Athlon Sports' Spring 2021 FCS All-America Team

The players who are Athlon Spring 2021 FCS All-Americans can feel especially accomplished considering their efforts to be the best of the best were well over a year in the making.

After the pandemic began to cause uncertainty 15 months ago, FCS players worked through countless obstacles to get back to the playing field and be successful in this year's unprecedented spring season.

The 29-player All-America team is represented by 19 schools and 10 conferences, including Nicholls offensive lineman P.J. Burkhalter and Austin Peay nickel back Kordell Jackson repeating from the 2019 postseason squad. Schools with multiple selections are James Madison and North Dakota State with three each, and Delaware, Jacksonville State, Sam Houston, South Dakota State, VMI, and Weber State with two each.

Athlon Sports' 2021 Spring FCS All-America Team

Offense

QB   Cole Kelley (6-7, 260, Sr.) Southeastern Louisiana

RB   Julius Chestnut (6-1,215, Jr.) Sacred Heart

RB   Otis Weah (5-9,195, So.) North Dakota

WR  Avante Cox (5-10, 170, Jr.) Southern Illinois

WR  Jakob Herres (6-4, 211, Jr.) VMI

TE   Trae Barry (6-7, 245, Sr.) Jacksonville State

OL   P.J. Burkhalter (6-3, 330, Sr.) Nicholls

OL   Garret Greenfield (6-6, 295, So.) South Dakota State

OL   David Kroll (6-7, 315, Sr.) Delaware

OL   Cordell Volson (6-7, 310, Sr.) North Dakota State

OL   Ty Whitworth (6-4, 300, Sr.) Weber State

Defense

DL   Jared Brinkman (6-2, 290, Sr.) Northern Iowa

DL   Mike Greene (6-3, 285, Sr.) James Madison

DL   Jahari Kay (6-2, 255, Sr.) Sam Houston

DL   Jordan Lewis (6-3, 195, Jr.) Southern

LB   Logan Backhaus (6-4, 205, Sr.) South Dakota State

LB   Colby Campbell (6-0, 230, Sr.) Presbyterian

LB   Conner Mortensen (6-0, 215, Sr.) Weber State

LB   Stone Snyder (6-3, 225, So.) VMI

DB   Chris Edmonds (6-2, 205, So.) Samford

DB   Nicario Harper (6-1, 205, So.) Jacksonville State

DB   Kordell Jackson (5-9, 188, Sr.) Austin Peay

DB   Kedrick Whitehead (5-11, 195, Jr.) Delaware

Special Teams

PK   Ethan Ratke (5-10, 185, Sr.) James Madison

P     Garret Wegner (6-0, 197, Sr.) North Dakota State

LS    Kyle Davis (5-11, 210, Jr.) James Madison

KR   Christian Watson (6-4, 200, Jr.) North Dakota State

PR   Devron Harper (5-10, 165, Jr.) Gardner-Webb

AP   Jequez Ezzard (5-9, 190, Grad.) Sam Houston

— Compiled 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.

(Cole Kelley photo courtesy of Southeastern Louisiana Athletics)