Bronco Breakdown: Transfer portal helps Boise State rebuild its cornerback room

Editor’s note: This is the 10th installment in a series breaking down Boise State’s likely starters and the top players in the Mountain West at each position.

Cornerback has been a position in flux for the Boise State football team in recent years.

Graduation, injuries and off-the-field troubles have left the Broncos’ coaches searching for new starters year after year. Former starters Caleb Biggers and Tryic LeBeauf graduated, and sixth-year senior Markel Reed hasn’t been healthy for a full season since 2020.

Jaylen Clark started started 13 games last season, but was suspended indefinitely in January after he was arrested and charged with two felonies: attempted strangulation and aggravated assault. The Broncos also have to replace fifth-year senior Kaonohi Kaniho, who started 22 games at cornerback the past three seasons but moved to safety this year.

Boise State has turned to the transfer portal to rebuild the cornerback room. Four of this year’s top five CBs joined the team from other colleges, including A’Marion McCoy, who led the Broncos with three interceptions last season.

McCoy, who spent the first two years of his career at Laney College in California, played in 14 games and started seven last season. He finished the year tied for second on the team with five pass breakups and has the instincts to be even more of a shutdown corner this season, cornerbacks coach Demario Warren said.

“He has the confidence that you look for in a corner, and he just knows how to get his hands on the ball when it’s in the air,” Warren said. “We saw what he can do last year, and he’s only going to get better after another year in our system.”

The favorite to start opposite McCoy is redshirt junior Jeremiah Earby, who joined the Broncos this year after two seasons at California. He started 10 games for the Bears and earned honorable mention All-Pac 12 honors as a freshman in 2022.

Earby blew the coaches away with his ball skills in the spring, snagging at least five interceptions in the Broncos’ 15 practices.

“He’s a big-time player and that’s something we really need on the back end of the defense,” Boise State linebacker Andrew Simpson said. “He’s somebody who is going to do his job every single play and make plays.”

Bronco Breakdown: Boise State’s deepest position is led by trio of experienced safeties

Reed is back for his final season of eligibility and should offer a veteran presence if he can stay healthy. He suffered season-ending injuries in 2021 and 2022, and dealt with nagging injuries last season, despite playing in 11 games and starting five.

Former Washington cornerback Davon Banks was a late addition to the roster. He joined the Broncos in May after playing in 10 games in three seasons with the Huskies. He played in the first two games of last season, including Washington’s win over Boise State, before suffering a season-ending injury.

The wildcard in the mix is fifth-year senior Tevin Griffey, who is the son of Major League Baseball Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr. He spent the past four seasons at Florida A&M, where he played in 23 games and totaled 24 tackles, one interception — which returned for a touchdown — and one blocked kick.

Bronco Breakdown: An All-Mountain West pick leads Boise State’s stacked linebacker room

Projected depth chart

Starters: A’Marion McCoy, Sr., 6-0, 175, Menlo-Atherton High/Laney College, East Palo Alto, California; Jeremiah Earby, Jr., 6-2, 181, Menlo-Atherton High/California, East Palo Alto, California.

Backups: Markel Reed, 6-yr., 6-1, 185, Temple (Texas) High; Davon Banks, R-Jr., 5-11, 184, San Jacinto (California) High/Washington.

Sleepers: Tevin Griffey, 5-yr., 5-11, 180, Dr. Phillips High/Florida A&M, Orlando, Florida; Dionte Thornton, R-So., 6-2, 204, Lawndale High, Carson, California.

Mountain West CBs to watch

Cameron Oliver, UNLV — Oliver is the top cornerback in the Mountain West. He and former UNLV safety Jaxen Turner tied with a conference-high five interceptions last season. Oliver was named second-team All-Mountain West and made the preseason all-conference team this month. The 6-foot-1, 175-pound senior is heading into his third season as a starter for the Rebels and has started 32 games since 2021. He ranks No. 6 at UNLV with 10 career interceptions, and he returned two for touchdowns in 2022.

Cam Stone, Hawaii — Stone earned his third straight honorable mention All-Mountain West nod last season, two of which he earned at Wyoming before transferring to Hawaii. The 5-10, 200-pound senior started 10 games for the Rainbow Warriors last season and was targeted by opposing quarterbacks just 31 times, which was the fifth-fewest targets for Mountain West corners with at least 300 snaps played, according to Pro Football Focus. Stone finished with 24 tackles, six pass breakups and one interception.

Wrook Brown, Wyoming — Brown plays primarily in the slot, and he finished last season with a team-high three interceptions to go along with 47 tackles and seven pass breakups. The 5-11, 184-pound redshirt junior started 18 games for the Cowboys the past two seasons.

Cam Lockridge, Fresno State — Lockridge was limited to four games last season because of an injury, but he still managed 12 tackles and an interception. The 6-foot, 182-pound fifth-year senior spent the first two seasons of his career at Hawaii, where he snagged three interceptions, one of which he returned for a touchdown. In 2022, he led Fresno State with five interceptions, two of which he recorded in the Bulldogs’ win over Boise State in the Mountain West championship game.

Jamari Bellamy, Air Force — The 6-2 senior started 13 games last season and posted one interception and five pass breakups. He’s the Falcons’ top returning tackler after he finished No. 7 on the team last fall with 35. Bellamy is part of an experienced group of cornerbacks at Air Force.