STATS FCS preseason All-Americans include nine returning first-teamers

CHICAGO — The STATS FCS Preseason All-America Team blankets the nation.

The stellar team announced Tuesday goes three squads deep and features 98 players from 60 schools with at least three selections from all 13 FCS conferences.

Included were 34 players who were named 2018 postseason All-Americans, led by nine returning first-team selections: Duquesne running back A.J. Hines, wide receivers Michael Bandy of San Diego and Josh Pearson of Jacksonville State, linebackers Zach Hall of Southeast Missouri and Dante Olson of Montana, Dartmouth cornerback Isiah Swann, Bucknell punter Alex Pechin, James Madison punt returner D'Angelo Amos and Bryant kickoff returner Jean Constant, who has since transferred to Stony Brook. In addition, Sam Houston State wide receiver Nathan Stewart was a first-team All-American in 2017, meaning all the talent makes for a perfect 10.

The talent is widespread across the 2019 @FCS_STATS Preseason All-America Team.https://t.co/k7Ib7MUlK5 pic.twitter.com/KCuaVsLyXS

— FCS Football (@FCS_STATS) July 30, 2019

The Missouri Valley Football Conference gained the most All-America selections with 16, CAA Football was second with 14 and the Big Sky Conference third with 13. Among schools, South Dakota State had the most selections with five, while two-time defending FCS champion North Dakota State, Jacksonville State and James Madison followed with four each.

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2019 STATS FCS PRESEASON ALL-AMERICA TEAM

First team:

OFFENSE

QB - Jake Maier, senior, 6-0, 200, UC Davis
RB - A.J. Hines, senior, 5-11, 225, Duquesne
RB - James Robinson, senior, 5-10, 220, Illinois State
WR - Michael Bandy, senior, 5-11, 190, San Diego
WR - Josh Pearson, senior, 6-4, 205, Jacksonville State
WR - Nathan Stewart, senior, 6-0, 180, Sam Houston State
TE - Charlie Taumoepeau, senior, 6-3, 240, Portland State
OL - J'Von Brown, senior, 6-3, 350, Central Connecticut State
OL - Noah Johnson, senior, 6-4, 302, Idaho
OL - Zack Johnson, senior, 6-6, 317, North Dakota State
OL - Zach Larsen, senior, 6-1, 305, Southern Utah
OL - Kyle Murphy, senior, 6-4, 312, Rhode Island

#FlashbackFriday Let’s see what @UCDfootball’s @jakemaier15 had to say about the upcoming season and being named #BigSkyFB Preseason Offensive Player of the Year. pic.twitter.com/8QgdELcQia

— Big Sky Football (@BigSkyFB) July 19, 2019

DEFENSE

DL - Sully Laiche, senior, 6-2, 270, Nicholls
DL - Nasir Player, senior, 6-5, 271, ETSU
DL - Chris Terrell, senior, 6-3, 270, Central Arkansas
DL - Nick Wheeler, senior, 6-2, 255, Colgate
LB - Jabril Cox, junior, 6-3, 233, North Dakota State
LB - Cam Gill, senior, 6-3, 230, Wagner
LB - Zach Hall, senior, 6-0, 230, Southeast Missouri
LB - Dante Olson, senior, 6-3, 237, Montana
DB - Marlon Bridges, senior, 6-0, 200, Jacksonville State
DB - Manny Patterson, senior, 5-10, 180, Maine
DB - Rashad Robinson, senior, 5-11, 185, James Madison
DB - Isiah Swann, senior, 6-0, 190, Dartmouth

SPECIAL TEAMS

PK - Aidan O'Neill, senior, 6-1, 199, Towson
P - Alex Pechin, graduate, 6-0, 210, Bucknell
LS - Bradey Sorenson, junior, 6-2, 225, South Dakota State
KR - Jean Constant, senior, 5-9, 180, Stony Brook
PR - D'Angelo Amos, junior, 6-1, 186, James Madison
ATH - Shane Simpson, senior, 5-9, 200, Towson
ATH - Troy Andersen, junior, 6-3, 215, Montana State

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Second team:

OFFENSE

QB - Tom Flacco, senior, 6-1, 208, Towson
RB - Josh Davis, sophomore, 5-9, 195, Weber State
RB - Pierre Strong Jr., sophomore, 5-11, 200, South Dakota State
RB - De'Shawn Waller, senior, 5-11, 210, Alcorn State
WR - Cade Johnson, junior, 5-10, 175, South Dakota State
WR - Bryce Nunnelly, junior, 6-2, 190, Chattanooga
WR - Aaron Parker, senior, 6-3, 191, Rhode Island
TE - Briley Moore, senior, 6-3, 242, Northern Iowa
OL - Justus Basinger, senior, 6-4, 305, Wofford
OL - Spencer Blackburn, senior, 6-2, 290, Eastern Washington
OL - Liam Fornadel, junior, 6-4, 307, James Madison
OL - Drew Himmelmann, junior, 6-10, 315, Illinois State
OL - Marcus Pettiford, senior, 6-4, 293, North Carolina A&T

