Marqui Johnson (left) and Tommy Mellott
Photo by: Garrett Becker
Six Bobcats Land in 2023 Stats Perform FCS Preseason All-America Team Presented by FEDEX GROUND
8/1/2023 4:47:00 PM | Football
Tommy Mellott, Tommy Sullivan lead the way for MSU
BOZEMAN, Montana – Led by quarterback Tommy Mellott and three specialists, Montana State landed six players on the 2023 Stats Perform FCS Preseason All-America Team Presented by FedEx Ground on Tuesday.
Junior long snapper Tommy Sullivan earned first team honors, one of three Bobcat specialists getting the nod. Sophomore punt returner Taco Dowler and junior kick returner Marqui Johnson each landed on the third team. Junior quarterback Tommy Mellott, junior offensive lineman Rush Reimer and junior defensive tackle Sebastian Valdez each landed on the second team.
2023 STATS PERFORM FCS PRESEASON ALL-AMERICA TEAM, Presented by FEDEX GROUND
FIRST TEAM OFFENSE
QUARTERBACK – Michael Hiers, 6-1, 211, senior, Samford; Matthew Sluka, 6-3, 215, senior, Holy Cross
RUNNING BACK – Isaiah Davis, 6-1, 220, senior, South Dakota State; Jaden Shirden, 5-9, 185, junior, Monmouth
WIDE RECEIVER – Devron Harper, 5-9, 168, senior, Mercer; Hayden Hatten, 6-2, 205, redshirt junior, Idaho; Ty James, 6-2, 200, redshirt senior, Mercer
TIGHT END – Marshel Martin, 6-2, 210, senior, Sacramento State
OFFENSIVE LINE – John Allen, 6-1, 310, senior, Southeastern Louisiana; Zack Gieg, 6-1, 287, redshirt senior, Southeast Missouri; Garret Greenfield, 6-6, 310, redshirt senior, South Dakota State; Jason McCormick, 6-4, 305, redshirt senior, South Dakota State; Luke Newman, 6-5, 301, senior, Holy Cross
FIRST TEAM DEFENSE
DEFENSIVE LINE – Ty French, 6-3, 230, senior, Gardner-Webb; Jay Person, 6-3, 224, senior, Chattanooga; Josiah Silver, 6-2, 243, junior, New Hampshire; David Walker, 6-3, 265, junior, Central Arkansas
LINEBACKER – Adam Bock, 6-1, 215, senior, South Dakota State; Jacob Dobbs, 6-0, 237, senior, Holy Cross; John Pius, 6-2, 230, redshirt junior, William & Mary; Tristan Wheeler, 6-2, 228, redshirt senior, Richmond
DEFENSIVE BACK – Maxwell Anderson, 5-11, 170, senior, Weber State; Khalil Baker, 6-0, 185, senior, North Carolina Central; Myles Harden, 6-0, 205, senior, South Dakota; Lawrence Johnson, 6-0, 196, grad, Southeast Missouri
FIRST TEAM SPECIAL TEAMS
PLACE KICKER – Matthew Cook, 5-11, 199, grad, Northern Iowa
PUNTER – Ryan Kost, 6-2, 220, grad, Delaware
LONG SNAPPER – Tommy Sullivan, 5-11, 220, junior, Montana State
KICK RETURNER – Abraham Williams, 6-1, 175, junior, Weber State
PUNT RETURNER – Jarrod Barnes, 5-11, 180, senior, Central Arkansas
ALL-PURPOSE – Dylan Laube, 5-10, 204, senior, New Hampshire
SECOND TEAM OFFENSE
QUARTERBACK – Tommy Mellott, 6-3, 220, junior, Montana State; Mark Gronowski, 6-3, 220, junior South Dakota State
RUNNING BACK – Ailym Ford, 5-9, 213, redshirt senior, Chattanooga; Geno Hess, 5-8, 222, redshirt senior, Southeast Missouri; ShunDerrick Powell, 5-7, 168, junior, Central Arkansas
WIDE RECEIVER – Jalen Coker, 6-3, 207, senior, Holy Cross; Jaxon Janke, 6-3, 210, senior, South Dakota State; Chandler Smith, 5-10, 186, senior, Samford
TIGHT END – Zach Heins, 6-7, 260, senior, South Dakota State
OFFENSIVE LINE – Rush Reimer, 6-5, 302, junior, Montana State; Kiran Amegadjie, 6-5, 321, senior, Yale; Noah Atagi, 6-6, 335, senior, Weber State; Mike Edwards, 6-7, 355, grad, Campbell; Nick Correia, 6-6, 330, redshirt senior, Rhode Island; Jackson Slater, 6-4, 303, junior, Sacramento State
SECOND TEAM DEFENSE
