KINGSTON, R.I. - Rhode Island's passing attack will continue to be a threat in 2024, as the Rams have combined a slew of talented returners with an influx of experience via the transfer portal.

Fifteen players will be in the mix for URI, which had the fifth-best passing offense in CAA Football a season ago. There are plenty of opportunities for returners and newcomers alike, as the Rams graduated three players that combined for 1,968 of the team's 3,133 receiving yards in 2023. 

Starting with the returning players, 2023 Phil Steele Freshman All-American and All-CAA Football Honorable Mention player Marquis Buchanan made a major impact last year and will look to continue his momentum. The Providence native appeared in all 11 games for the Rams on both offense and special teams, finishing the year with 638 receiving yards and four touchdowns. At 6-4, Buchanan provides a lengthy target out wide who hauled in 42 catches a year ago. Buchanan turned in three 100-yard games.

Though Buchanan is the only returning starter for Rhody, both Jamall Mensah and Jig Williams saw significant playing time for the Rams last season. Mensah played in all 11 games, while Williams participated in 10. Both had strong spring camps and will be relied on for their experience and understanding of the Rhode Island playbook.  

Fans will have a chance to see a familiar face in a different position group this season, as former tight end Tommy Smith joined the wide receiver room in the offseason. Smith has played in 32 games over the past three seasons with a key role on special teams. He has shown strong dedication in the weight room and in conditioning workouts, putting himself in position to compete for playing time. 

A group of five true freshmen that redshirted last season also have hopes of making their mark. Though Tyler Poirier is the only one of the group that saw playing time in 2023, doing so on special teams in the game at Towson (Nov. 18), Alvarez Baker, Makai Bodden, Eddie Combs III and Anthony Santoro will look to carve out their roles now that they have a year of college football under their belts. 

A pair of transfers from a season ago are still waiting for their breakout moments as well. Omari Walker returns to the roster for his second year in Kingston, having spent his first three seasons at Arkansas State. A Junior Olympic All-American in track & field, he continues to work on combining his raw athletic talents with football precision. Rian Black, a former Coastal Carolina Chanticleer, is still rehabbing the injury that he suffered during training camp last year. 

Rhody hit the portal for wideouts in the offseason, landing redshirt senior Shawn Harris (Stony Brook/UMass), redshirt sophomore Greg Gaines III (Iowa State) and junior Aboraa Kwarteng (Sacred Heart). 

No stranger to CAA Football, Harris spent the 2019-22 seasons at Stony Brook before suiting up for the UMass Minutemen in 2023. He joins the Rams with more than 1,200 career receiving yards and crucial experience as a kick returner. Harris also brings winning experience, having helped Archbishop Stepinac claim three NYCHSFL Championships (2015, '17, '18).

A former four-star recruit out of Tampa Bay Tech, Gaines III spent two years at Iowa State before hitting the portal. He offers a big body at 6-3, 205 pounds and brings a plethora of special teams experience. Gaines III is in position for a breakout season and has the football IQ to do it as a former Big 12 Commissioner's Honor Roll student. 

Kwarteng is one of a handful of transfers out of Sacred Heart that joined URI this offseason. He appeared in 15 games for the Pioneers over two seasons, steadily increasing his production. Last year, he caught 43 passes for 472 yards.

In addition to the newcomers from the transfer portal, the Rams have added one true freshman wide receiver in Rhandyn Bair. A Newington, Conn. native, he was an All-NEPSAC selection at Kingswood Oxford and recorded 910 all-purpose yards his senior year. 

Be sure to check GoRhody.com on Wednesday, July 10 for a look at the defensive line.