2024 Boston College Eagles Football Position Preview: Defensive Backs
The Boston College Eagles football program has seen numerous changes during the offseason, mostly on the coaching side. The one constant, though, is the amount of players returning amid the changes. The team retained a majority of its players including 15 starters.
At the cornerback position, the Eagles lost one player from 2023, Elijah Jones (NFL draft) and picked up graduate Bryquice Brown out of the transfer portal from Georgia State. As for the defensive back position, the group lost five players from last year, John Pupel (eligibility), CJ Clinkscales (transfer portal, Charlotte), Jason Scott (transfer portal, Delaware), Jirhe Love (eligibility), and Logan Galletta (transfer portal, Lehigh).
As for the coaches, the defense will be led by new defensive coordinator Tim Lewis, secondary coach Ray Brown.
Below is a look at the position as well as the projected depth chart.
Cornerbacks: Amari Jackson, Bryquice Brown, Jalon Williams, Ryan Turner.
Defensive Backs: Khari Johnson, Sione Hala, Jalen Cheek, KP Price, Cole Batson, Victor Nelson, Max Tucker, Kahlil Ali, Isaiah Farris, Bugg Jones, Carter Davis.
Cornerbacks:
Jalon Williams
Redshirt Junior | 5’10” 199 lbs | Grand Prairie, Texas
Williams is entering his fourth season with the Eagles. During his time in Chestnut Hill, he has appeared in 27 games and tallied 14 total tackles (12 solo and two assisted), 1.5 tackles for loss for four yards, and two passes defended. As a recruit, Williams was a three-star from the class of 2021 and ranked No. 748 nationally, No. 62 in cornerbacks, and No. 107 in the state of Texas, according to 247Sports Composite.
Ryan Turner
Redshirt Sophomore | 6’ 191 lbs | Hollywood, Fla.
Turner is entering his first season with the Eagles after transferring from Ohio State where he spent two years. During his time with the Buckeyes, he appeared in five games and tallied three solo tackles, one tackle for loss for six yards, and one sack for six yards. As a recruit, Turner was a four-star from the class of 2022 and ranked No. 341 nationally, No. 37 in cornerbacks, and No. 40 in the state of Fla., according to 247Sports Composite.
Bryquice Brown
Graduate | 5’11” 183 lbs | Dorchester, Mass.
Brown is entering his first season with the Eagles after transferring from Georgia State where he spent four years. During his time with the Panthers, he appeared in 43 games and tallied 136 total tackles (94 solo and 43 assisted), two tackles for loss for two yards, 29 passes defended, five interceptions, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, and one block. As a recruit, Brown was a three-star from the class of 2019 and ranked No. 195 in safeties and No. 206 in the state of Mass., according to 247Sports, however was not ranked on the Composite.
Amari Jackson
Junior | 5’11” 188 lbs | McDonough, Ga.
Jackson is entering his third season with the Eagles. During his time in Chestnut Hill, he has appeared in 22 games and tallied 53 total tackles (42 solo and 11 assisted), four tackles for loss for six yards, five passes defended, and one interception. As a recruit, he was a three-star from the class of 2022 and ranked No. 735 nationally, No. 69 in cornerbacks, and No. 76 in the state of Ga., according to 247Sports Composite.
Defensive Backs:
Khari Johnson
Redshirt Senior | 5’11” 192 lbs | Boston, Mass.
Johnson is entering his second season with the Eagles after transferring from Arkansas during the 2022 offseason. Last season, he appeared in 12 games which included five starts and tallied 28 total tackles (12 solo and 16 assisted) and 0.5 sacks. As a recruit, Johnson was a three-star from the class of 2020 and ranked No. 2,154 nationally, No. 198 in cornerbacks, and No. 15 in the state of Mass., according to 247Sports Composite. He is a product of Suffield Academy in Boston.
Sione Hala
Redshirt Sophomore | 6’1” 218 lbs | Los Angeles, Calif.
Hala is entering his third season with the Eagles. During his time in Chestnut Hill, he has appeared in 13 games and tallied 26 total tackles (13 solo and 13 assisted), 2.5 tackles for loss for three yards, one sack for one yard, and one forced fumble. As a recruit, Hala was a four-star from the class of 2022 and ranked No. 342 nationally, No. 28 in safeties, and No. 28 in the state of Calif., according to 247Sports Composite.