DEFENSIVE LINE – Sebastian Valdez, 6-3, 291, junior, Montana State; Daylan Dotson, 6-3, 280, junior, UT Martin; Thor Griffith, 6-2, 305, senior, Harvard; Nate Lynn, 6-3, 255, senior, William & Mary; Eli Mostaert, 6-3, 286, senior, North Dakota State
LINEBACKER – Armon Bailey, 6-1, 228, senior, Sacramento State; Rodney Dansby, 6-0, 225, junior, Houston Christian; Bryce Norman, 6-0, 226, junior, Southeast Missouri; Winston Reid, 6-1, 230, senior, Weber State; Antoine Williams, 5-10, 200, redshirt junior, Western Carolina
DEFENSIVE BACK – Kameron Brown, 5-9, 179, senior, Chattanooga; Rex Connors, 6-1, 203, redshirt sophomore, UC Davis; DyShawn Gales, 5-11, 190, senior, South Dakota State; Devin Haskins, 6-3, 209, senior, Holy Cross; TaMuarion Wilson, 6-2, 205, junior, Central Arkansas
SECOND TEAM SPECIAL TEAMS
PLACE KICKER – Ethan Gettman, 6-4, 190, senior, Bryant
PUNTER – Trey Wilhoit, 5-10, 175, junior, Florida A&M
LONG SNAPPER – Hunter Brozio, 6-1, 231, senior, North Dakota State
KICK RETURNER – Anthony Frederick, 5-11, 180, redshirt senior, Bryant
PUNT RETURNER – Junior Bergen, 5-11, 184, junior, Montana
ALL-PURPOSE – Davius Richard, 6-3, 215, senior, North Carolina Central; Bronson Yoder, 5-11, 205, senior, William & Mary
THIRD TEAM OFFENSE
QUARTERBACK – Theo Day, 6-5, 231, redshirt senior, Northern Iowa; Parker McKinney, 6-3, 208, redshirt senior, Eastern Kentucky
RUNNING BACK – Malik Grant, 5-9, 200, grad, Sacred Heart; Jarveon Howard, 5-10, 200, senior, Alcorn State; TaMerik Williams, 6-1, 227, senior, North Dakota State
WIDE RECEIVER – Ryan Flournoy, 6-3, 197, senior, Southeast Missouri; Bryce Oliver, 6-1, 212, senior, Youngstown State; MJ Wright, 6-0, 192, grad, Fordham
TIGHT END – Owen Glascoe, 6-4, 258, redshirt senior, LIU
OFFENSIVE LINE – Ryan Coll, 6-5, 324, redshirt senior, Richmond; Anin Dankwah, 6-8, 362, senior, Howard; Jacob Johanning, 6-3, 276, senior, Furman; Gavin Olson, 6-4, 290, senior, UT Martin; van Roussel, 6-2, 290, junior, Nicholls; Jalen Sundell, 6-5, 298, senior North Dakota State
THIRD TEAM DEFENSE
DEFENSIVE LINE – Sundiata Anderson, 6-3 1/2, 232, senior, Grambling State; Patrick Godbolt, 6-3, 235, senior, South Carolina State; Alex Gubner, 6-3, 285, senior Montana; Logan Jessup, 6-3, 255, senior, Central Arkansas ; Eric O'Neill, 6-3, 240, sophomore, LIU
LINEBACKERS – Colton Adams, 6-2, 230, redshirt junior, Alabama State; James Conway, 6-2, 225, junior, Fordham; Isaac Dowling, 5-10, 225, junior, Mercer; David Hoage, 6-3, 245, senior, Northern Colorado; Liam Johnson, 6-0, 220, senior, Princeton; Brock Mogensen, 6-2, 230, redshirt senior, South Dakota
DEFENSIVE BACKS – Marcus Harris, 5-11, 185, junior, Idaho; PJ Jules, 5-11, 203, senior, Southern Illinois; Raequan Ousley, 5-11, 170, senior, Gardner-Webb; Ryan Poole, 5-11, 185, senior, William & Mary; Hugh Ryan, 6-1, 200, redshirt senior, Furman
THIRD TEAM SPECIAL TEAMS
PLACE KICKER – Chris Campos, 5-10, 220, junior, Stephen F. Austin
PUNTER – Grant Burkett, 6-1, 184, junior, Missouri State
LONG SNAPPER – Nick Levy, 5-10, 210, sophomore, William & Mary
KICK RETURNER – D'Ago Hunter, 5-6, 160, senior, Towson
KICK RETURNER – Marqui Johnson, 5-8, 163, junior, Montana State
PUNT RETURNER – Taco Dowler, 5-9, 168, sophomore, Montana State
ALL-PURPOSE – Narii Gaither, 5-10, 181, senior, Gardner-Webb; Andrew McElroy, 6-3, 184, junior, St. Thomas
Junior long snapper Tommy Sullivan earned first team honors, one of three Bobcat specialists getting the nod. Sophomore punt returner Taco Dowler and junior kick returner Marqui Johnson each landed on the third team. Junior quarterback Tommy Mellott, junior offensive lineman Rush Reimer and junior defensive tackle Sebastian Valdez each landed on the second team.
