KINGSTON, R.I. – Rhode Island hit the transfer wire hard on the recruiting trail, bringing in seven transfers and three freshmen for the program's 2021 recruiting class, which was announced Wednesday.
Of the nine players announced on National Signing Day, eight are already enrolled at the University and with the team this spring. Seven of the eight are transfers who have immediate eligibility for both the seven-game spring season and the full fall 2021 season.
The group of transfers includes quarterbacks
Kasim Hill (Tennessee) and
Brandon Robinson (Liberty); wide receivers
Jeremiah Fails (Western Kentucky) and
Jelani Foster (Buffalo); safeties O'Neil Robinson (Connecticut) and
Coby Tippett (Towson); and defensive lineman Matt Thomas (Rutgers).
There are three true freshmen signing as well. Quarterback
Jackson Burkhalter is with the team this spring, though he is not eligible to play until the fall of 2021. Also coming in are freshmen linebackers Sebastian Sagar and Michael Strachan, Jr.
Jackson Burkhalter - Video
Quarterback
6-5 | 225
Daphne, Ala. | Spanish Fort
Burkhalter joined Rhode Island for the spring semester of 2021. Though he can practice with the team, he is not eligible to play in the spring season. He will have four seasons of eligibility starting in the fall of 2021. A team captain and three-time letterman in both football and basketball for Spanish Fort, Burkhalter was an All-County selection as a junior and earned All-Region and All-Area recognition in basketball as a senior. As a senior, he helped lead Spanish Fort to a state championship in football and to the state's Elite 8 in basketball. He chose Rhode Island over Holy Cross, Harvard and Virginia.
Jeremiah Fails - Video
Wide Receiver
5-11 | 195
Orlanda, Fla. | Ocoee (Western Kentucky)
Coming to Kingston with four years of eligibility is Western Kentucky transfer
Jeremiah Fails. As a senior in high school he had 1,087 yards and 11 touchdowns on 43 catches, averaging 25.3 yards per catch. He was a two-star recruit out of Ocoee High School in Orlando, and had offers from Appalachian State, UConn, Southern Miss, Troy, Nothern Illinois, Georgia Southern and Liberty.
Jelani Foster - Video
Wide Receiver
6-1 | 200
Laurel, Md. | St. Vincent Pallotti (Buffalo)
A transfer from Buffalo with four seasons of eligibility, Foster was a two-time MIAA All-Conference selection while at St. Vincent Pallotti. During his junior and senior seasons, he combined for 77 receptions, 1,250 yards and eight touchdowns. He set his school's record for longest touchdown catch with a 91-yard strike. As a senior, Foster was selected to play in the Baltimore Touchdown Club Senior All-Star Football Classic.
Kasim Hill - Video
Quarterback
6-2 | 234
Washington, D.C. | St. John's College (Tennessee)
Coming to Kingston with two seasons of eligibility and significant Power 5 playing experience, Hill spent time at both Tennessee (2019) and Maryland (2017-18). With the Terps, he played in 13 games, making 10 starts. He began his career with 84 pass attempts without an interception, the longest streak for a Maryland QB since 2010. Hill threw for 1,313 yards and 11 touchdowns while completing 102-of-191 attempts in 2018. He had just four picks. He was on the Tennessee scout team last season while sitting out due to transfer rules.
Brandon Robinson - Video
Quarterback
6-4 | 215
South Orange, N.J. | Irvington (Liberty)
A transfer with three seasons of eligibility, Robinson saw action in five games as a redshirt freshman for Liberty last season. In limited passing attempts, he completed 2-of-3 for 19 yards and one touchdown. A mobile runner out of the pocket, he also rushed for 183 yards and three scores. One of his runs was a 75-yard touchdown run against Hampton. Known as Pop, he passed for 2,038 yards and 21 touchdowns for Irvington in 2018. He added 407 yards and five touchdowns on the ground.
Oneil Robinson - Video
Safety
6-2 | 182
Hartford, Conn. | Capital Prep (Connecticut)
A transfer with two seasons of eligibility, Robinson brings 20 games of experience at the FBS level to the Rhody secondary. In two seasons with the Huskies, he had 83 tackles, 3.0 tackles for loss, three interceptions and one forced fumble. A two-way starter at Capital Prep, he had 118 catches for 2,405 yards and 22 touchdowns as a wide receiver and 133 tackles and 13 interceptions on defense. He earned CHSCA Class S All-State honors as a senior.
Matt Thomas - Video
Defensive Line
6-3 | 271
Brooklyn, N.Y. | Midwood (Rutgers)
A transfer with three seasons of eligibility, Thomas appeared in five games during his time with Rutgers. As a true freshman, he appeared in games against Wisconsin and Penn State while preserving a redshirt in 2018. The following season, he played against Massachusetts, Liberty and Ohio State. Named First Team All-USA New York Football Team on defense by USA Today in 2017, he led Midwood to 7-1 record his senior season. He had 47 tackles and nine sacks on defense. He was rated as the No. 59 defensive end recruit in the country and No. 13 overall recruit in New York by 247Sports.com in 2017.
Coby Tippett - Video
Safety
5-11 | 195
Sharon, Mass. | Cheshire Academy (Towson)
A transfer from Towson with one season of eligibility, Tippett has 31 career games played in CAA Football, and he was a Third Team All-Conference pick for the Tigers in 2019. A rare in-conference transfer, Tippett received a hardship waiver and is immediately eligible in 2021. Last season, he led Towson with five interceptions and also had 70 tackles and nine pass break-ups. He also has experience as a kick returner. Tippett is the son of NFL Hall of Fame linebacker Andre Tippett.
Sebastian Sagar - Video
Linebacker
6-4 | 215
Grayson, Ga. | Grayson
Originally committed to Georgia Tech, Sagar is a three-star recruit who will come to Kingston next fall. The Brooklyn native played for football powers Bergen Catholic in New Jersey and Erasmus Hall in New York before moving to Georgia before his senior season following the uncertainty that came with the COVID pandemic. In addition to Georgia Tech, he had offers from Miami, Virginia Tech and Syracuse.
Michael Strachan - Video
H-Back/Linebacker
6-2 | 220
Attleboro, Mass. | Attleboro
A two-year captain in both football and lacrosse for Attleboro, Strachan was a four-year starter in both sports. A two-time All-Hockomock League selection, he recorded more than 200 career tackles in football and is the school's all-time leading scorer in lacrosse. Hailing from the same program that produced former Ram and current New York Giant
Kyle Murphy, Strachan comes from a very athletic family. His sister is a basketball player at Adelphi, and his father, Michael, played football at Stonehill before playing professionally in Europe. His aunt, Jenn Ernst played soccer at Rhode Island. He chose URI over Sacred Heart, Holy Cross, Brown, Duquesne, Maine, Harvard, Boston College and Central Connecticut.
