EAST HARTFORD – UConn’s defense will go as far as its secondary can carry it. This fall, new defensive coordinator Ryan Manalac is banking on a room stacked with size, experience and untapped potential to lead a secondary filled with new faces. Head coach Jason Candle has a track record of developing defensive backs who go on to thrive at the next level, including Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Quinyon Mitchell and New York Jets cornerback Samuel Womack III. Now, he’s looking to replicate that success in Storrs with a secondary built through the transfer portal and buoyed by a promising freshman. More: Five takeaways from UConn football open practice, headlined by QB battle "We'll have some guys that can cover and stick to receivers," Candle said. "We want to play aggressive defense, and we better have guys that can cover if you're going to play that way." Fans got to see the defensive backs at Saturday’s open practice, and other position groups on defense are already impressed with what the secondary can bring this season. "I've seen a bunch of guys back there that'll make a play at any time," linebacker K'Von Sherman said. "I see a bunch of young guys that are owning their development, a bunch of guys that just want to get better." Here’s a breakdown of who is slated to be impact players in the secondary: Jayden Davis, Fresno State transfer Davis spent his entire life in California but will be stepping into a big role in Storrs. The former Fresno State standout appeared in all 12 games for the Bulldogs last season where he recorded 37 tackles, a sack and an interception. Davis had a breakout season in 2024, but after a new coaching staff took over a year after, the Fresno native was relegated to a rotation role. Davis was a three-star recruit out of high school, fielding offers from Eastern Washington, Northern Arizona and Sacramento State.
A physical defensive back, Davis showed off his athleticism during UConn’s open practice. His best play came when he blew up a wide receiver screen, timing the play perfectly to register a loss of yards. Davis will be one of the most experienced players in the secondary, having appeared in 33 games over his career. Braedyn Moore, Toledo transfer Moore spent last season with Candle at Toledo after playing his first two collegiate years at Wisconsin. The Ohio native played in all 13 games in 2025, where he recorded six tackles. While he hasn’t had a breakout season statistically, Moore’s talent is there. Moore was a four-star recruit in the class of 2022 and was heavily recruited by multiple Power Four schools. Moore said he would like to step into a leadership role this season. “I love to be the leader, and I look at myself as a leader,” Moore said during media day last month. “I've kind of taken on that role. I'm one of the older guys on this team. ... I feel like it's adamant for me as an older guy to step up and take that role as a leader.” Moussa Kane, Duke transfer Kane is another experienced player in the secondary, having played three seasons at Duke. Across 10 games last season, Kane recorded 17 tackles, two interceptions, a sack and one fumble recovery. A player with a nose for the ball, Kane projects to be another physical player for Candle in the secondary.
Stephen Miller, USC transfer Miller played sparingly at USC last season, but the safety could be a reclamation project for Manalac and the defensive staff. Miller was a three-star recruit coming out of Greene County High School in Georgia where he received major interest from Power Four schools such as South Carolina, West Virginia and Vanderbilt. He ended up committing to Mississippi State before decommitting and signing his letter of intent to go to USC. He played just one game for USC last season where he had a tackle. Former UConn coach Jim Mora was one of the first colleges to offer Miller a scholarship out of high school. Shmar Akande, freshman Akande initially committed to Toledo but flipped once Candle took the job at UConn. The South Florida product was a three-star recruit coming out of high school and was the 63rd best player in Florida, according to Rivals.com. In three varsity years, Akande had 63 tackles, 39 pass deflections, four interceptions and two fumble recoveries. While the defensive back room is filled with older talent, Akande could be a young player who rises the ranks quickly. More: Why new UConn linebacker K’Von Sherman is poised for breakout season This article originally appeared on The Bulletin: UConn football transfers bring size, swagger to revamped secondary