Bear Cortes is a 6-foot-2 freshman linebacker with upside, but Miami’s current depth chart keeps him in prove-it mode
Bear Cortes enters the 2026 season as a freshman linebacker at Miami, listed at 6-2, 210 pounds out of Chattanooga’s McCallie School[1][2]. He’s more of a long-term evaluation than a stat-sheet monster right now, but that can be a feature, not a bug: his appeal is developmental upside, linebacker frame, and the chance to grow into Miami’s aggressive defensive culture[1][2]. If you want instant impact, he’s probably not that guy yet; if you want a high-ceiling defender who could become a useful special-teams-and-depth fit, he’s worth keeping on the radar[1][2].
