ATLANTA- Linebacker Davoris Thomas has been selected as the 2018 Preseason Defensive Player of the Year, and the Golden Tigers were picked to win the west division of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC). The announcement was released Tuesday morning during the annual media day at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta (Ga.). For the third consecutive preseason, a Golden Tiger (2016 Julian Morgan, 2017 Osband Thompson, 2018 Davoris Thomas) has been tabbed with the defensive player of the year honor and the third time in four years (2015, 2017 and 2018) TU has been voted on as the favorite to win its division.
Thomas, a junior from Spanish Fort, Ala., finished the 2017 season with 80 tackles (44 solo, 36 assist), which included six tackles for loss, three sacks, a pass breakup, and four quarterback hurries. In conference, Thomas managed 7.2 tackles per game, which placed him 13th in the league. A three-year letter winner, Thomas was named MVP of last year's 5th Quarter Classic against FCS Div I opponent, Jackson State.
In addition to Thomas, the Golden Tigers had a league-best seven players earn first team honors, including, Jamarcus Ezell (QB), Javarrius Cheatham (WR), Lowell Richardson (OL), Terrance Leatherwood (DE), Darnell Hill (DB) and Dalton Hall (K).
The second team is highlighted by Rochelin Romain (OL), Kali James (DL), and Kevin Dawson (LB)
The defending SIAC Champions open the 2018 season in Montgomery, (Ala.) in Labor Day Classic against Alabama State.
Football Preseason Rankings by Division
East Division
1. Albany State (7)
2. Benedict (2)
3. Fort Valley State (1)
4. Morehouse
5. Clark Atlanta
West Division
1. Tuskegee (6)
2. Miles (3)
3. Kentucky State (1)
4. Central State
5. Lane
*First place votes in parenthesis.
2018 SIAC Football – Preseason Team
First Team
|
Jamarcus Ezell
|
Quarterback
|
Tuskegee
|
Demopolis, Ala.
|
|
Joseph Castellanos
|
Tight End
|
Kentucky State
|
North Brunswick, N.J.
|
|
Javarrius Cheatham
|
Wide Receiver
|
Tuskegee
|
Greenville, Ala.
|
|
Mike Green
|
Wide Receiver
|
Albany State
|
Albany, GA
|
|
Justin Hardy
|
Running Back
|
Miles
|
Homewood, AL
|
|
Brett Sylve
|
Running Back
|
Kentucky State
|
Hammond, LA.
|
|
Jamie Glenn
|
Offensive Lineman
|
Albany State
|
Snellville, GA
|
|
Jean Cyriaque
|
Offensive Lineman
|
Morehouse
|
Durham, N.C.
|
|
Justin Brown
|
Offensive Lineman
|
Benedict
|
Marietta, Ga
|
|
Darrius Hicks
|
Offensive Lineman
|
Fort Valley State
|
Camilla, Ga
|
|
Lowell Richardson
|
Offensive Lineman
|
Tuskegee
|
Miami, Fl.
|
|
Antonio Johnson
|
Defensive Lineman
|
Morehouse
|
Birmingham, Al
|
|
Marquel Shelton
|
Defensive Lineman
|
Miles
|
Bessemer, Al.
|
|
Terrance Leatherwood
|
Defensive Lineman
|
Tuskegee
|
Northport, Al
|
|
Charles Williams
|
Defensive Lineman
|
Benedict
|
Barnwell, S.C
|
|
David Brown
|
Linebacker
|
Fort Valley State
|
Ellenwood, GA.
|
|
Davoris Thomas
|
Linebacker
|
Tuskegee
|
Mobile, Ala.
|
|
Xavier George
|
Linebacker
|
Benedict
|
Jacksonville, Fla.
|
|
Aaron Dore
|
Defensive Back
|
Fort Valley State
|
McDonough, GA.
|
|
Darnell Hill
|
Defensive Back
|
Tuskegee
|
Miami, Fla.
|
|
Cameron Young
|
Defensive Back
|
Fort Valley State
|
Eastman, Ga
|
|
Travionte Brown
|
Defensive Back
|
Benedict
|
Albany, GA
|
|
Dalton Hall
|
Kicker
|
Tuskegee
|
Hartsville, South Carolina.
|
|
Gabriel Ballinas
|
Punter
|
Albany State
|
Guadeloupe, Mexico
|
|
Brett Sylve
|
Kick Returner
|
Kentucky State
|
Hammond, La.
|
|
Lorenzo Smothers
|
Punt Returner
|
Fort Valley State
|
Buena Vista, Ga
|
Second Team
|
Slade Jarmon
|
Quarterback
|
Fort Valley State
|
Pensacola, Fl
|
|
Ryan Edwards
|
Tight End
|
Morehouse
|
Atlanta, Ga
|
|
Johnathon Sanders
|
Wide Receiver
|
Clark Atlanta
|
East Point, Ga
|
|
Amyr Smith
|
Wide Receiver
|
Morehouse
|
Atlanta, Ga
|
|
Terraris Saffold
|
Running Back
|
Central State
|
Hayneville, AL.
|
|
McKinley Habersham
|
Running Back
|
Albany State
|
Savannah, Ga
|
|
Marcus Campbell
|
Offensive Lineman
|
Kentucky State
|
Radcliff, Ky.
|
|
Roger Womack
|
Offensive Lineman
|
Miles
|
Birmingham, Ala.
|
|
Craig Hinson
|
Offensive Lineman
|
Benedict
|
Hephzibah, Ga
|
|
Rochelin Romain
|
Offensive Lineman
|
Tuskegee
|
Pompano Beach, Fla.
|
|
Jah-Mai Davidson
|
Offensive Lineman
|
Clark Atlanta
|
Snellville, GA.
|
|
Demetrius Harris
|
Defensive Lineman
|
Fort Valley State
|
Decatur, Ga
|
|
Antonio Johnson
|
Defensive Lineman
|
Morehouse
|
Birmingham, Ala.
|
|
Bundrea Conway
|
Defensive Lineman
|
Morehouse
|
Lansing, MI
|
|
Kali James
|
Defensive Lineman
|
Tuskegee
|
Stockbridge, Ga.
|
|
Austin Stephens
|
Linebacker
|
Miles
|
Mumford, Ala.
|
|
Kailen Abrams
|
Linebacker
|
Central State
|
Detroit, Mi.
|
|
Kevin Dawson
|
Linebacker
|
Tuskegee
|
Tallahassee, Fl
|
|
Quantavious Singletary
|
Defensive Back
|
Clark Atlanta
|
Moultrie, Ga.
|
|
Nicco Whigham
|
Defensive Back
|
Fort Valley State
|
North Lauderdale, Fl.
|
|
Jaylin Boyd
|
Defensive Back
|
Albany State
|
Fairburn, Ga
|
|
Macaiah Page
|
Defensive Back
|
Morehouse
|
Upper Marlboro, MD
|
|
Carlos Saldana
|
Kicker
|
Clark Atlanta
|
Austell, Ga.
|
|
Vincente Luis Juan-Pena
|
Punter
|
Lane
|
Temple City, Ga
|
|
Lorenzo Smothers
|
Kick Returner
|
Fort Valley State
|
Buena Vista, GA
|
|
Brett Sylve
|
Punt Returner
|
Kentucky State
|
Hammond, La.
|
