Photo by: GoBearkats.com
2021 Bearkat Football Preview: Defensive Backs
8/27/2021 2:37:00 PM | Football
Returners: Taylen Blalock, Kameryn Alexander, Trey Smith, Braiden Clopton, Darrel Hawkins-Williams, Jaylen Thomas, Isaiah Downes, Ke'Shon Murray, Zyon McCollum, Tristin McCollum, Tobias Weaver, Daniel North, RJ Bendert, Savien Arnett, Immanuel Sutton, Emmonte Davis, Truman Bexley, Carson Horner, Kobe Sterling, Jalan Mayes
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Newcomers: Emon Allen, David Fisher, Nick Chrest, Donovan Adkins, Christian Williams, Jevin Murray, Caleb Weaver, Kavian Gaither, Quan Williams
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HUNTSVILLE – Sam Houston's group of defensive backs are bona fide playmakers on the back end. The unit blends young talent with experienced seniors that are ready to lock down opposing offenses as they inch closer to the 2021 season opener.
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The unit will be headlied by its prize pair of senior cornerbacks, Zyon McCollum and Jaylen Thomas, each of whom earned postseason accolades for the Spring 2021 campaign.
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McCollum started all 10 games at corner, finishing with 46 tackles, 3.0 TFLs, 2 forced fumbles and an interception, earning all-Southland and All-American honors. His interception against James Madison in the semifinals of the FCS playoffs was a key play in the Bearkats comeback.
His imposing 6-4 frame routinely makes opposing quarterbacks weary of looking his way, and has gone far in catching the eye of pro scouts as he is one of the top Bearkat prospects on the radar entering the fall.
McCollum goes into the year with 10 interceptions in his career, making him one of only seven players in Sam Houston history with 10 or more interceptions.
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Thomas missed the first game of the 2020 season due to injury but went on to start the next nine. In one of his best performances on the year, Thomas tallied seven tackles, a forced fumble, and a pass breakup in the Kats win over Northwestern State. His interception in the redzone against Monmouth in the opening round of the playoffs was crucial and his performance in the semifinal game was stellar as he finished with five tackles and a sack as part of the Kats' epic comeback win over JMU.
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At safety, Tristin McCollum was fourth on the team with 50 tackles and was named a second team All-Southland member. McCollum had two interceptions on the year, with one of them being a big part of the quarterfinal win over NDSU. His open field tackle on 4th & 2 with 2:21 to play versus Southeastern Louisiana sealed the win for the Kats in the season opener. He brings extreme versatility to the field for the Kats with the ability to make physical plays in the box in addition to coverage.
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Arguably the most pleasant surprise of all of the Spring 2021 season was redshirt freshman safety Braiden Clopton. The Gunter native did not start the opener, but quickly got his shot and never let go of his place in the secondary. The hard-nosed safety finished with 72 tackles on the season, second only to linebacker Trevor Williams on the Kats' roster. He had a season high 13 tackles versus Northwestern State and had a game-high 10 stops in the national championship game vs South Dakota State.
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Sophomore Kameryn Alexander made an impact on defense and special teams. The Manvel native averaged 21 yards per kick return, taking one 56 yards in the win over Lamar. He finished the year with eight pass breakups. Alexander was big in the win over Nicholls with a TFL and a pair of breakups, while also jarring the ball loose from a receiver to force an interception that was returned for a score.
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Continuing through the Kats' deep seconary corps, Isaiah Downes made his impact known as the season wore on and was never bigger than during the Kats' playoff run. The junior grabbed the spotlight with some late-game heroics in the Kats' opening-round win over Monmouth, sealing the game with an interception in the end zone in the game's final moments to spoil the Hawks' comeback attempt. One week later he got in on the turnover action again, picking off North Dakota State's Cam Miller in the Kats' quarterfinal victory over the Bison.
Additionally, Darrel Hawkins-Williams saw action in nine games totaling 18 tackles and two pass breakups and could see his opportunities increase this season, not just in the secondary but also on special teams. Meanwhile, cornerback Ke'Shon Murray played in all 10 games and finished with 22 tackles and 2 pass breakups and should be another key piece of the secondary and return units this season.
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Trey Smith was also a key piece at safety a year ago and should figure into the rotation as well this season, while others such as Taylen Blaylock, Jalan Mayes, Immanuel Sutton and Daniel North could all see their roles increase in the fall.
