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Iowa State University Athletics
Spring Outlook: The Defensive Backs
03.08.2017 | Football
AMES, Iowa - Iowa State is in its second week of spring drills and today we preview the defensive backs.Â
Defensive Backs
Synopsis
The Iowa State secondary will boast four returners who started eight or more games last season, making the position one of ISU's most experienced.
Often in 2016, the Cyclones played with five defensive backs with the addition of the Star/Nickel spot replacing a linebacker.Â
Many of those guys will be back, including second-team All-Big 12 safety Kamari Cotton-Moya (6-1, 200, Sr.#, Bakersfield, Calif.) and honorable mention All-Big 12 corner Brian Peavy (5-9, 190, Jr.#, Houston, Texas).
Cotton-Moya, who was named a co-captain last year, has 27 starts in his career, the second-highest total on the team behind Allen Lazard.
Cotton-Moya was third on the team in tackles (73), but led the team in solo stops with 58, ranking sixth in the Big 12 and 27th nationally. He also led the team with three takeaways (2 INT, 1 FR) and his 190 career tackles is the most by any current Cyclone.
Peavy tallied 62 tackles and led the Cyclones in passes defended (12), the fourth-best total in the Big 12.
The Houston native has a chance to be one of the best corners in the Big 12. He has three interceptions, two forced fumbles, 144 tackles and 21 starts in his career.Â
D'Andre Payne (5-10, 190, Jr.#, Washington, D.C.) had a solid first-year for the Cyclones in 2016. He started eight games at the star position, but his versatility allowed him to play at a number of positions in the secondary, including at corner, where he could get more snaps at in 2017. The co-winner of the team's Dury Moss Outstanding Newcomer of the Year award tallied 44 tackles, 5.5 TFL and seven pass breakups in his inaugural season.Â
Evrett Edwards (5-11, 190, Sr.#, Woodbridge, Va.) joined Payne and Johnson as first-year players who saw plenty of action in 2016. The graduate transfer from Duke played at safety and star, ranking fifth on the team with 52 tackles. He also picked off one pass and earned five starts.Â
Iowa State also returns the services of Braxton Lewis (5-11, 185, So.#, Overland Park, Kan.), Thadd Daniels (6-1, 205, Sr.#, Compton, Calif.), De'Monte Ruth (5-9, 174, Jr.#, Dallas, Texas) and Mackenro Alexander (5-11, 185, Sr.#, Immokalee, Fla.).
Lewis, a walk-on, played significant snaps a year ago at safety, earning one start. He had 17 tackles on the year. Daniels played in 10 games as a reserve, posting 10 tackles.Â
Ruth played in 11 games, primarily on special teams, and Alexander appeared in four games. Both will look to move up the depth chart in the spring.Â
The Cyclones will get a great look in the spring of a number of defensive backs who sat out as redshirts in 2016. Campbell has been high on Arnold Azunna (5-11, 183, Fr.#, Grand  Prairie, Texas), Jatairis Grant (6-0, 190, Fr.#, Akron, Ohio) Romelo Webster (5-10, 175, Fr.#, Miramar, Fla.) and Lawrence White (6-0, 178, Fr.#, Bakersfield, Calif.).
Webster and Azunna will compete at cornerback, while Grant and White will likely be backups at safety.Â
Campbell On The Defensive Backs
"The really exciting thing for us will be watching the youth in the secondary, because there is a lot of high-end talent, but yet only so many positions available for playing time. Kamari Cotton-Moya will be a leader and keeping him healthy will be important. Brian Peavy is a guy that has played at a high level of consistency. Throw in D'Andre Payne, and you got three veterans who will bring confidence and consistency to that defensive backfield. Other than those two, we need to find out who else can rise to their level. We have a bunch of guys that have talent but little experience. Guys like Thadd Daniels, De'Monte Ruth, Mackenro Alexander, Jatairis Grant, Lawrence White and Arnold Azunna. Will they be ready to push somebody for their starting job and can they come in here and make a difference? I think all of these guys have the ability to impact our football team in the fall, but what level and how much is really going to be answered in the spring. I think we are all excited about that."
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