> ## Content Index
> Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.bayareaexaminer.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further.

# Stampede Bonus: 2025 USF Defensive Backs Breakdown
- URL: https://www.bayareaexaminer.com/stampede-bonus-2025-usf-defensive-bc4/
- Published: 2025-08-27T17:45:28.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-21T15:46:52.000Z
- Description: The Bulls got torched through the air last season. All eyes are on the secondary in 2025.
- Author: Collin Sherwin
- Tags: #Migrated-1792597384348, #Import 2026-10-21 15:44

*When we’ve finished profiling an entire unit, we’ll run through a final breakdown of that position group at large. We’ll touch on a quick overview of the group, then I’ll break it down by tiers as far as how I see playing time shaking out. Finally, I’ll pose one Big Question that I have about the unit approaching the season, and my general level of confidence.*

*If you missed any unit breakdowns, you can find them here:*

- [*Offensive line*](https://thebayareaexaminer.substack.com/p/stampede-bonus-2025-usf-offensive)
- [*Special teams*](https://thebayareaexaminer.substack.com/p/stampede-bonus-2025-usf-special-teams)
- [*Linebacker*](https://thebayareaexaminer.substack.com/p/stampede-bonus-2025-usf-linebackers)
- [*Defensive line*](https://thebayareaexaminer.substack.com/p/stampede-bonus-2025-usf-defensive)
- [*Running backs*](https://thebayareaexaminer.substack.com/p/stampede-bonus-2025-usf-running-backs)
- [*Quarterbacks*](https://thebayareaexaminer.substack.com/p/stampede-bonus-2025-usf-quarterbacks)
- [*Wide receivers*](https://thebayareaexaminer.substack.com/p/stampede-bonus-2025-usf-wide-receivers)

### The Overview:

*Note: from left to right, the columns are player number, player name, eligibility, On3 consensus recruit rating out of high school (asterisk if the player transferred to USF), FBS snaps in 2024, career FBS games (with 2024 games in parentheses), career FBS starts (with 2024 starts in parentheses), tackles, TFLs, sacks and interceptions in 2024, and school in 2024 (if not USF).*

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/77/a9/77a9bb8f-d0f1-45b5-8fed-5feacd465ef5/content/images/2026/10/0103bad7-7ddc-42e2-bdff-de961c895028_1596x858.png)

Similar to the offensive line, this was a problem area in 2024\. By any metric you like, the pass defense was well below average last season: the Bulls ranked 133rd (out of… 134) in passing yards allowed per game, 80th in passer rating against, 98th in yards per attempt allowed, and 109th in total defensive SP+. Not all the blame falls on the secondary - we’ve already discussed the pass rushing deficiencies of the defensive line - but they certainly weren’t performing up to standard.

Also similar to the offensive line: the Bulls more or less elected to hold the line in 2025\. Of the players who featured prominently in the USF secondary last season, only Tawfiq Byard (Colorado), Brent Austin (Cal), and D’Marco Augustin depart. Pretty much everyone else of note is back, and three experienced transfers join the mix as well. Eight players in this secondary played at least 200 FBS snaps last season, and that doesn’t even count Boogsie Silvera, who led FCS McNeese State in tackles, and Jaelen Stokes, who started for the Bulls at strong safety in 2023\. It was a young group last season, and the hope is that they emerge from the fire of 2024 as a stronger unit.

### The Prospectus:

For the sake of evaluating the secondary, we’ll combine safeties and cornerbacks in our tier list.

**Tier 1:** [**De’Shawn Rucker**](https://thebayareaexaminer.substack.com/p/stampeding-through-the-2025-usf-football-ae2) **and** [**Tavin Ward**](https://thebayareaexaminer.substack.com/p/stampeding-through-the-2025-usf-football-5a4)

Alex Golesh has never been shy about replacing veteran players in the secondary - Aamaris Brown and Matthew Hill are recent examples. Given the unit’s struggles last season, I really don’t consider any starting jobs to be written in ink. I suspect we may see some early-season shuffling of personnel and positions as the Bulls try to find a winning combination. Case in point: even on the week one depth chart released Monday, senior De’Shawn Rucker, who represented the Bulls at American Conference media days over the summer, was listed as merely a co-starter. I think Rucker is going to start, but it goes to show that very little here is a lock.

So when I elevate Rucker and Ward into Tier 1, that doesn’t necessarily mean I think they’re the best players in this unit (though Rucker certainly has an argument). It just means that no matter how the secondary ends up shaking out, I think Rucker and Ward will play some sort of prominent role, with Rucker likely starting week one at one of the outside corner positions, and Ward at free safety. They’re two of the veteran leaders on this defense, and strong seasons from them would go a long way.

