Rhode Island ranks No. 9 in HERO Sports’ FCS Preseason Top 25.
The Rams finished 11-3 last year, losing 17-10 at Mercer in the FCS second round.
Here’s a look at the 2025 Rhody football squad.
Returning 2024 FCS All-Conference Players (5)
First Team
LB A.J. Pena
2nd Team
WR Marquis Buchanan
OL Brock Bethea
3rd Team
QB Devin Farrell
OL Tre Alexander
D1 Transfer Portal Movement
Transfers Coming In From The FCS (6)
| Player | Pos. | Previous School |
| Leisaan Hibbert | DB | LIU |
| Christian Smith | OL | Merrimack |
| Ramin Farzaie | DL | Monmouth |
| Jordan Campbell | DB | Sacred Heart |
| Hunter Robbins | DL | VMI |
| John Boyles | LB | Wofford |
Transfers Coming In From The FBS (15)
| Player | Pos. | Previous School |
| Nick Thomas | OL | Boston College |
| James Allen | P | Georgia State |
| Josh Philostin | DB | Indiana |
| Connor Finer | TE | Kennesaw |
| Randy Leavitt | P | LA Tech |
| Trey Lubin | DB | Memphis |
| Aaris Bethea | DL | Rutgers |
| Gabe Winowich | RB | Rutgers |
| Brendon Barrow | RB | Stanford |
| Antwain Littleton | RB | Temple |
| Matt Smith | TE | UMass |
| Sahnai Swain-Price | DL | UMass |
| Ryan Jankowski | QB | UMass |
| Garth White | K | USC |
| Will Dixon | TE | West Virginia |
Transfers Lost To The FCS (0)
Transfers Lost To The FBS (2)
| Player | Pos. | New School |
| Jacob Otts | OL | Middle TN State |
| Devin Hightower | LB | UAB |
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Offensive Outlook
Rhody’s offense returns its starting quarterback, top two wide receivers, and top four offensive linemen in snaps. It loses its 1,400-yard running back.
Devin Farrell returns at quarterback after an All-CAA Third Team season as a redshirt sophomore. He transferred to Rhody in 2023 from Virginia Tech. Last year, he started in nine of the first 10 games before a season-ending injury. Farrell finished 124/214 passing (58%) for 1,670 yards, 11 touchdowns, and eight interceptions while rushing for 302 yards and five scores.
Farrell will have great receiving targets to work with.
Marquis Buchanan is a two-time All-CAA selection at wide receiver. In 2023, he had 42 catches for 638 yards and four touchdowns. Last fall, Buchanan racked up 82 catches for 1,124 yards and eight TDs, getting named on the All-CAA Second Team while earning two All-American honors. Greg Gaines III is also back. He transferred from Iowa State before last season and then finished as Rhody’s No. 2 WR, totaling 50 catches for 603 yards and three touchdowns. Gaines is 6-foot-3, while Buchanan is 6-foot-4.
Matt Smith is a 6-foot-5 transfer tight end from UMass. He appeared in six games last fall and had three catches for 38 yards. Connor Finer from Kennesaw State and Will Dixon from West Virginia are two more tight ends arriving from the FBS. Finer played in 21 games in the last two seasons with seven catches.
The backfield is an unknown entering 2024. The Rams lost standout Malik Grant, who went for 1,426 yards and 13 scores last year. Farrell finished second on the team with 302 rushing yards. Deon Silas, last year’s No. 2 RB with 266 yards, is also gone.
Antwain Littleton Jr. will provide a physical presence as a 6-foot-1 and 240-pound running back with plenty of FBS experience. He rushed for 305 yards and a touchdown last year at Temple, had 255 rushing yards and two TDs at Maryland in 2023, and 379 yards and six scores in 2022 at Maryland.
The good news for the run game is that the Rams return an experienced offensive line. Brock Bethea (6-5, 305 lbs) and Tre Alexander (6-2, 321 lbs) are coming off All-CAA seasons as both played 800+ snaps. Demetri Robinson (6-2, 295 lbs) and Thomas Buxton (6-5, 330 lbs) added more than 700+ snaps apiece last fall. Jordan Cooper (6-3, 315 lbs) provides valuable experience as well, playing nearly 450 snaps with five starts in 2024.
Christian Smith (6-2, 270 lbs) adds even more experience, arriving from Merrimack, where he played nearly 600 snaps last year.
The Rams averaged 24.3 points per game last year and 210 passing yards per game.
Defensive Outlook
After allowing 21.9 points per game, which ranked No. 27 in the FCS, Rhode Island returns only four of its top 15 players in tackles and five of its top 15 players in snaps. The Rams return an early top contender for the Buck Buchanan Award.
Linebacker A.J. Pena expects to return after a brief stop at FBS Memphis this offseason before re-entering the transfer portal. He is a 2023 and 2024 All-CAA selection, totaling 59 tackles, 15.5 TFLs, and nine sacks in 2023. Last year, he racked up 82 tackles, 22.5 TFLs, and 12.5 sacks, earning four All-American honors.
Pena led the Rams in snaps last year with more than 900. Cornerback Ayinde Johnson was No. 2 with more than 850, and he also returns in 2025. Johnson tallied 56 tackles, three TFLs, one interception, and seven pass breakups a season ago.
After that, Rhody has a lot of production to replace.
Andre DePina-Gray is back after starting 11 games at safety in 2024, playing nearly 450 snaps and finishing No. 12 in team tackles with 38, adding an interception and two pass breakups.
Defensive tackles Case Mankins and Kareem Wilson Jr. bring back solid experience. Mankins played 420+ snaps and had 24 tackles and four TFLs. Wilson added 260+ snaps and 17 tackles with two TFLs.
Linebacker John Boyles should be an immediate impact player after transferring from Wofford. He was a multi-year starter for the Terriers, totaling 36 tackles and 3.5 TFLs in 2022 and 35 tackles and five TFLs last year.
Rhody owned a Top 25 rushing defense in 2024, allowing 123.6 yards per game. Pena highlights the front seven again, but some new names need to step up for the Rams to complement what could be a more explosive offense.
2025 Preseason Preview Central
Rhode Island Football Schedule
8/29 vs Campbell
9/6 at No. 25 Stony Brook
9/13 at Holy Cross
9/20 vs LIU
9/27 at Western Michigan
10/4 at Brown
10/11 vs New Hampshire
10/18 at UAlbany
10/25 vs Bryant
11/8 at Elon
11/15 at Maine
11/22 vs Hampton
Bold indicates CAA games
HERO Sports’ rankings
RV = Receiving Votes
