KINGSTON, R.I. - One of the bigger areas of change for Rhode Island in 2024 will come in the secondary, where the team has just a handful of experienced returners.

Since the end of the 2023 slate, the Rams lost four key players from the group in Jordan Colbert (Miami Dolphins Rookie Free Agent), Brent Jackson (graduated), Jarrett Martin (graduated) and Syeed Gibbs (transfer - Georgia Tech). Jackson, who was a team captain, started all 11 games for URI, while both Colbert and Gibbs started 10. Martin earned the nod in three contests.

Despite the losses, Rhode Island brings back 11 of its players from a year ago, four of whom have starting experience. The team also added a few transfers and will bring in four true freshmen for what is shaping up to be a competitive training camp.

After suffering a season-ending injury late last season, Emmanuel Gomes is back and will be looked to as one of the leaders in the group. The Rhode Island product started all eight games he appeared in last fall and has seen his role steadily increase each year since walking on in 2019. Despite missing the final three games of the year, Gomes had 22 tackles, eclipsing his 2022 total of 16 tackles. He also added 3.5 TFLs.

Corners Freddy Mallay and Braden Price also saw significant playing time in 2023, starting six games apiece. Mallay is coming off a breakout junior season that saw him record 26 tackles with two picks and 10 passes defended. The Providence native adds invaluable speed to the Rams' secondary, allowing him to provide coverage both on the outside and in the slot. Price made 19 stops and defended a pair of passes in his first campaign with the team, having begun his career at Illinois State. With five seasons of college football under his belt, his experience level will be crucial for what is a relatively young group.

Also hoping to earn a more consistent starting role will be Seun Filaoye, who got the nod in the season finale at Towson. Another Providence product, Filaoye appeared in 10 games on both defense and special teams, highlighted by a six-tackle game against North Carolina A&T. He has played in 28 games over the past three years.

Both Andre DePina-Gray and Quentin Hunter-Colvin were able to carve out roles last season and will look to expand their roles in 2024. After preserving a redshirt year his first season, DePina-Gray appeared in all 11 games for the 2023 team and is certainly in position to break into the top of the depth chart. The Pawtucket native also demonstrated his prowess in the classroom as one of the school's Statehouse Scholar-Athletes honored in the spring. A former junior college transfer, Hunter-Colvin made his Rhody debut during the game against Stony Brook and went on to play in eight more contests.

Another local product to keep an eye on will be Malik Hill, who eventually worked his way onto the travel roster and appeared in the team's final four games of the 2023 slate.

D.J. Cureton was one of just a few true freshmen that earned playing time for the Rams last year, doing so in eight games. He made his collegiate debut in the season-opener at Georgia State as part of the special teams unit and provides a sizable defender for the team at 6-2. His classmates Freddie Camp, Ethan McCann-Carter and Curlie Spencer preserved redshirts in 2023.

Rhode Island recruited a handful of defensive backs from the transfer portal in Tyler Baker (Navy), Jalen Neal (Boise State/San Bernardino CC) and Tremel States-Jones (South Alabama). Baker spent two years at the United States Naval Academy, where he was recruited as a quarterback, and is still hoping to make his first collegiate appearance. A Mountain West Scholar-Athlete, Neal played in 14 games for the Broncos and saw his role steadily increase throughout his career. States-Jones has slightly less playing time, having appeared in nine games for the Jaguars but provides winning experience as a 2021 State Champion with Clearwater Academy International.

Joining the transfers will be four true freshmen: Chaas McCoy (Jersey City, N.J.), Antonio Morgan (St. Petersburg, Fla.), Ja'Maree Thomas (Tampa, Fla.) and Mason Tanner (Warwick, R.I.). McCoy brings speed to the cornerback position with a 4.49 40-yard dash and was a First Team All-Conference honoree for West Orange. Morgan, who chose Rhode Island over multiple Ivy League offers, should also be in the mix as a kick returner after averaging 15.2 yards per carry in his senior season. Thomas is a hard-hitting play-maker who recorded nearly 100 tackles at Wharton, while Tanner is a local product with experience on both sides of the ball.

Be sure to check out GoRhody.com on Wednesday, July 17 for a look at the quarterbacks.