Pierre Strong, Jr. is second Jackrabbit offensive player named to STATS FCS Preseason All-America Second Team pic.twitter.com/L4tK66uJo9

— SDSU Football (@GoJacksFB) July 30, 2019

DEFENSE

DL - Darin Greenfield, senior, 6-3, 240, South Dakota
DL - Aaron Patrick, senior, 6-4, 245, Eastern Kentucky
DL - Derrek Tuszka, senior, 6-5, 243, North Dakota State
DL - Kayon Whitaker, senior, 6-2, 255, Maine
LB - Bryson Armstrong, junior, 5-11, 212, Kennesaw State
LB - Jeremiah Chambers, senior, 6-1, 220, Abilene Christian
LB - Jonas Griffith, senior, 6-4, 240, Indiana State
LB - Adrian Hope, sophomore, 6-1, 210, Furman
LB - Christian Rozeboom, senior, 6-2, 225, South Dakota State
DB - Abu Daramy-Swaray, senior, 5-10, 190, Colgate
DB - Franklin "Mac" McCain III, junior, 5-11, 173, North Carolina A&T
DB - Tyree Robinson, junior, 5-11, 184, ETSU
DB - Dorian Walker, senior, 6-0, 181, Kennesaw State

SPECIAL TEAMS

PK - Grayson Atkins, junior, 5-10, 187, Furman
P - Cade Coffey, junior, 6-1, 198, Idaho
LS - Josh Brady, senior, 6-3, 238, Jacksonville State
KR - Rashid Shaheed, junior, 6-0, 175, Weber Stat
PR - Nick Rinella, senior, 5-10, 200, Saint Francis
ATH - Kentel Williams, senior, 6-0, 190, Austin Peay

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Third team:

OFFENSE

QB - Tyrie Adams, senior, 6-2, 180, Western Carolina
RB - Juwon Farri, sophomore, 5-10, 185, Monmouth
RB - Quay Holmes, sophomore, 6-1, 216, ETSU
RB - Jordan Meachum, senior, 5-10, 200, Sacred Heart
WR - Jequez Ezzard, senior, 5-9, 190, Howard
WR - Reed Klubnik, senior, 6-3, 200, Yale
WR - Kristian Wilkerson, senior, 6-1, 210, Southeast Missouri
TE - Adam Trautman, senior, 6-6, 253, Dayton
OL - Darius Anderson, junior, 6-3, 305, Jacksonville State
OL - Jack Badovinac, junior 6-2, 290, Colgate
OL - Mitch Brott, senior, 6-6, 290, Montana State
OL - Reily Radosevich, senior, 6-3, 265, Princeton
OL - Ty Whitworth, junior, 6-4, 295, Weber State

Three Dayton Flyers -- tight end Adam Trautman, Flyer Andrew Lutgens & guard Michael Niese -- were named Preseason All-PFL today. https://t.co/a7N5IksdN8 #GoFlyers #GotGrit pic.twitter.com/PlxPNWtmMq

— Dayton Football (@DaytonFootball) July 29, 2019

DEFENSE

DL - Ron'Dell Carter, senior, 6-3, 273, James Madison
DL - Maurice Jackson, senior, 6-2, 265, Richmond
DL - Bryce Sterk, senior, 6-5, 250, Montana State
DL - Khristian Tate, senior, 6-0, 280, Georgetown
LB - Glenn Cunningham, junior, 6-2, 226, Fordham
LB - Da'Jon Lee, senior, 6-2, 235, Saint Francis
LB - Solomon Muhammad, senior, 6-1, 235, Alcorn State
LB - DeShawn Stevens, junior, 6-1, 250, Maine
LB - Evan Veron, senior, 6-0, 215, Nicholls
DB - Tymere Berry, junior, 6-1, 175, Monmouth
DB - Jeremy Chinn, senior, 6-2, 211, Southern Illinois
DB - Zyon McCollum, junior, 6-4, 190, Sam Houston State
DB - Ju'Anthony Parker, senior, 5-11, 165, Prairie View A&M
DB - Will Warner, senior, 6-3, 201, Drake

SPECIAL TEAMS

PK - Chase Vinatieri, senior, 6-1, 225, South Dakota State
P - Chris Faddoul, junior, 6-1, 182, Florida A&M
P - Garret Wegner, junior, 6-0, 193, North Dakota State
LS - Chandler Collins, senior, 6-4, 242, Missouri State
KR - Jimmie Robinson, senior, 5-8, 162, Bethune-Cookman
KR - Juwan Petit-Frere, senior, 5-9, 180, Southeastern Louisiana
PR - Chris Rowland, senior, 5-8, 170, Tennessee State
ATH - Caylin Newton, junior, 6-0, 195, Howard