COMMERCE – A dozen Texas A&M University-Commerce football players have been named to all-Southland Conference preseason teams by Phil Steele magazine.
 
The Lions, who went 3-3 in conference play last season in their first NCAA Division I FCS season, had three offensive players earn all-conference honors, seven on defense, and two on special teams.
 
Offensively, lineman Jadin Jones (Killeen) is named to the third team, while running back Reggie Branch (Houston – Crosby), and lineman McKenzie Agnello (Copperas Cove) earned fourth team all-conference honors.
 
On the defensive side, A&M-Commerce was the top-ranked defense in the Southland in 2022. Defensive lineman Levi Drake Rodriguez (Georgetown – East View) and defensive back Max Epps (Spring – Dekaney) were named to the second team.
 
The Lions on the third team defense include linemen Leon Young (Dallas – Cedar Hill) and Clifford Funderburk (North Forney), linebacker Brandon Tucker, Jr. (DeSoto), and defensive back Daryion Taylor (Humble Atascocita). Rounding out the Lions on the defensive side, lineman Bryson Stewart (Missouri City – Ridge Point), linebacker Jaheim Lowe (Cedar Hill), and Kendall Paul (Dallas – Bishop Dunne), earned fourth team all-conference honors.
 
Long snapper Josiah Kennard (Manvel) was named to second team all-conference special teams and Sean-Krystoff King (Humble – Summer Creek) was named to the third team.
 
A&M-Commerce begins the 2023 season at home on August 31 at 7 p.m. against UC Davis. Tickets and tailgate spots are now on sale and can be purchased at LionAthletics.com/Tickets.
 
Phil Steele Magazine's FCS Preview is available now here: https://philsteele.com/product-category/digital-magazine/
 
PHIL STEELE SOUTHLAND PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM
OFFENSE

Pos.	First Team	Second Team	Third Team	Fourth Team
QB	Zachary Clement, Southeastern	Zach Calzada, UIW	Eli Sawyer, Southeastern	Colby Suits, Houston Christian
RB	Khalan Griffin, Lamar	Tre Siggers, UIW	Rodeo Graham Jr., Southeastern	Jarrell Wiley, UIW
RB	Collin Guggenheim, Nicholls	D'angelo Durham, McNeese	Scooter Adams, Northwestern State	Reggie Branch, A&M-Commerce
WR	Zach Patterson, Northwestern State	CJ Hardy, UIW	Sevonne Rhea, Lamar	Marquez Perez, UIW
WR	Brandon Porter, UIW	Maurice Massey, Southeastern	Ke'Nard King, Northwestern State	David Robinson Jr., Nicholls
WR	Karl Reynolds, Houston Christian	Jaelin Campbell, UIW	Darius Lewis, Southeastern	Caleb Chapman, UIW
TE	Ivan Drobocky, Southeastern	Travon Jones, Northwestern State	Lee Negrotto, Nicholls	Kyle Klink, McNeese
OL	John Allen, Southeastern	Stanley Mark, UIW	Jayden Borjas, UIW	Joe Bryson, UIW
OL	Evan Roussel, Nicholls	Mark Barthelemy, Nicholls	D'Andre Richard, Northwestern State	Silas Robinson, UIW
OL	Jalen Bell, Southeastern	Cole LeClair, McNeese	Devon King, Lamar	Brayden Staggs, Northwestern State
OL	Jhy Orgeron, Southeastern	Brennan Lanclos, Southeastern	Brockhim Wicks, Southeastern	Knox Boyd, Lamar
OL	Christian Hood, Houston Christian	Dylan Dauzart, McNeese	Jadin Jones, A&M-Commerce	McKenzie Agnello, A&M-Commerce

 
DEFENSE

Pos.	First Team	Second Team	Third Team	Fourth Team
DL	Jalyx Hunt, Houston Christian	Zack Bernard, Nicholls	Clifford Funderburk, A&M-Commerce	Jaymond Jackson, Lamar
DL	Steven Parker, UIW	Zae Smith, Houston Christian	Leon Young, A&M-Commerce	Darren Brown, UIW
DL	Perry Ganci, Nicholls	Levi Drake Rodriguez, A&M-Commerce	Garrett Crawford, Southeastern	Donovan Green, Northwestern State
DL	Arlen Williams, Southeastern	Marcus Brown, UIW	Welland Williams, McNeese	Bryson Stewart, A&M-Commerce
LB	Rodney Dansby, Houston Christian	Jared Pedraza, Northwestern State	Jaeden Ward, Northwestern State	Hayden Shaheen, Nicholls
LB	Donte' Daniels, Southeastern	Anthony Britton Jr., Southeastern	Ricky Rich, UIW	Jaheim Lowe, A&M-Commerce
LB	Herman Christophe IV, Southeastern	Kylin White, Nicholls	Ayodele Adeoye, UIW	Foday Jalloh, Lamar
LB	Eli Ennis, Nicholls	Micah Davey, McNeese	Brandon Tucker, Jr., A&M-Commerce	Brayden Adams, McNeese
DB	Jordan Jackson, Nicholls	Shemar Bartholomew, Northwestern State	Kristian Pugh, Lamar	Tiji Paul, UIW
DB	Brandon Richard, UIW	Kevin Davis Jr., Northwestern State	Raymond Stevens, Lamar	Xavier Toliver, Houston Christian
DB	Tyler Morton, Nicholls	Javon Davis, McNeese	Daryion Taylor, A&M-Commerce	Markell Linzer, Southeastern
DB	Devion Hargrove, Houston Christian	Max Epps, A&M-Commerce	Tyrone Leggette, Southeastern	Kendall Paul, A&M-Commerce

 
SPECIAL TEAMS

Pos.	First Team	Second Team	Third Team	Fourth Team
K	Garrison Smith, McNeese	Riley Callaghan, Southeastern	Mason Lawler, UIW	Gavin Lasseigne, Nicholls
P	Austin Dunlap, Southeastern	Kylan Dupre, Nicholls	Scotty Roblow, Northwestern State	Ben D'Aquila, UIW
KR	Damashja Harris, Lamar	Jaylon Spears, Nicholls	Sean-Krystoff King, A&M-Commerce	Dekalon Taylor, UIW
PR	Darius Lewis, Southeastern	Dekalon Taylor, UIW	Sevonne Rhea, Lamar	CJ Hardy, UIW
AP	Jaylon Spears, Nicholls	Dekalon Taylor, UIW	Zach Patterson, Northwestern State	Darius Lewis, Southeastern
LS	Korey Karbowsky, Southeastern	Josiah Kennard, A&M-Commerce	Bryce Felt, UIW	Trey Vondenstein, McNeese

                                                                                                               
2023 SOUTHLAND PRESEASON OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: OG John Allen, Southeastern
2023 SOUTHLAND PRESEASON DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: LB Rodney Dansby, Houston Christian