Alex Mirabal and Mario Cristobal are two of the best offensive line evaluators in college football. On Monday evening, they dipped into the FCS ranks to offer a veteran interior lineman at Samford.
Jabari Brooks is a 31 game starter at both center and left guard over four seasons with the Bulldogs, totaling over 2500 snaps. His strength is as a pass blocker with Pro Football Focus crediting the 6-foot-3, 335-pounder with a 82.4 (2021), 78.3 (2022), and 83.2 (2023) grade over the past three seasons.
This past fall, Brooks started the last four games at center after playing the first seven games at left guard. He allowed just two sacks on the season, which both came while playing left guard and in the same game, and just eight total pressures. Just one pressure came while handling snaps.
At left guard, Brooks allowed seven pressures and a pair of sacks in 2023.
In 2022, Brooks played 961 snaps at center and allowed 19 pressures and six sacks on the season. A first-team All-Southern Conference selection this season, Brooks was an offensive pillar on a team that won the SoCon and advanced in the FCS playoffs with a win over Southeastern Louisiana.
It’s up in the air whether or not Miami will need to replace current center Matt Lee, who is weighing his NFL options at the moment. But left guard Javion Cohen will leave for the NFL and the Hurricanes will need to find a new starter in that spot.