• Complete TonySoftli.com FCS All-American Teams
Eleven Ohio Valley Conference players have been named to the TonySoftli.com FCS All-American Team. The teams were compiled by college draft evaluator Josh Buchanan, who has previously been a contributor to Phil Steele.
The selections included three first-team selections, four second-team picks, three third-team selections and one fourth-team pick.
The first-team selections were Tennessee State senior offensive lineman
Robert Myers, Tennessee State senior defensive back
De'Ante Saunders and Murray State junior kick returner
Pokey Harris. The second-team picks were Eastern Illinois senior offensive lineman
Collin Seibert, UT Martin senior linebacker
Tony Bell, Tennessee State senior linebacker
Nick Thrasher and Tennessee Tech junior punt returner
Ladarius Vanlier. The third-team picks were Eastern Illinois senior wide receiver
Adam Drake, Jacksonville State senior offensive lineman
Max Holcombe and Eastern Kentucky junior running back
Dy'Shawn Mobley. The fourth-team pick was Jacksonville State junior defensive lineman
Devaunte Sigler.
Myers, who participated in the 2014 Senior Bowl, earned his first All-American honor of the season. He was the only TSU offensive lineman to start all 12 games this season and started 35 games for Tennessee State during his four-year career. Along the way he helped prop up a quarterback duo that broke the school’s record for the most pass attempts in a season in 2014.
Saunders, who has also been named an All-American by the Associated Press, AFCA, College Sporting News and Sports Network, was a first-team All-OVC selection this season after netting an OVC-best five interceptions while also tallying 51 tackles and six pass breakups. He helped contribute to a defense that ranked fifth nationally in passing defense (153.3 yards/game), sixth in pass efficiency defense (101.85), 11th in total defense (303.3 yards/game) and 16th in passes intercepted (16). His five interceptions were the seventh-most in TSU single-season history. In a win over Jackson State he picked off a pass and returned it 45 yards for a touchdown.
Harris, the FCS ADA National Return Specialist of the Year, was the only FCS player to return three kickoffs for touchdowns this season (only two FCS players had more than one touchdown return), which was tied for the most in Division I (both FBS or FCS). He returned two of those kickoffs 100 yards for a touchdown, doing so in back-to-back weeks; his 100-yard returns were two of just 12 in OVC history and he is now one of just three OVC players all-time to have a pair of 100-yard kicks (and first to do it in back-to-back weeks). Overall he ranked seventh nationally in kickoff return average (28.8 yards/return) and was 23rd nationally in all-purpose yards (138.42/game). Harris was also previously named a College Sporting News, Sports Network and Walter Camp All-American.
Seibert earned his sixth All-American honor of the season (AFCA, Associated Press, College Sporting News, Sports Network and Walter Camp being the others, making him an unanimous selection) after helping the Panthers offense rank in the Top 20 nationally this season in both total offense (15th, 480.1 yards/game) and rushing offense (12th, 236.3 yards/game). He anchored the offensive unit grading out at over 90 percent for the season in earning All-OVC first-team honors for the third-straight season. He also helped protect second-team All-OVC quarterback Jalen Whitlow who passed for 2,075 yards and 15 touchdowns and rushed for 792 yards and 12 additional scores in ranking 26th nationally in total offense.
Bell, who was a finalist for the Buck Buchanan Award and also an Associated Press and Sports Network All-American, ranked sixth nationally in fumbles recovered (3) and ninth in tackles-for-loss/game (1.8/game) this season. He finished the season with 76 total tackles (34 solo), 21.0 tackles-for-loss, 8.0 sacks, two forced fumbles, one interception, five pass breakups and 11 quarterback hurries. Bell had a season-high 12 tackles and 2.0 sacks in win over Austin Peay and a season-high 3.5 tackles-for-loss at Southeast Missouri. During the year Bell also set the UTM career sacks record which had stood for 26 years.
Thrasher, a first-team All-OVC pick and also an AFCA and Associated Press All-American, tallied 128 tackles this year, the second-most in the OVC. He also added 11.5 tackles-for-loss and 3.5 sacks for the OVC's top-ranked defense. He finished his career with 358 tackles, the second-most in TSU history (behind only his head coach Rod Reed). The senior had double-digit tackles in eight of 12 games this season including a season-best 17 against nationally-ranked Eastern Kentucky.
