Wayne State University Athletics

Football 7/26/2024 10:06:00 AM Jeff Weiss, Senior Associate Director of Athletics/Media Relations

2024 WSU Football - Defensive Backs Preview

Five returning letterwinners will help offset the loss of four starters.

DETROIT -- Over the next four weeks, we will continue previewing each position on the 2024 Wayne State University football team with each position coach highlighting their respective units. This segment is the defensive backs preview with coach Antwon Robinson.

Despite the fact zero starters are returning (based on total number of starts last year), there is still experience returning in the secondary.

Gone are Shavez Hawkins (11 starts), Dalen Peeks (eight starts), Gamon Howard (six starts), Jace Parrish (four starts), plus Hayden Loya (two starts) and Chidibere Anaele (one start). The sextet accounted for 32 of the 44 starts a season ago. However the cupboard is not bare with five returning letterwinnersin the secondary.

Redshirt senior safety Brayden Vredeveld has played in 16 games over the last two seasons, making three starts at safety and has totaled 38 career tackles (33-5). Junior Elijah Fowlkes may make the move to safety after spending his first two seasons at cornerback.

Dontez Hicks, Josiah Buford, Rashad Boyd, Jr. and Jaydon Bush all redshirted last year, as did Chris Gillam. Hicks, Buford and Bush each played in just three contests in 2023 to retain freshman eligibility, while Gillam played in five games as a true freshman in 2022 to earn first collegiate letter, but missed all of 2023 with an injury. Boyd appeared in two games in 2023.

Redshirt junior Draven Wilson dressed for all 11 games last season, seeing action in nine contests primarily on special teams. Torrence Greene played in three contests a season ago, but will most likely miss all of 2024 with an injury suffered in the spring game.

Four recruits and one transfer are coming in to add depth and battle for playing time at the safety position. The freshmen are Amarion Brownlee, Max Edwards, Kaleb Jefferson and Da'Carion Taylor, while Kaleb Coleman, a grad transfer from Morgan State, played in 30 games over the last three seasons for the Bears.

The most experienced cornerback is sophomore Anthony Walk, who was selected as the squad's Defensive Rookie of the Year for 2023. He appeared in the final 10 games at cornerback, starting the final four contests.

Kejuan Houston redshirted as a true freshman in 2023, while the other 11 cornerbacks are new to the WSU program, including eight freshmen - Phil Cato, Kam Coleman, Amauri Haller, Amire Harris, Jasir Rahaman, Omari Rotilu, Joseph Stephens, and DeCarlos White. The three transfers are Clifton Buchanan, Shamilyn Joppy and Jonathan Tillman.

Other Position Previews
Season Preview
Running Backs Preview
Defensive Line Preview

Print Friendly Version

Players Mentioned

#28 Hayden Loya: S; 5' 11"; Redshirt Junior

#7 Dalen Peeks: CB/S; 5' 11"; Redshirt Senior

#8 Jace Parrish: S; 6' 1"; Graduate Student

#26 Rashad Boyd, Jr.: S; 6' 2"; Redshirt Freshman

#25 Josiah Buford: S; 6' 3"; Redshirt Freshman

#43 Jaydon Bush: S; 6' 0"; Redshirt Freshman

#21 Chris Gillam: S; 6' 1"; Redshirt Sophomore

Torrence Greene: S; 5' 10"; Redshirt Freshman

#39 Dontez Hicks: S; 5' 8"; Redshirt Freshman

#13 Kejuan Houston: CB; 5' 10"; Redshirt Freshman

Players Mentioned

#28 Hayden Loya
: 5' 11"; Redshirt Junior
: S

#7 Dalen Peeks
: 5' 11"; Redshirt Senior
: CB/S

#8 Jace Parrish
: 6' 1"; Graduate Student
: S

#26 Rashad Boyd, Jr.
: 6' 2"; Redshirt Freshman
: S

#25 Josiah Buford
: 6' 3"; Redshirt Freshman
: S

#43 Jaydon Bush
: 6' 0"; Redshirt Freshman
: S

#21 Chris Gillam
: 6' 1"; Redshirt Sophomore
: S

Torrence Greene
: 5' 10"; Redshirt Freshman
: S

#39 Dontez Hicks
: 5' 8"; Redshirt Freshman
: S

#13 Kejuan Houston
: 5' 10"; Redshirt Freshman
: CB