**Tier 2:** [**Fred Gaskin**](https://thebayareaexaminer.substack.com/p/stampeding-through-the-2025-usf-football-ed3)**,** [**Kajuan Banks**](https://thebayareaexaminer.substack.com/p/stampeding-through-the-2025-usf-football-f34)**, Jarvis Lee,** [**James Chenault**](https://thebayareaexaminer.substack.com/p/stampeding-through-the-2025-usf-football-4cd)**,** [**Ben Knox,**](https://thebayareaexaminer.substack.com/p/stampeding-through-the-2025-usf-football-baf)[**Boogsie Silvera**](https://thebayareaexaminer.substack.com/p/stampeding-through-the-2025-usf-football-04f)**,** [**Jaelen Stokes**](https://thebayareaexaminer.substack.com/p/stampeding-through-the-2025-usf-football-8f4)**,** [**Jonas Duclona**](https://thebayareaexaminer.substack.com/p/stampeding-through-the-2025-usf-football-142)**, and** [**Izaiah Guy**](https://thebayareaexaminer.substack.com/p/stampeding-through-the-2025-usf-football-e0a)

Here’s a big ol’ tier for you. USF went about 11 deep in the secondary last season - two-deep at each corner position, plus five safeties. Tier 1 plus Tier 2 makes ten players - six corners and four safeties - so this tier is more or less who I expect to make up the remainder of the rotation.

And you know what’s fun? Almost none of them have a guaranteed starting job! I guess that depends on your definition of fun. If Rucker and Ward are starting at outside corner and free safety, respectively, that leaves three starting spots left. Thanks to the depth chart, we have a good idea of the leading candidates here:

- This could be a breakout season for Fred Gaskin, who was promising as a freshman and now enters 2025 with a rare designated starting spot all to himself on the depth chart. It seems that Gaskin, for the time being, has edged out Boogsie Silvera and Jaelen Stokes for the Bulls’ strong safety position, which plays somewhat like an outside linebacker. It’ll be a blast to see the highly-touted Gaskin try to make the position his own, but Silvera and Stokes both have extensive starting experience and should play regularly.
- The battle for nickelback is between returning starter Kajuan Banks and junior Jarvis Lee, who saw more playing time as the 2024 season went along and made some great plays down the stretch. I was pretty high on Lee last season, and he’s the first name listed on the depth chart, for what it’s worth. Both Banks and Lee should see a lot of playing time.
- So, about that other wide corner position? Could I interest you in four possible candidates? I had assumed the battle was between senior Ben Knox, who bounced back from an injury last season and made some great plays as a rotational corner, and James Chenault, who turned some heads and saw extended playing time as a true freshman. But it looks like incoming transfers Jonas Duclona (from Wisconsin, listed as a co-starter with De’Shawn Rucker) and Izaiah Guy (Georgia State, listed as a co-starter with Knox and Chenault) have impressed the staff and gotten themselves into the mix as well. This is certainly the most open position of the bunch. Based on reports from the fall, I’ll guess that Chenault gets the first crack against Boise, but there are enough snaps to go around.

**Tier 3:** [**Cedrick Hawkins**](https://thebayareaexaminer.substack.com/p/stampeding-through-the-2025-usf-football-2fd)**,** [**Deylen Platt**](https://thebayareaexaminer.substack.com/p/stampeding-through-the-2025-usf-football-f10)**,** [**Gavin Jenkins**](https://thebayareaexaminer.substack.com/p/stampeding-through-the-2025-usf-football-ab4)**, and** [**Herlin Perry**](https://thebayareaexaminer.substack.com/p/stampeding-through-the-2025-usf-football-ca5)

This tier is full of young players who seem to be on the fringes of this season’s rotation. Hawkins, who saw very limited action at UCF and Ohio State the past couple years, apparently impressed the staff enough to land on the two-deep at free safety behind Tavin Ward. Jenkins and Perry - both true freshman - also made the depth chart at cornerback, which is a great sign for them. Platt did not appear on the depth chart, but saw some early playing time as a true freshman in 2024.

I don’t think we’ll see extended snaps for any of these players, but one or two of them might find their way into the rotation, and they’re all names to watch for the future.

**Tier 4:** [**Jermaine Dalias**](https://thebayareaexaminer.substack.com/p/stampeding-through-the-2025-usf-football-4b7)**,** [**Jermichael Gillis**](https://thebayareaexaminer.substack.com/p/stampeding-through-the-2025-usf-football-703)**,** [**Jabari Smith**](https://thebayareaexaminer.substack.com/p/stampeding-through-the-2025-usf-football-5c7)**,** [**Dorian Mallary Jr.**](https://thebayareaexaminer.substack.com/p/stampeding-through-the-2025-usf-football-07f) **and** [**Jeremiah Jones**](https://thebayareaexaminer.substack.com/p/stampeding-through-the-2025-usf-football-dc8)

Dalias is a redshirt freshman who played sparingly last season, and he’s joined here by a few true freshmen. All players to keep an eye on in years to come, to be sure, but I don’t see them playing much this season.

### The Big Question: If not now, when?

It’s a simple question, but a critical one. This secondary is absolutely overflowing with options, many of whom have played extensively, both in Tampa and elsewhere. Rucker is a veteran who’s earned some early all-conference buzz. Ward, Banks, and Stokes have all been full-time starters for USF at some point. Gaskin, Lee, Chenault, and Duclona are young players who have shown glimpses of excellence. Guy and Silvera were both productive starters at other schools last season.

It’s not been the only problem, by any stretch, but the secondary has been a big reason why the Bulls haven’t been able to reach the upper echelons of the American over the past couple of seasons. That was excusable when Golesh and company were turning over Jeff Scott’s roster; it would be less excusable if the struggles continued this season. I’m certainly not expecting them to be world-beaters, but there’s enough talent here to put together a serviceable unit capable of holding serve against the better offenses in the conference. If the pass defense is a huge liability again in 2025, some larger questions are going to have to be asked about the defensive coaching staff.

[Subscribe](#/portal/signup)