Football Season Preview: Defensive Backs

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – With the Bryant University football season under a month away, Bryant Athletics takes a look at the defensive backs leading up to opening kickoff on September 5.

Bryant Athletics will breakdown the quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers and tight ends, linemen, linebackers, defensive backs and specialists.

Defensive Backs

Led by a veteran group of returners, the Bulldog' secondary has the potential to be one of the best in the Northeast Conference in 2015. Last year, Bryant was one of the best teams in the country at defending the pass, finishing fourth in the country in pass efficiency defense (99.32) and 10th in the country in passing yards allowed per game (169.0). Both numbers led the NEC.

Although the Black and Gold graduated both starting safeties, they still have a lot left in the cupboard and will be led by veterans Brandon Dagnesses (Miami, Fla.) and Charles Wingate (Englewood, N.J.) on the corners. A senior, Dagnesses enters his final year in Smithfield after posting a career-high 45 tackles a year ago. He forced two fumbles, tied for the team lead with three interceptions and also broke up seven passes.

After missing last season, Wingate returns to form one of the top shutdown corner duos in the league with Dagnesses. He appeared in 20 games over his first two seasons, collecting 91 tackles and posting five interceptions and nine pass breakups.

Filling the void left by graduation will be juniors Charles Keenan (Tyngsborough, Mass.) and Brandon Owens (Salem, Mass.). Keenan appeared in all 11 games last season and finished with 28 tackles and five pass breakups. Owens appeared in nine games a year ago, collecting eight tackles.

Senior Raamah Vaughn (Fort Washington, Md.) and junior Aaron Gilmer (North Easton, Mass.) will also see time on the corners. Vaughn saw time in all 11 games last season and finished with 16 tackles, while Gilmer made four tackles and broke up two passes in 11 games.

Also battling for time will be senior Karl Sery (Waltham, Mass.) and freshmen cousins La Tony Davis (Virginia Beach, Va.) and DJ Davis (Virginia Beach, Va.). Sery made eight appearances last year and the Davis's both earned all-state honors as they led Salem (Va.) to the state finals.