Over the course of this month leading up to the start of the 2023 South Alabama football season, we will preview all the positions groups on the Jaguar roster.

The nine-part series examines each position group ahead of the season opener versus Tulane at Yulman Stadium on Sept. 2 at 7 p.m. This installment looks at South Alabama's defensive backs.

RETURNING STARTERS (5)
- Yam Banks (Jr., 6-1, 208)  
- Keith Gallmon Jr. (R-Sr., 5-9, 202)  
- Jalen Jordan (Sr., 5-9, 180)  
- Marquise Robinson (Jr., 6-1, 184) 
- Jaden Voisin (R-Jr., 6-0, 205)  

OTHER RETURNING PLAYERS (6)
- Ricky Fletcher (So., 6-2, 186)  
- Dallas Gamble (R-Jr., 6-0, 196)  
- Ricky Hyatt Jr. (R-Jr., 6-1, 203)  
- Isaac Mason (R-Fr., 5-9, 192)  
- AJ Sims Jr. (R-Fr., 5-9, 192)  
- Tremel States-Jones (So., 6-0, 200)  

NEWCOMERS (14)
- Michael Archie (Fr., 6-1, 204)  
- Cole Blaylock (Fr., 6-0, 190)  
- Josh Bledsoe (Fr., 6-0, 169) 
- Jordan Buchanan (R-Fr., 6-1, 168)  
- Jamarrien Burt (R-Fr., 6-1, 168)
- Brian Dillard (R-So., 6-2, 190) 
- Mike Harris (R-Jr., 5-10, 168)
- Wesley Miller (R-Fr., 5-11, 188)
- Reggie Neely (Jr., 6-0, 175)
- Eli Ntsasa (Jr., 6-0, 175)
- Cameron Rutledge (Jr., 6-1, 187)
- Alex Shamburger (Fr., 6-2, 171)  
- Christopher Wallace Jr. (So., 6-0, 193)
- Karon Weary (Fr., 6-2, 174)

FIVE THINGS TO KNOW
- The lone starter on defense that the Jags will have to replace comes from the defensive back position as Darrell Luter Jr. was drafted in the fifth round of the NFL Draft by the San Francisco 49ers
- Banks – who set a single-season record with six interceptions a year ago – has been named to three different watch list this summer (Bronko Nagurski Award, Paycom Jim Thorpe Award, Chuck Bednarik Award)
- In his first season as a starter, Voisin finished with 80 total tackles, including 44 solo stops and recorded a season-high 17 tackles against Southern Miss, earning SBC Defensive Player of the Week honors 
- Gallmon Jr. – who earned all-Sun Belt honors during both the 2021 and 2020 seasons – returns this season after missing the 2022 campaign due to an injury suffered during fall camp
- The 13 interceptions registered by South a year ago were just two shy of matching the program record of 15 set during both the 2021 and 2010 seasons, while the 40 passes broken up were fourth-most in a season

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