KINGSTON, R.I. - Following a standout rookie campaign, Rhode Island Football's cornerback
Syeed Gibbs has been named an FCS Football Central Freshman All-American.
The 2023 CAA Football Defensive Rookie of the Year, Gibbs started all 10 games that he appeared in for the Rams. He had the second-most interceptions of any player in the league with three and contributed as many pass breakups. A member of the Jerry Rice Award Watch List, Gibbs' 52.0 tackles were fifth-most among the Rhody defense and he tallied three TFLs.
Rhode Island was one of eight CAA Football institutions represented among the Freshman All-American squad. Offensive players Anthony Johnson (Stony Brook), Colby Ramshaw (New Hampshire), KJ Brooks (Towson), Sean Dugery (UAlbany) and Griffin Woodell (UAlbany) earned recognition. On the defensive side of the ball, Gibbs was joined by Joshua Iseah (North Carolina A&T) and Marco Patierno (Elon). Jack Berkowitz (Elon) and VJ Wilkins (Campbell) landed on Special Teams.
This is the third-straight year that a URI player has received All-American recognition. Offensive lineman
Nick Correia did so a year ago, earning Third Team accolades from Stats FCS. In 2021, both defensive back
Jordan Jones (Second Team Associated Press All-American) and fullback Joey Kenny (Third Team Stats FCS All-American) achieved the feat.
FCS Football 2023 Freshman All-American Team
-- Offense --
QB: Jaylen King (Gardner-Webb)
QB: Marqui Adams (Delaware State)
RB: Eli Gillman (Montana)
RB: Jawarn Howell (South Carolina State)
RB: Malachi Hosley (Penn)
RB: Jared White (Montana State)
RB: MJ Flowers (Eastern Illinois)
WR: Brendan Jenkins (Samford)
WR: Beau Sparks (Utah Tech)
WR: Zach Mitchell (Southern Utah)
WR: Anthony Johnson (Stony Brook)
WR: Jaylen Bonelli (Wagner)
TE: Colby Ramshaw (New Hampshire)
TE: Jaxson Davis (Mississippi Valley State)
OL: Conner Moore (Montana State)
OL: Quaveon Davis (Jackson State)
OL: KJ Brooks (Towson)
OL: Sean Dugery (UAlbany)
OL: Samuel Eskridge (Norfolk State)
OL: Alex Ramirez (Idaho State)
AP: Griffin Woodell (UAlbany)
-- Defense --
DL: Jaylon Joseph (Lafayette)
DL: Eriq George (Tennessee State)
DL: Charles Perkins (UT Martin)
DL: Keyshawn Johnson (Grambling State)
DL: William Robinson (Holy Cross)
DL: Rasheed Lovelace (Nicholls State)
LB: Joshua Iseah (North Carolina A&T)
LB: Carter Glassmyer (Saint Francis)
LB: AJ Richardson (Norfolk State)
LB: Michael Montgomery (Portland State)
LB: Marco Patierno (Elon)
LB: Tye Niekamp (Illinois State)
LB: Xe'ree Alexander (Idaho)
DB: Alex McLaughlin (Northern Arizona)
DB: Aaron Sears (Stephen F. Austin)
DB: Syeed Gibbs (Rhode Island)
DB: Ja'son Prevard (Morgan State)
DB: Damien Henderson (Harvard)
DB: Mason Young (Idaho State)
DB: Kam Canterbury (Long Island)
-- Special Teams --
K: Owen Zalc (Dartmouth)
K: Jack Berkowitz (Elon)
K: Hunter Green (Northern Colorado)
P: Orion Phillips (Murray State)
P: Adam Watford (North Alabama)
AP: Gavin Lochow (Dayton)
AP: VJ Wilkins (Campbell)
