The Owls are less than three months away from their season opener. The UP will get some insight on each position on the roster. Today, we will focus primarily on the cornerbacks.

Cornerbacks play a very important role in the defense as their role can vary depending on the defensive formation called. 

With their experience and production, junior Justin McKithen and senior Romain Mungin should be expected to fill the two starting spots.

In 2022 McKithen played in all 12 of the Owls’ games where he got two interceptions, with one taken for a 63-yard touchdown. He had three pass deflections and a forced fumble. With those major contributions, it’s likely that he will be starting at cornerback to begin this season.

Mungin is returning after a productive 2022 season where he recorded two interceptions, ten pass deflections, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery and 34 total tackles, 26 of those were solo. 

The remaining athletes that are hoping to move up in the depth chart and potentially get a starting job or more playing time are redshirt sophomores Jayden Williams and Zeroun Skinner, and sophomore Jahbari Hill.

Williams made four pass deflections last season, one of which came in the game where he was in the starting lineup against Rice University. In that game, Williams had two total tackles with one solo. 

Hill is looking to pick up from where he left off in his freshman season in which he recorded four total tackles in the 8 games he played. 

Two newcomers going into this 2023 season are redshirt freshman Darius McClendon and freshman Chris Tooley who looks to make their mark during the preseason

McClendon is a transfer from New Mexico Military Institute, where he had four interceptions and 33 total tackles.

Freshman Chris Tooley, not to be confused with former FAU Owl Chris Tooley who played from 2016-19, switched from quarterback to cornerback in his final year at Jones High School in Orlando. Tooley had 10 total tackles. 

The Owls are bringing back nearly their entire group from last year, putting the Owls at an advantage having all their cornerbacks back. 

Chris Smith is a Contributing Writer for the University Press. For information regarding this or other stories, email [email protected] or DM via Twitter @chris_smith_35 or Instagram @Chris_smith_4.