2023 STATS PERFORM FCS PRESEASON ALL-AMERICA TEAM, Presented by FEDEX GROUND
FIRST TEAM OFFENSE
QUARTERBACK – Michael Hiers, 6-1, 211, senior, Samford; Matthew Sluka, 6-3, 215, senior, Holy Cross
RUNNING BACK – Isaiah Davis, 6-1, 220, senior, South Dakota State; Jaden Shirden, 5-9, 185, junior, Monmouth
WIDE RECEIVER – Devron Harper, 5-9, 168, senior, Mercer; Hayden Hatten, 6-2, 205, redshirt junior, Idaho; Ty James, 6-2, 200, redshirt senior, Mercer
TIGHT END – Marshel Martin, 6-2, 210, senior, Sacramento State
OFFENSIVE LINE – John Allen, 6-1, 310, senior, Southeastern Louisiana; Zack Gieg, 6-1, 287, redshirt senior, Southeast Missouri; Garret Greenfield, 6-6, 310, redshirt senior, South Dakota State; Jason McCormick, 6-4, 305, redshirt senior, South Dakota State; Luke Newman, 6-5, 301, senior, Holy Cross
FIRST TEAM DEFENSE
DEFENSIVE LINE – Ty French, 6-3, 230, senior, Gardner-Webb; Jay Person, 6-3, 224, senior, Chattanooga; Josiah Silver, 6-2, 243, junior, New Hampshire; David Walker, 6-3, 265, junior, Central Arkansas
LINEBACKER – Adam Bock, 6-1, 215, senior, South Dakota State; Jacob Dobbs, 6-0, 237, senior, Holy Cross; John Pius, 6-2, 230, redshirt junior, William & Mary; Tristan Wheeler, 6-2, 228, redshirt senior, Richmond
DEFENSIVE BACK – Maxwell Anderson, 5-11, 170, senior, Weber State; Khalil Baker, 6-0, 185, senior, North Carolina Central; Myles Harden, 6-0, 205, senior, South Dakota; Lawrence Johnson, 6-0, 196, grad, Southeast Missouri
FIRST TEAM SPECIAL TEAMS
PLACE KICKER – Matthew Cook, 5-11, 199, grad, Northern Iowa
PUNTER – Ryan Kost, 6-2, 220, grad, Delaware
LONG SNAPPER – Tommy Sullivan, 5-11, 220, junior, Montana State
KICK RETURNER – Abraham Williams, 6-1, 175, junior, Weber State
PUNT RETURNER – Jarrod Barnes, 5-11, 180, senior, Central Arkansas
ALL-PURPOSE – Dylan Laube, 5-10, 204, senior, New Hampshire
SECOND TEAM OFFENSE
QUARTERBACK – Tommy Mellott, 6-3, 220, junior, Montana State; Mark Gronowski, 6-3, 220, junior South Dakota State
RUNNING BACK – Ailym Ford, 5-9, 213, redshirt senior, Chattanooga; Geno Hess, 5-8, 222, redshirt senior, Southeast Missouri; ShunDerrick Powell, 5-7, 168, junior, Central Arkansas
WIDE RECEIVER – Jalen Coker, 6-3, 207, senior, Holy Cross; Jaxon Janke, 6-3, 210, senior, South Dakota State; Chandler Smith, 5-10, 186, senior, Samford
TIGHT END – Zach Heins, 6-7, 260, senior, South Dakota State
OFFENSIVE LINE – Rush Reimer, 6-5, 302, junior, Montana State; Kiran Amegadjie, 6-5, 321, senior, Yale; Noah Atagi, 6-6, 335, senior, Weber State; Mike Edwards, 6-7, 355, grad, Campbell; Nick Correia, 6-6, 330, redshirt senior, Rhode Island; Jackson Slater, 6-4, 303, junior, Sacramento State
SECOND TEAM DEFENSE
DEFENSIVE LINE – Sebastian Valdez, 6-3, 291, junior, Montana State; Daylan Dotson, 6-3, 280, junior, UT Martin; Thor Griffith, 6-2, 305, senior, Harvard; Nate Lynn, 6-3, 255, senior, William & Mary; Eli Mostaert, 6-3, 286, senior, North Dakota State
