LARAMIE – It was a nightmare scenario in the secondary during Jay Sawvel's first season as Wyoming's head coach.
 
Both starters, Isaac White and Wyett Ekeler, missed key games with injuries. Ekeler came back to play with two broken thumbs and actually made an interception despite wearing casts on each hand. Andrew Johnson wore a cast to protect his broken thumb.
 
A glaring lack of depth at the position, which Sawvel had coached during his time as UW's defensive coordinator, improved in 2025. The Cowboys doubled down on development and recruiting over the last year to the point where the nickel back and safety spots were team strengths during spring practice.
 
"I like that room," Sawvel said. "There's more talent and competition in that room than there's been at any time since I've been here."
 
Two returning starters, nickel back Desman Hearns and free safety Jones Thomas, played well down the stretch last season.
 
Hearns tied for the team high in pass breakups (five) and interceptions (two). He also led the Pokes with two forced fumbles and racked up 31 solo tackles.
 
"Of all the nickels that we've had since we've been here, he's got the best combination of everything," Sawvel said of Hearns. "He's physical in the perimeter and he can cover well. So, he's got a great mix of everything."
 
Thomas was third on the team with 57 tackles and finished with two interceptions, including a pick-six at Hawaii.
 
"I've been here the longest and it's just nice to have that role and help out the new guys with things. It feels good," Thomas, a redshirt junior, said of becoming a veteran. "I'm (improving) pursuing the ball with more speed and tackling the ball with more force. I feel like a lot of the tackles I made contact with the guy and then he fell forward for a few yards. I'm working on that, knock-back tackles, and communicating and leading the defense."
 
Brooklyn Cheek stood out during the spring at strong safety where the Cowboys also return Jaden DaCosta and added Colorado State transfer Jett Vincent.
 
"Everybody comes in at a different stage or phase. Obviously, him being a transfer, being at a college for six months and coming here, sometimes we think the fit is the big and bright and sometimes it doesn't fit who we are," safeties coach Jason Petrino said of Cheek transferring from Cal to UW last year. "I think when he came in he expected to be the guy, and he had to work and earn it."

Senior nickel Travis Franklin Jr. led the team with eight tackles in the spring game. Junior Da'Marion Brownlee, sophomore David Leonard and redshirt freshmen Kaiden Kimble-Turner and Elvin Ampofo will push for playing time in the defense and/or contributing to kickoff coverage or in the return game.
 
"There's a list there," Sawvel said. "Anytime you have that there's two things that come out of it. Number one, there's competition where people have to do it right and play well. The second thing is it's going to improve your special teams because now you have a number of guys in those size and weight areas."
 
While Petrino's group showed off its development and experience during the spring, the 15 practices were a proving ground at cornerback.
 
Tyson Shamsid-Deen, a sophomore talented enough to moonlight at wide receiver with Sawvel's blessing, has the skills to become a high-end Mountain West starter.
 
"He's a very special athlete," new cornerbacks coach JB Hall said. "He has the skillset to be a dominant corner. Our job is to continue to develop him. There are some minor things we have to continue to work on just like with anyone in the room, but he has that capability to go out there and be an absolutely dominant player. If he pushes himself and we push him he can be a guy that just stays out there."
 
True freshmen Kendall Griffin and Therman Williams enrolled early and made strong first impressions with Hall. They more than held their own in the competition with juniors Ian Bell, Junus McGraw, Logan Mackey and BJ Inmon.
 
"In the long term, if I said, 'OK, in our freshman class, Kendall Griffin and Boogie Williams are two of our corners,' that's a pretty good group," Sawvel said.
 
Kanye Anderson will join 2026 recruiting classmates Griffin and Williams in Laramie this summer for workouts.
 
(Editor's note: This is the third in an eight-part series reviewing UW's position groups. Friday's review: Offensive line)
 
Follow Ryan for more stories on Wyoming athletics on X at @By_RyanThorburn on Facebook at Wyoming Athletics and Instagram at wyoathletics. Also follow him at Pokes Insider at Gowyo.com/pokesinsider.
 
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