AVENTURA — Wesley Bissainthe is Miami through and through.
A Miami Central High product, he stayed home in his college football recruitment to play for the Miami Hurricanes.
Four years later, as he’s in the 2026 NFL draft and this week’s scouting combine in Indianapolis, Bissainthe says he would love if, when his name’s called in late April, it’s his hometown Miami Dolphins making that selection.
“It would be a dream to play for them,” Bissainthe told the South Florida Sun Sentinel while training in South Florida at Bommarito Performance Systems ahead of the combine. “I’m not saying that’s going to happen, but it’ll definitely be crazy and definitely be a dream come true.”
Bissainthe said he “most definitely” grew up a Dolphins fan.
Playing his college career with UM at the Dolphins’ home venue and finishing it at Hard Rock Stadium with a national title game appearance, he said he talked to scouts from the team at the East-West Shrine Bowl. Bissainthe hopes to introduce himself to more Dolphins personnel at the combine this week.
“New start, new faces in the building. Just got to see where it goes,” he said, as the team has gone in the direction of new general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan and coach Jeff Hafley this offseason.
A three-year starter for the Hurricanes, Bissainthe was a key cog in a defense that enjoyed a major turnaround in 2025, with other UM defenders in this draft including defensive ends Rueben Bain and Akheem Mesidor, nickel cornerback Keionte Scott and safety Jakobe Thomas. Bissainthe had 71 tackles, three for loss, a sack and an interception as a senior.
He is projected to be a Day 3 draft pick. Only about a month out from his last game, against Indiana in the championship Jan. 19, it’s uncertain how many workouts he’ll do at Lucas Oil Stadium this week versus Miami’s pro day later in the draft process.
Nebraska running back Emmett Johnson works out at Bommarito Performance Systems in Miami, Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026. (Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
University of Miami defensive end Akheem Mesidor works out at Bommarito Performance Systems in Miami, Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026. (Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Indiana University cornerback D’Angelo Ponds works out at Bommarito Performance Systems in Miami, Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026. Ponds is a graduate of Chaminade-Madonna College Preparatory School. (Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Georgia wide receiver Colbie Young runs at Bommarito Performance Systems in Miami, Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026. (Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Boston College offensive tackle Logan Taylor runs at Bommarito Performance Systems in Miami, Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026. (Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Pete Bommarito instructs players on how to improve at Bommarito Performance Systems in Miami, Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026. (Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Nebraska running back Emmett Johnson runs the 40-yard dash at Bommarito Performance Systems in Miami, Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026. (Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
University of Miami linebacker Wesley Bissainthe works out at Bommarito Performance Systems in Miami, Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026. (Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Pete Bommarito times an athlete in the 40-yard dash at Bommarito Performance Systems in Miami, Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026. (Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
University of Miami defensive end Akheem Mesidor is seen at Bommarito Performance Systems in Miami, Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026. (Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
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Nebraska running back Emmett Johnson works out at Bommarito Performance Systems in Miami, Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026. (Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Bissainthe looks back on his college career appreciative he was able to leave the Hurricanes in a better position than when he came in. UM was 5-7 in 2022 and 7-6 in 2023 before back-to-back 10-2 regular seasons. This past season, it netted the team a College Football Playoff berth and run through three CFP wins before the championship defeat to the Hoosiers.
“That’s the work we put in. Just believing in coach (Mario) Cristobal,” Bissainthe said. “I’ve been there four years. We were 5-7 my freshman year. To go into the national championship, that’s the work and the grind we put in over those years. Just getting the right group of men for the culture, and it showed.”
“We knew the team we had. We knew that, if they gave us a chance, we were going to go far. Once they got us in the playoffs, we knew we were going to take off with it. That’s the brotherhood we had as a team. We knew we had a certain brotherhood, and it carried us. We were able to get to the national championship. We didn’t get it done, but we did something Miami hasn’t done in a long time.”
What Bissainthe hopes NFL teams come away knowing about him at the combine: “I’m a winner. I feel like, wherever I go, we win. That’s what I’m going to show these teams, that I’m going to elevate a program, not only myself but guys around me.”