When Michael Pinckney and his two fellow freshman linebackers stepped onto campus in 2016, no one could have predicted how quickly they would become one of the most cohesive position groups in the nation. And while Shaq Quarterman has gotten a lot of the attention as the classic, thumping middle linebacker, Pinckney has proven himself capable of being a playmaker with his athleticism at the weakside position.
Pinckney arrived in Miami as a 3-star LB but it would become obvious early on that his talent was greater than that. He started all 13 games in his first season and was a Freshman All-American after accumulating 61 total tackles.