Reigning Walter Payton Award recipient Jeremiah Briscoe headlines a senior-laden All-America team
College basketball has its fabulous freshmen and super sophomores, but successful college football teams prefer to lean on the more experienced players.
All but four of the 27 players on the Athlon Sports FCS Preseason All-America team are seniors. Three of the exceptions are juniors.
The talent in the FCS is widespread as 19 schools and 10 conferences make the All-America team. Jacksonville State and South Dakota State lead the way with three selections each.
Athlon Sports' 2017 Preseason FCS All-America Team
Offense | Defense | Speciailsts | |||
QB |
Jeremiah Briscoe Sam Houston State ![]() |
DL |
Pat Afriyie Colgate![]() |
K |
Lane Clark Tennessee State ![]() |
RB |
Chase Edmonds Fordham ![]() |
DL |
Anthony Ellis Charleston Southern ![]() |
P |
Ian Berryman Western Carolina ![]() |
RB |
Elijah Ibitokun-Hanks Albany![]() |
DL |
P.J. Hall Sam Houston State ![]() |
KR |
John Santiago North Dakota![]() |
FB |
Joe Protheroe Cal Poly![]() |
DL |
Darius Jackson Jacksonville State ![]() |
PR |
Khris Gardin NC A&T ![]() |
WR |
Justin Watson Penn ![]() |
LB |
Nick DeLuca North Dakota State ![]() |
||
WR |
Jake Wieneke South Dakota State ![]() |
LB |
Darius Leonard South Carolina State ![]() |
||
TE |
Dallas Goedert South Dakota State![]() |
LB |
Brett Taylor Western Illinois ![]() |
||
OL |
Jacob Ohnesorge South Dakota State ![]() |
DB |
Marlon Bridges Jacksonville State ![]() |
||
OL |
Justin Lea Jacksonville State ![]() |
DB |
Tre Dempsey North Dakota State ![]() |
||
OL |
Brandon Parker NC A&T ![]() |
DB |
Cole Reyes North Dakota ![]() |
||
OL |
Timon Parris Stony Brook![]() |
DB |
Rob Rolle Villanova ![]() |
||
OL |
Aaron Stinnie James Madison![]() |
— Written by Craig Haley, who is part of the Athlon Contributor Network. Haley has covered the FCS level since 1999 and is the national writer for www.fcs.football. He appears frequently on radio shows and podcasts to discuss everything FCS. Follow him on Twitter @CraigHaley.
(Jeremiah Briscoe photo courtesy of Sam Houston State Athletics; Darius Jackson photo courtesy of Jacksonville State University Athletic Communications)