LINEBACKER – Armon Bailey, 6-1, 228, senior, Sacramento State; Rodney Dansby, 6-0, 225, junior, Houston Christian; Bryce Norman, 6-0, 226, junior, Southeast Missouri; Winston Reid, 6-1, 230, senior, Weber State; Antoine Williams, 5-10, 200, redshirt junior, Western Carolina
DEFENSIVE BACK – Kameron Brown, 5-9, 179, senior, Chattanooga; Rex Connors, 6-1, 203, redshirt sophomore, UC Davis; DyShawn Gales, 5-11, 190, senior, South Dakota State; Devin Haskins, 6-3, 209, senior, Holy Cross; TaMuarion Wilson, 6-2, 205, junior, Central Arkansas
SECOND TEAM SPECIAL TEAMS
PLACE KICKER – Ethan Gettman, 6-4, 190, senior, Bryant
PUNTER – Trey Wilhoit, 5-10, 175, junior, Florida A&M
LONG SNAPPER – Hunter Brozio, 6-1, 231, senior, North Dakota State
KICK RETURNER – Anthony Frederick, 5-11, 180, redshirt senior, Bryant
PUNT RETURNER – Junior Bergen, 5-11, 184, junior, Montana
ALL-PURPOSE – Davius Richard, 6-3, 215, senior, North Carolina Central; Bronson Yoder, 5-11, 205, senior, William & Mary
THIRD TEAM OFFENSE
QUARTERBACK – Theo Day, 6-5, 231, redshirt senior, Northern Iowa; Parker McKinney, 6-3, 208, redshirt senior, Eastern Kentucky
RUNNING BACK – Malik Grant, 5-9, 200, grad, Sacred Heart; Jarveon Howard, 5-10, 200, senior, Alcorn State; TaMerik Williams, 6-1, 227, senior, North Dakota State
WIDE RECEIVER – Ryan Flournoy, 6-3, 197, senior, Southeast Missouri; Bryce Oliver, 6-1, 212, senior, Youngstown State; MJ Wright, 6-0, 192, grad, Fordham
TIGHT END – Owen Glascoe, 6-4, 258, redshirt senior, LIU
OFFENSIVE LINE – Ryan Coll, 6-5, 324, redshirt senior, Richmond; Anin Dankwah, 6-8, 362, senior, Howard; Jacob Johanning, 6-3, 276, senior, Furman; Gavin Olson, 6-4, 290, senior, UT Martin; van Roussel, 6-2, 290, junior, Nicholls; Jalen Sundell, 6-5, 298, senior North Dakota State
THIRD TEAM DEFENSE
DEFENSIVE LINE – Sundiata Anderson, 6-3 1/2, 232, senior, Grambling State; Patrick Godbolt, 6-3, 235, senior, South Carolina State; Alex Gubner, 6-3, 285, senior Montana; Logan Jessup, 6-3, 255, senior, Central Arkansas ; Eric O'Neill, 6-3, 240, sophomore, LIU
LINEBACKERS – Colton Adams, 6-2, 230, redshirt junior, Alabama State; James Conway, 6-2, 225, junior, Fordham; Isaac Dowling, 5-10, 225, junior, Mercer; David Hoage, 6-3, 245, senior, Northern Colorado; Liam Johnson, 6-0, 220, senior, Princeton; Brock Mogensen, 6-2, 230, redshirt senior, South Dakota
DEFENSIVE BACKS – Marcus Harris, 5-11, 185, junior, Idaho; PJ Jules, 5-11, 203, senior, Southern Illinois; Raequan Ousley, 5-11, 170, senior, Gardner-Webb; Ryan Poole, 5-11, 185, senior, William & Mary; Hugh Ryan, 6-1, 200, redshirt senior, Furman
THIRD TEAM SPECIAL TEAMS
PLACE KICKER – Chris Campos, 5-10, 220, junior, Stephen F. Austin
PUNTER – Grant Burkett, 6-1, 184, junior, Missouri State
LONG SNAPPER – Nick Levy, 5-10, 210, sophomore, William & Mary
KICK RETURNER – D'Ago Hunter, 5-6, 160, senior, Towson
KICK RETURNER – Marqui Johnson, 5-8, 163, junior, Montana State
PUNT RETURNER – Taco Dowler, 5-9, 168, sophomore, Montana State
ALL-PURPOSE – Narii Gaither, 5-10, 181, senior, Gardner-Webb; Andrew McElroy, 6-3, 184, junior, St. Thomas
Players Mentioned
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