​GLENDALE, ARIZONA – JANUARY 8: Armondo Blount #18 and Nick Kelly #36 of the Miami Hurricanes celebrate after the CFP Semifinal Vrbo Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium on January 8, 2026 in Glendale, Arizona. The Miami Hurricanes defeated the Ole Miss Rebels 31-27. (Photo by CFP/Getty Images) | Getty Images The Miami Hurricanes have plenty of established stars entering the 2026 season.Malachi Toney, Darian Mensah, Ahmad Moten and Damon Wilson II are among the names already receiving significant national attention, and deservingly so. But every championship-caliber team needs players to emerge from the shadows.ESPN believes one Miami Hurricane could be ready to do exactly that.ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg published his sleeper players that can break out this season, and this defensive lineman for the Canes has the perfect opportunity to do so in 2026.And for Miami, the timing couldn’t be better.Armondo Blount has been named one of ESPN’s college football players who could break out during this seasonArmondo Blount enters his third season at Miami after playing a rotational role during the Hurricanes’ run to the national championship game last season.The 6-foot-4, 276-pound defensive end was a blue-chip recruit in that 2024 recruiting class and has a golden chance to put everything together in his junior seasonMiami Hurricanes HC Mario Cristobal said Armondo Blount is now up to 276 on the Joe Rose Show 👀 🔥 pic.twitter.com/bXQgGgUKyv— TrintonBreeze (@TrintonBreeze) July 15, 2026He recorded 17 tackles and 2.5 sacks in 2025, but those numbers don’t tell the entire story. Blount was playing behind an experienced defensive front that included NFL first-round picks Rueben Bain Jr. and Akheem Mesidor.Among the other talent along that defensive line last season, Blount learned from the top dogs last year while still perfecting his game in practice and with defensive line coach Jason Taylor.He now has the chance to break out and showcase his talent consistently for the Canes.Miami has added Missouri transfer Damon Wilson II, while Marquise Lightfoot and Blount return at defensive end. So there are some reps to be shared among the group, but he has and will earn the reps he gets on gamedays.Blount should have a much larger role in 2026, and he has the talent to take advantage of it.Mario Cristobal knows Armondo Blount can be the one to break out this seasonHead coach Mario Cristobal usually doesn’t like the praising of his team or players early in the season (what he refers to as rat poison), but he did tell ESPN what he thinks about his junior defensive end.“Armondo Blount is a guy I really pay close attention to,” Cristobal told ESPN. “That guy has a great skill set, and he is big, strong, fast, and he is relentless. Like, that motor is insane. I know everyone talks about Damon Wilson, and they should. Can [the ends] play as good as Mesidor and Bain? Let’s go find out if they can.”Armondo Blount (#18)🏈Some Cut Ups📊 17 Comb Tack