KINGSTON, R.I. - Rhode Island's receiving group is built on experience heading into the 2026 campaign.
Leading Rhody is fifth-year Ram Marquis Buchanan (Providence, R.I.). After leading the FCS in receiving yards a season ago and earning First Team All-America honors from Stats Perform, FCS Football Central and The Associated Press, Buchanan's resume speaks for itself. He and starting quarterback Devin Farrell developed a strong connection during last year's campaign, with Buchanan recording five or more catches in 13 of Rhode Island's 14 games. His 78 receptions were the fifth most in a single season in program history. Buchanan enters 2026 as one of the top pass catchers in the FCS.
Through training camp, Aborra Kwarteng (Alexandria, Va.) and Jamall Mensah (Coquitlam, B.C., Canada) have taken first-team reps alongside Buchanan. With last year's No. 2 target, Greg Gaines III, transferring to Florida International during the offseason, Kwarteng has earned significant reps in that role and impressed throughout camp. The Sacred Heart transfer is coming off a 2025 season in which he recorded 41 receptions for 614 yards and two touchdowns. Kwarteng's campaign included a pair of 100-yard receiving performances, totaling 114 yards at Stony Brook on Sept. 6 and 123 yards at Elon on Nov. 8.
Mensah has taken an unconventional path during his Rhode Island career, having been with the program since 2020. After suffering a season-ending injury in 2024, Mensah returned to appear in 13 games for the Rams a season ago. He brings plenty of experience to the group, having appeared in 37 games during his time in Kingston.
The returning trio of Alvarez Baker (Melbourne, Fla.), Eddie Combs III (Orlando, Fla.) and Rian Black (Rockledge, Fla.) have all emerged on offense and special teams during training camp. Baker has carved out a role within the receiving group while also taking snaps out of the backfield this summer. Black and Combs III have seen time with the second unit, while each has also contributed on special teams. In particular, Combs III has been involved with the team's punt return unit.
The Rams also added depth to the position through the transfer portal. Kevin Green Jr. (Mission Hills, Calif.) joined Rhode Island after spending the last four seasons at Arizona and Washington. CJ Hawkins (Tampa, Fla.) made his Kingston debut during the team's spring camp after transferring from Stanford, while Sean Byrd (Flint, Mich.) comes to Rhode Island from Grand Valley State.
Green appeared in 11 games with two starts at Arizona in 2023 before transferring to Washington, where he missed the 2024 season due to injury. He returned to action a season ago, appearing in seven games for the Huskies. Hawkins and Byrd each bring added size to the receiving corps. Hawkins stands 6-foot-7, while Byrd is listed at 6-foot-4. Both provide Rhode Island with big targets on the outside and add another dimension to a deep pass-catching group.
Inside the Position Room is a training camp series highlighting each Rhode Island Football position group leading up to the 2026 season. Follow along at GoRhody.com as the Rams continue preparations for the upcoming season.
