KINGSTON, R.I. - Three Rhode Island Football players garnered Preseason All-American honors from Stats Perform, as announced by the organization on Tuesday.

Wide receiver Marquis Buchanan and linebacker A.J. Pena received First Team recognition, while offensive lineman Brock Bethea landed on the Second Team. 

A Stats Perform Second Team All-American in 2024, Buchanan is coming off a dominant redshirt sophomore season that saw him accumulate 1,124 receiving yards on 84 catches. In addition to having the eighth-most receiving yards in the country last year, he caught eight touchdown passes, the 10th-most in Rhody history. Entering the year with the 10th-most career receiving yards at URI (1,762), the Providence native looks to solidify his status as one of the best wideouts to suit up for his home state institution. 

Pena, who was named a First Team All-American by Stats Perform at the end of his junior season, is on a mission to take over numerous Rhody Football records this fall. Entering the season second all-time in both career sacks (27) and tackles for loss (44.5), Pena has played in all possible 36 games since arriving on campus in 2022. Ranked in the nation's top 10 in both tackles for loss (seventh, 22.5) and sacks (10th, 12.5) in 2024, Pena forced opposing offenses to lose over 100 yards while recording at least 1.0 TFL in all but three games. 

A stalwart player on the offensive line over the past few seasons, Bethea is a returning Second Team All-CAA Football left tackle. As a redshirt junior in 2024, he helped the Rams accrue the second-most yards of total offense in program history (5,072) while blocking for a line that finished 12th in the country in sacks allowed (16). His efforts also helped former running back Malik Grant break URI's single-season rushing record (1,426 yards). Bethea enters his final season of collegiate eligibility with a 25-game starting streak. 

All 13 FCS conferences and 54 total schools were represented among 102 All-Americans, who were spread across three teams. Pena was one of six players returning from last year's postseason First Team, joined by  UIW wide receiver Jalan Walthall, linebacker Tye Niekamp of Illinois State, defensive backs Rex Connors of UC Davis and Jalen Jones of William & Mary, and Elon punter Jeff Yurk.

Rhode Island Football is gearing up for the 2025 season, with camp starting in the next few weeks. The Rams will officially begin the season with a Friday night game against Campbell on Aug. 29. Tickets for the 6 p.m. clash are still available here.