INDEPENDENCE, Kan. - After a strong season, five members of the Independence Football teams secondary have found new homes as Defensive Backs Kamar Lhomme, Kenneth Ford Jr, Kamari Williams, Donya Borden, and Javier Jones will all continue their football careers at Division I programs. 

Lhomme, the 6’0 corner from Miami Gardens, Florida, will take his talents to Division I FCS Tarleton State. The Second Team All-KJCCC selection was a lockdown corner all year long for the Pirates on the way to a team high five interceptions while pitching in 26 tackles and three tackles for loss. Lhomme played the role of hero in a 6-3 defensive slugfest win over Dodge City where he had two interceptions, the second of which sealed the win late in the game. 

Tarleton State competes in the United Athletic Conference and is coming off a fantastic season where they finished 12-2, with a win over Division I FBS Army, before eventually falling in the second round of the FCS Playoffs to Villanova. 

Ford Jr, a versatile safety from Baltimore, Maryland will head off to Southeastern Louisiana to continue his academic and football career. The 6’3 Redshirt Freshman did a little bit of everything for the Pirate defense as he amassed 59 total tackles, six tackles for loss, forced two fumbles, and had two sacks. Ford had his two best games against the nation's best, as he totaled 10 tackles against National Runner-Up Hutchinson, and followed that up with seven tackles, a tackle for loss, and a sack against eventual national champion Iowa Western. 

Southeastern Louisiana competes in the Southland Conference and is coming off a 9-4 season and a playoff appearance where they lost to Illinois State in the first round. All four of their losses came against FBS competition, or nationally ranked FCS competition.

Williams, another Baltimore, Maryland product, will take his talents to the Northern part of the United States as he will attend Ball State in Muncie, Indiana. Williams manned the opposite side of the field as Lhomme when it came to the Cornerback position and found success as well, recording three interceptions and 15 tackles. Two of the three interceptions for Williams came early in the season in a 21-11 victory over Northeastern Oklahoma A&M, with his third coming two weeks later in a 26-0 shutout victory over Highland. 

The Cardinals compete in the Mid-American Conference and are looking to right the ship after a 4-8 season a year ago. One of those four wins came against one of the conference's best in the University of Ohio. 

Borden, the other versatile safety across from Ford, will be taking his talents to East Tennessee State after a stellar season with the Pirates. In 11 games, Borden tallied 42 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, while adding in a pair of interceptions. Borden had his season high in tackles in the low scoring 6-3 victory over Dodge City and also had his second interception in the win. 

The Buccaneers compete in the Southern Conference of the FCS level, and will look to build upon a strong 7-5 record in the 2025 season, where they finished on a four game win streak. 

Jones, the Phoenix, Arizona native will make Gainesville his new home as he will continue his football career at the University of Florida. Jones appeared in 10 games for the Pirates, amassing 12 tackles and five pass break ups. Jones had season highs in both categories in a loss to eventual national champion Iowa Western, with three tackles and a pair of PBU’s. 

The Gators are in the loaded Southeastern Conference, home to many of the top programs in the country, as they look to bounce back under new leadership this year, coming off a 4-8 season a year ago.