Jalen Cheek
Redshirt Junior | 6’2” 200 lbs | Sicklerville, N.J.
Cheek is entering his fourth season with the Eagles. During his time in Chestnut Hill, he has appeared in 13 games and tallied 27 total tackles (16 solo and 11 assisted) and three passes defended. As a recruit, Cheek was a three-star from the class of 2021 and ranked No. 543 nationally, No. 41 in cornerbacks, and No. 9 in the state of N.J., according to 247Sports Composite.
Isaiah Farris
Redshirt Sophomore | 5’11” 160 lbs | Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.
Farris is entering his third season with the Eagles. During his time in Chestnut Hill, he had appeared in four games, mostly on special teams. As a recruit, Farris was a three-star from the class of 2022 and ranked No. 1,526 nationally, No. 135 in cornerbacks, and No. 202 in the state of Fla., according to 247Sports Composite.
KP Price
Sophomore | 6’1” 200 lbs | Baltimore, Md.
Price is entering his second season with the Eagles. Last year, he appeared in every game and tallied 18 tackles (14 solo and four assisted), two blocked kicks, and one pass breakup. As a recruit, Price was a three-star from the class of 2023 and ranked No. 1,286 nationally, No. 113 in safeties, and No. 25 in the state of Md., according to 247Sports Composite.
Victor Nelson
Redshirt Senior | 6’2” 219 lbs | Gainesville, Fla.
Nelson is entering his second season with the Eagles after transferring from Long Island during the 2022 offseason. Last season, he appeared in 13 games which included two starts and tallied 14 total tackles, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, and one pass breakup. Nelson is rated as a three-star transfer.
Cole Batson
Redshirt Junior | 6’4” 206 lbs | San Clementine, Calif.
Batson is entering his fourth season with the Eagles. During his time in Chestnut Hill, he has appeared in 16 games and tallied 58 total tackles (38 solo and 20 assisted), two tackles for loss for three yards, four passes defended, one interception, and one forced fumble. As a recruit, Batson was a three-star from the class of 2021 and ranked No. 1,187 nationally, No. 86 in athletes, and No. 96 in the state of Calif., according to 247Sports Composite.
Bugg Jones
Redshirt Junior | 5'11" 215 lbs | Richmond, Va.
Jones is entering his fourth season with the Eagles. During his time in Chestnut Hill, he has appeared in 18 games mostly on special teams and has tallied five tackles. As a recruit, Jones was a three-star from the class of 2021 and ranked No. 936 nationally, No. 67 in athletes, and No. 24 in the state of Va., according to 247Sports Composite.
Carter Davis
Redshirt Freshman | 6'1" 179 lbs | Baltimore, Md.
Davis is entering his second season with the Eagles after he appeared in three games during his freshman campaign and redshirted. As a recruit, Davis was a three-star from the class of 2023 and ranked No. 1,121 nationally, No. 102 in safeties, and No. 19 in the state od Md., according to 247Sports Composite.
Max Tucker
Sophomore | 5'11" 187 lbs | Hyde Park, Mass.
Tucker is entering his second season with the Eagles. During his time in Chestnut Hill, he has appeared in ten games and tallied nine total tackles (seven solo and two assisted) and two pass breakups. As a recruit, Tucker was a three-star from the class of 2023 and ranked No. 1,998 nationally, No. 173 in cornerbacks, and No. 16 in the state of Mass., according to 247Sports Composite. Tucker is a product of Catholic Memorial High School in West Roxbury, Mass.
Khalil Ali
Redshirt Freshman | 6'1" 193 lbs | Pennsauken N.J.
Ali is entering his second season with the Eagles after he appeared in four games and redshirted during his freshman campaign. As a recruit, Ali was a three-star from the class of 2023 and ranked No. 728 nationally, No. 62 in safeties, and No. 11 in the state of N.J., according to 247Sports Composite.
This is an ongoing series on Boston College Eagles On SI. Check out our other position previews here. Defensive Line | Offensive Line | Tight Ends | Wide Receivers | Running Backs | Quarterbacks.
KIM RANKIN