WASHINGTON – With under a week until the 2024 season kicks off at home against Davidson on August 31, GUHoyas.com will take an in-depth look at each position with this edition featuring the team's defensive backs. 

"During camp, our development has been outstanding," said Defensive Backs Coach Shane Eachus. "We have been fortunate to stay healthy and as a result, we have been able to mix and match our guys to get used to playing with each other. We have improved our physicality in the offseason because the guys committed themselves to the weight room. They all have gotten bigger and stronger and it has put us in a perfect place heading into the season opener."

At the cornerback position, the Hoyas will be led by 2024 Patriot League Preseason All-League Team selection Wedner Cadet. The junior was named to the Patriot League Preseason Team for the second year in a row. During his sophomore season, the Massachusetts native recorded 21 tackles, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery. 

"Wedner has been progressing well. He is excited to get back out there and you can see it. He is the first guy on the field every day. He is out there going through his own warm up and doing the things he needs to do so that every time he gets an opportunity to do a new drill or be admitted into a new team function he is ready to go. Wedner is a self-starter and has been a great example of making sure that he does everything to be prepared for when he is given a chance to do something. He leads our group by being an example and doing the things that he is asked to do consistently. Whenever we do a drill he is typically doing it the right way and the younger guys can see that and emulate that. 

Also leading the cornerbacks this season is senior returner Kolubah Pewee Jr. During the 2023 campaign, Pewee saw action in nine games and recorded 25 tackles and six blocked passes. The New York native also made one interception and returned it for 29 yards against Lehigh. 

"This season I think everyone is going to get a glimpse of how great of a football player Pewee is. He is a special talent when you get to know him. He has been outstanding from a discipline, accountability and focus perspective. Every day he shows up with a good attitude ready to work. He does a great job at coaching up the young guys and helping them with technique change from what they learned in high school to how we do it here. He is a model leader and has really stepped into that role for us." 

Pewee and Wedner will also be joined by juniors Alpha Barry and Carter Phillips and sophomores Braylon Wise and Quincy Adams. Philips switches to the cornerback position after playing last season as a wide receiver and Wise transitions from being a safety. 

"Carter and Alpha both bring a lot of raw athletic talent to the table. I was very impressed with how quickly Carter picked up our technique. Quincy and Braylon played a lot as freshmen and are going to play a lot of snaps for us this year. I expect they both will be key contributors for us."

In the offseason, the Hoyas gained freshmen Cameron Berry and Michael Bonsu at the cornerback position. In high school, Berry helped his team make two state final appearances and also broke a team record for most turnovers. During his senior year of high school, Bonsu earned the Coaches Award along with being named All-League Evergreen.

"Michael is a very springy and explosive athlete with a fantastic personality. Cameron is super talented and has a ton of speed."

The safeties will be led by graduate returner Preston Murry and senior Zayid Aziz. Murray saw action in all 11 games for the Hoyas in 2023 and recorded 26 tackles and made 1.5 tackles for a loss of 10 yards and one sack for a loss of nine yards. The Maryland native also earned a Patriot League Weekly Honorable Mention after the upset victory over No. 15 Fordham. Last year, Aziz played in eleven games and recorded 26 tackles and one blocked pass. On the kick return, he had two attempts for 12 yards. 

"Preston has played a lot of football at Georgetown. When he came here he was asked to do a lot of jobs and he is highly capable of it. Preston is the guy who will rise to the occasion because he trains the right way. Zayid has a ton of experience playing for us which is great, especially for the younger guys."

The safeties will also be led by sophomore Zeraun Daniel. The safety had a stellar freshman season playing in all 11 games for GU. The New York native recorded 51 tackles, six blocked passes and made two interceptions for 47 yards. Daniel was named Patriot League Rookie of the Week for his performance in the 17-7 win over Lehigh.

"Zeraun is a unique person. He is extremely self-motivated and when there was an opening for him last season at our boundary safety position he grabbed the bull by the horns. He started week one and never came off the field for us. Having a full season and now an offseason at the safety position he has transformed. He is a big physical and athletic presence. He also has a great personality and brings a lot of life and intensity to the room at the same time."

The safeties will also include seniors Diandre Harris and Kenneth Borders, junior Jamal Marshall and sophomores Bijay Boldin, Rayden Waweru, Gardner Heitzman and Brian Dwyer. 

"Kenneth is gonna bring a very physical presence. He is a hybrid guy who will play both our spur and sheriff positions on defense. He played both for us last year and he will do it again. Diandre has been outstanding for us and has climbed the depth chart very fast and is a great example of perseverance in the program. Jamal is a phenomenal leader and sets a standard and holds the guys to that standard. Brian is the life of the room and brings an extraordinary personality. He is the definition of a team guy. Our sophomores have gotten comfortable with our system from an assignment and technique standpoint and you can see it in the way they play."

The Hoyas added freshmen Chris Martin, Armon Richardson and Damon Narcisse to the safety room in the offseason. 

"There is always going to be a learning curve with incoming freshmen. They have had a lot of opportunities to have a good amount of reps in during camp. They have a lot of veteran experience in the room with them and they have been able to learn from watching them."