Pre-Spring 2024 Rundown: Defensive Backs
With the dust settled on the 2024 class, I’m going to take some time to breakdown the additions by position group. The format will be similar to these position breakdowns I’ve done in the past: key losses, what is returning, new additions, and highlight an important storyline for each group. Today we will be taking a look at the Defensive Backfield.
Key Departures
Quincy Milhomme - S - 30 tackles 2 TFL 2 INT 3 PBU - 2023 2nd Team All-GSC*
*Currently uncommitted in the transfer portal
Top Returning Players
Senior - Virgil Lemons - CB - 24 tackles 2 INT 3 PBU
Senior - Elijah Williams - CB - 16 tackles
Sophomore - Donovan Barnes - S - 33 tackles 1 INT 3 PBU
New Additions
Mid-Year Transfers
Junior - Ryan Cunningham (5’10” 190) - S - Southeastern (NAIA) - 54 tackles 1.5 TFL 2 INT 3 PBU - 2nd Team All-Sun Conference
February Signees
Tyrell Marshall (6’2” 260) - CB - Navarre - 48 tackles 6 PBU 2 blocked kicks
Tony Newsome (6’ 18o) - S - LA Valley (JUCO) - 33 tackles 2 TFL 3 INT 4 PBU 2 FF - 1st Team All-Pacific League
New Additions Primer
Coach Remsza and Coach Chadwick go into Spring practices with the starting four DBs all tentatively still on the roster. UWF added all four of the primary 2023 starters, CB Virgil Lemons as a D2 transfer, CB Elijah Williams and S Quincy Milhomme both from the JUCO ranks, and S Donovan Barnes as a HS signee, in their first offseason. This group went on to pretty much start all season, Barnes and Lemons started all 12, Williams played in 11 as the primary starter, and Milhomme missed 3 games but started the remainder of the season, and were pretty dang good with Milhomme earning some All-GSC honors in the post season while Barnes was probably in the running for GSC freshman DPOY. The caveat to this position group is that Milhomme is currently an uncommitted portal entrant, and while he is still on the roster he could also very likely be gone before summer starts. So with all that in place, and really only losing a couple of depth pieces, backup CBs Brandon Cross and Justin Mathieu have both departed, UWF didn’t have a huge need at DB. They did sign one mid-year transfer, Southeastern University two year starting Safety Ryan Cunningham.
A true Junior, Cunningham comes to Pensacola after two very successful seasons at SEU in Lakeland. He was named 2nd Team All-Sun Conference as a Freshman and 2nd Team again as a Sophomore, and accumulated over 130 tackles and finishing 2nd on the team in total tackles both year. Cunningham is a big hitter and a solid athlete, and depending on what happens with Milhomme is going to jump right in the mix at Safety.
Continuing a trend we saw with both the DL and LB groups, UWF landed a legit D1 prospect in Navarre’s Tyrell Marshall at Cornerback. He’s got that prototype CB built with long arms, and has been a high level playmaker in the always underrated Panhandle prep scene for four seasons. There are a handful of older CB backups on the roster, but I think Marshall is someone who could come in right away and compete for reps.
Central Florida native Tony Newsome is the only JUCO/Transfer prospect who is not already enrolled, but his talent and experience is probably going to land him in the rotation right away when he does touch down in Pensacola. Originally committed to USF, Newsome spent the past two years at LA Valley College, where he was named 1st Team All-Pacific League in 2023. He brings positional versatility to the Defensive Backfield, and could play some Corner or Nickel in sub packages.
Spring Storyline: DB Group Mostly Intact
As of right now, the starting four DBs are pretty much set, but a lot of that could change depending on the post-Spring transfer period. The big one to watch is Quincy Milhomme, who has garnered a handful of FCS level offers since entering the portal. If he stays for his final season in Pensacola, then UWF will return a very good foursome of defenders, a handful of their returning backups, and added two quality Safeties through the transfer portal/recruiting. It could be one of the better position groups on the team, and one of the better DB groups in the conference for 2024. But Milhomme could garner some FBS attention, at which point you can pretty much assume he will leave and the defensive staff will be tasked with replacing one of the better starting Safeties in the GSC. They are not without options on campus, last year the Argos got pretty good run from backup Safeties Amari Mitchell (8 games 15 tackles 1 INT 2 PBU), Braylon Anderson (8 games 11 tackles 1 INT 1 PBU), and Rodney McGraw (9 games 12 tackles 1 PBU). All three guys I thought would factor into the Safety battle last year, so they should be revved up for a possible position battle. The other name to watch this Spring at Safety is definitely Ryan Cunningham, who brings quality starting experience to the group.
At Corner, the starters return and I feel that is unlikely to change, but what happens behind them should be pretty interesting. I think the best bets to get their name called are two Juniors, Zach Johnson and Chester Fearon, who both played quite a bit as backups last season. From last year’s DB class, I’m keeping my eyes on two RS Freshmen, Josh Doan and Ernest Flythe, as guys who could make a push this season for playing time. Once Tyrell Marshall is on campus this fall, I think he factors heavily here as an undeniably talented True Freshman.
Pre-Spring Projected DB Depth Chart
Position: 1st String / 2nd String
Cornerback: Virgil Lemons / Zach Johnson
Safety: Donovan Barnes / Tony Newsome
Safety: Quincy Milhomme* / Ryan Cunningham
Cornerback: Elijah Williams / Josh Doan
