SLC Football Preseason All-Americans

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Frisco, Texas – Eight Southland Conference football players have been named preseason All-Americans by The Sports Network, the organization announced Tuesday.
 
McNeese State senior offensive lineman Antoine Everett and a pair of Southeastern Louisiana juniors in rick-return specialist Xavier Roberson and cornerback Harlan Miller headline the group of players as first-team recipients. Southeastern senior linebacker Isiah Corbett was tabbed second team while senior teammate Bryan Bennett was named third-team quarterback. Joining Bennett on the third team are Sam Houston State junior offensive lineman Donald Jackson, Central Arkansas sophomore kick-return specialist Jatavious Wilson and UCA junior defensive end Jonathan Woodard.
 
Everett, a native of Richmond, Texas, started in all 13 games last season for the Cowboys last year and earned first team all-conference honors after he helped McNeese post a 10-3 record with an appearance in the FCS playoffs for a league-record 15th time. The 6-foot-3, 325-pounder played a majority of the snaps on the season at the left tackle position and had a big part in the Cowboys’ record-breaking offensive unit that saw the squad set five team school records, including most points in a season with 520.  His play on the line also helped quarterback Cody Stroud post some of the best passing numbers in school history.
 
Roberson, an Atlanta, Ga., native, is coming off the best performance by a Lion kick returner in school history. The 2013 College Football Performance Awards FCS Kick-Returner of the Year led the nation with 35.2 yards per kickoff return and three kickoff return touchdowns.
 
Miller, who hails from Kentwood, La., is the leader of a Southeastern secondary that projects to be one of the best in the FCS. A 2013 first team All-Southland and All-Louisiana selection, Miller shared the team lead with four interceptions and led the team with 10 pass breakups as a sophomore.
 
Corbett, a member of the CFPA National Linebacker of the Year watch list, added to his preseason honors. In his first season in Hammond, the Belle Glade, Fla., native teamed with Jacob Newman to give Southeastern on the best pass rushing tandems in the nation. He led the Southland with 16.0 tackles for loss to go with seven sacks.
 
While Miller and Corbett are two of the defensive standouts, Bennett is the leader of the high-powered Southeastern offense. The reigning Southland Conference Player, Louisiana Player and Louisiana Newcomer of the Year put together arguably the best all-around season by a Lion quarterback in school history in his first season after transferring from Oregon. The Granada Hills, Calif., native threw for 3,165 yards and 21 touchdowns, while rushing for a team-high 1,046 yards and a single-season school record 16 touchdowns.
 
Jackson, a 6-2, 274-pound Kilgore, Texas, native, earned first team All-Southland Conference honors last season as he started all 14 games to help led the Bearkats to a third consecutive FCS national playoff berth. Jackson has started 25 games in his first two seasons at Sam Houston, blocking for a Bearkat attack that has ranked nationally in several offensive categories.
 
Wilson, a 5-foot-9, 171-pound sophomore wide receiver/kick returner from Bastrop, La., was named a third-team kick returner. Woodard, a 6-6, 271-pound defensive end, was a third-team defensive selection.   Wilson was second in the Southland in kick returns a year ago, averaging 30.6 yards per return. He also caught 41 passes for 409 yards and two touchdowns and returned 19 kickoffs for 581 yards, with two more touchdowns. Wilson was a two-time winner of the conference Special Teams Player of the Week honor.
 
Woodard, a first-team All-Southland selection in 2012 and 2013, was the league’s freshman of the year in 2012. Last season, he led the league in sacks with eight, forced two fumbles, recovered one and had 10.5 tackles for loss. Woodard finished the season as UCA’s third-leading tackler with 49 stops. He is been selected for the College Sports Performance Awards watch list for defensive ends.
 
The Sports Network FCS Preseason All-America Team features three teams represented by 101 players from 59 schools and all 13 FCS conferences. Southeastern had four players honored while UCA had two and McNeese and Sam Houston had one apiece.
 
The Sports Network will announce the preseason watch lists for the Walter Payton and Buck Buchanan awards next week. 

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