Coach KC Keeler and the Bearkats brought in a transfer from North Texas in Jevin Murray, who looks to slide into the rotation this fall and make an impact. While at UNT he appeared in four games in the 2020 season. Other standout newcomers include true freshmen signees Kavian Gaither, Donovan Adkins, Emon Allen, and David Fisher. Adkins, who hails from Kilgore, looks to be a solid contributor his freshman year, along with Waco native Gaither.
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Newcomers: Emon Allen, David Fisher, Nick Chrest, Donovan Adkins, Christian Williams, Jevin Murray, Caleb Weaver, Kavian Gaither, Quan Williams
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HUNTSVILLE – Sam Houston's group of defensive backs are bona fide playmakers on the back end. The unit blends young talent with experienced seniors that are ready to lock down opposing offenses as they inch closer to the 2021 season opener.
Â
The unit will be headlied by its prize pair of senior cornerbacks, Zyon McCollum and Jaylen Thomas, each of whom earned postseason accolades for the Spring 2021 campaign.
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McCollum started all 10 games at corner, finishing with 46 tackles, 3.0 TFLs, 2 forced fumbles and an interception, earning all-Southland and All-American honors. His interception against James Madison in the semifinals of the FCS playoffs was a key play in the Bearkats comeback.
His imposing 6-4 frame routinely makes opposing quarterbacks weary of looking his way, and has gone far in catching the eye of pro scouts as he is one of the top Bearkat prospects on the radar entering the fall.
McCollum goes into the year with 10 interceptions in his career, making him one of only seven players in Sam Houston history with 10 or more interceptions.
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Thomas missed the first game of the 2020 season due to injury but went on to start the next nine. In one of his best performances on the year, Thomas tallied seven tackles, a forced fumble, and a pass breakup in the Kats win over Northwestern State. His interception in the redzone against Monmouth in the opening round of the playoffs was crucial and his performance in the semifinal game was stellar as he finished with five tackles and a sack as part of the Kats' epic comeback win over JMU.
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At safety, Tristin McCollum was fourth on the team with 50 tackles and was named a second team All-Southland member. McCollum had two interceptions on the year, with one of them being a big part of the quarterfinal win over NDSU. His open field tackle on 4th & 2 with 2:21 to play versus Southeastern Louisiana sealed the win for the Kats in the season opener. He brings extreme versatility to the field for the Kats with the ability to make physical plays in the box in addition to coverage.
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Arguably the most pleasant surprise of all of the Spring 2021 season was redshirt freshman safety Braiden Clopton. The Gunter native did not start the opener, but quickly got his shot and never let go of his place in the secondary. The hard-nosed safety finished with 72 tackles on the season, second only to linebacker Trevor Williams on the Kats' roster. He had a season high 13 tackles versus Northwestern State and had a game-high 10 stops in the national championship game vs South Dakota State.
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Sophomore Kameryn Alexander made an impact on defense and special teams. The Manvel native averaged 21 yards per kick return, taking one 56 yards in the win over Lamar. He finished the year with eight pass breakups. Alexander was big in the win over Nicholls with a TFL and a pair of breakups, while also jarring the ball loose from a receiver to force an interception that was returned for a score.
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Continuing through the Kats' deep seconary corps, Isaiah Downes made his impact known as the season wore on and was never bigger than during the Kats' playoff run. The junior grabbed the spotlight with some late-game heroics in the Kats' opening-round win over Monmouth, sealing the game with an interception in the end zone in the game's final moments to spoil the Hawks' comeback attempt. One week later he got in on the turnover action again, picking off North Dakota State's Cam Miller in the Kats' quarterfinal victory over the Bison.
Additionally, Darrel Hawkins-Williams saw action in nine games totaling 18 tackles and two pass breakups and could see his opportunities increase this season, not just in the secondary but also on special teams. Meanwhile, cornerback Ke'Shon Murray played in all 10 games and finished with 22 tackles and 2 pass breakups and should be another key piece of the secondary and return units this season.
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Trey Smith was also a key piece at safety a year ago and should figure into the rotation as well this season, while others such as Taylen Blaylock, Jalan Mayes, Immanuel Sutton and Daniel North could all see their roles increase in the fall.
Coach KC Keeler and the Bearkats brought in a transfer from North Texas in Jevin Murray, who looks to slide into the rotation this fall and make an impact. While at UNT he appeared in four games in the 2020 season. Other standout newcomers include true freshmen signees Kavian Gaither, Donovan Adkins, Emon Allen, and David Fisher. Adkins, who hails from Kilgore, looks to be a solid contributor his freshman year, along with Waco native Gaither.
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