbles.

This latest addition marks the seventh transfer acquired by Miami during the 2026 cycle and the fourth player with a four-star ranking. He addresses a significant need for the Hurricanes who must replace their top two pass rushers from their runner-up squad in 2025.

Rueben Bain Jr., renowned for his five sacks during Miami’s College Football Playoff run, is being considered among the top defensive prospects for the 2026 NFL Draft. Meanwhile, his teammate Akheem Mesidor led Miami in 2025 with 12.5 sacks and is set to transition to the NFL.

As a result, Wilson is poised to take on a major role within Miami’s defense right away, likely pairing with returning EDGE Marquise Lightfoot who, as a former top-40 prospect, had 2.5 sacks last season.