SACRAMENTO, Calif. — As kickoff approaches to the 2018 Sacramento State football season, Hornetsports.com will feature a preview on each position group between Aug. 20-27.

DEFENSIVE BACKS

Following his breakout season in which he earned first team all-Big Sky honors and is a preseason All-American, Mister Harriel will guide the Hornet secondary from his safety position. Harriel did a little of everything last season, leading the team with 87 total tackles (5.0 for loss, 2.0 sacks) and ranking second on the team with three interceptions. The Sacramento native had at least three tackles in all 11 games and had 10-plus stops in three contests. Prior to last season, Harriel had just 10 career tackles and began collegiate career as a running back for the team in 2015.

Senior Dre Terrell is the most experienced cornerback on the team. Terrell started all 11 games last season and was honorable mention all-Big Sky. A local product from Pleasant Grove HS, Terrell ranked third on the team with 61 total tackles and led the team with five interceptions. He was named the FCS National and Big Sky Defensive Player of the Week after picking off three passes against Incarnate Word.

Senior Elijah Wallace and juniors Caelan Barnes and Allen Perryman have all started a game in the secondary. Wallace comes into the year with 95 career tackles and has made 16 career starts. Barnes had 28 tackles a year ago with 2.5 for loss. Perryman had 12 tackles before missing the last half of the season in 2017. Marcus Kirkpatrick and Isaiah Capoocia established themselves as special teams standouts in 2017 and will look to increase their role this upcoming year.

Michael Wright, Daron Bland and Malik Jeter all played as freshmen a year ago. Wright played in all 11 games while Bland, who also runs track for the Hornets, and Jeter saw action in the last half of the year. Dhaamir Lomax was slated to challenge for a starting job last fall before breaking his leg and forcing him to redshirt. Lomax was a first team all-league selection at Butte JC. Marte Mapu and Abel Ordaz, who were both high school quarterbacks, also redshirted during the year.

Seven freshmen and a transfer from Humboldt State comprise the newcomers for 2018. The freshmen include a pair of all-Sac-Joaquin Section players in Marcus Aponte (St. Mary's HS) and Davion Ross (Inderkum HS). The rest of the freshmen include Justin McGill, Colin Payne, Tykee Woods, Zane Cribb and Aaron Howard. Davaeon Johnson spent the last two years at Humboldt State after being a high school teammate of Harriel's at Antelope HS. At HSU, he appeared in 20 games and had 26 tackles and five interceptions in 2017.