Vanlier was one of just four players in the FCS with both a kickoff and punt return for a touchdown this season and one of just five players nationally with multiple punt return touchdowns (2). His three total returns for touchdowns was tied for second nationally while his 14.4 yards/punt return average ranked fourth in the FCS. Vanlier had a 79-yard punt return for a score in a win over nationally-ranked Eastern Kentucky and a 72-yarder for a score against Indiana State while his kickoff return touchdown was a 99-yarder against Murray State. This marks his second All-American honor, as he was previously honored by the Sports Network.
Drake caught 93 passes for 1,321 yards and 12 touchdowns in 2014. The 93 passes were the fourth-most in OVC single-season history while the 1,321 yards were the fifth-most in OVC history. During the regular season the 1,321 yards were the most nationally while the 93 receptions were the third-most nationally in 2014. Drake also ranked in the top five nationally in receiving yards/game (110.1) and receptions/game (7.8). Drake had seven games with 100-plus receiving yards this season, including a season-high 176 against Murray State. He also had four games with multiple touchdowns, including season-high three at Tennessee Tech, and four games with double-digit receptions, including a season-high 13 at nationally-ranked Eastern Kentucky. Drake finished his career ranked No. 6 in OVC history for career receptions (202) and career receiving yards (2,979). It marks his third All-American honor after being named to the Associated Press and Sports Network teams.
Holcombe, who earned his fifth All-American honor of the year (Associated Press, College Sporting News, Sports Network and Walter Camp being the others), set an OVC record by starting 49 consecutive games (every game of his career) at center for Jacksonville State. The senior has a leader of an offensive line that helped the Gamecocks ranks fourth nationally in total offense (510.8 yards/game), fourth in rushing offense (285.3 yards/game) and 20th in scoring offense (35.2 points/game) during the regular season. Holcombe's play helped the Gamecocks to a 10-2 overall record, OVC Championship (with a perfect 8-0 mark) and berth in the FCS Playoffs as the No. 3 overall seed. JSU climbed to as high as No. 2 in the national polls in 2014 after winning 10-straight games following a season-opening loss to FBS Michigan State.
In his first season at Eastern Kentucky after transferring from Kentucky, Mobley, a finalist for the Walter Payton award, guided the Colonels to an at-large berth in the FCS Playoffs. He rushed for 20 touchdowns (sixth-most nationally) and 1,491 yards (12th nationally) while also ranking sixth nationally in scoring (9.7 points/game), 14th nationally in rushing yards/game (114.7) and 22nd in all-purpose yards (138.5/game). During the year he tied the OVC record with six total touchdowns (5 rushing, 1 receiving) against Murray State in a game he had 324 all-purpose yards (the sixth-highest total by a FCS player this season). Mobley had eight 100-yard rushing games during the season and scored multiple rushing touchdowns in five games. His 20 rushing touchdowns were the third-most in OVC single-season history while his 126 points were the fourth-most in OVC history. Mobley was also previously named a Sports Network All-American.
Sigler, the OVC Defensive Player of the Year, anchored a defense that ranked fourth nationally in third down conversion defense (28.1%), 17th in total defense (317.4 yards/game) and 23rd in rushing defense (127.7 yards/game). The transfer from Auburn helped his team to a 10-2 overall record (including 10-straight wins to end the regular season), OVC Championship and No. 3 overall seed in the FCS Playoffs. Despite drawing numerous double teams, he finished the season with 36 tackles (19 solo), 9.0 tackles-for-loss, 3.5 sacks, 1 interception, two pass breakups, two forced fumbles and a blocked kick in 10 games. This marks his third All-American honor of the year after previously being named to the Associated Press and Sports Network Teams.
OVC Players Selected to 2014 TonySoftli.com FCS All-American Team
OL - Robert Myers, Tennessee State (1st Team)
DB - De’Ante Saunders, Tennessee State (1st)
KR - Pokey Harris, Murray State (1st)
OL - Collin Seibert, Eastern Illinois (2nd)
LB - Tony Bell, UT Martin (2nd)
LB - Nick Thrasher, Tennessee State (2nd)
PR - Ladarius Vanlier, Tennessee Tech (2nd)
WR - Adam Drake, Eastern Illinois (3rd)
OL - Max Holcombe, Jacksonville State (3rd)
RB - Dy’Shawn Mobley, Eastern Kentucky (3rd)
DL - Devaunte Sigler, Jacksonville State (4th)