KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Four members of the Shepherd University football team have been named to the 2017 D2Football.com All-America team. Senior offensive lineman Lavonte Hights (N. Chesterfield, Va./Meadowbrook) was a first team selection, senior quarterback Connor Jessop (Ashburn, Va./Broad Run/Virginia Tech) and senior defensive end Myles Humphrey (Upper Marlboro, Md./Dr. Henry A. Wise) were second team choices, while sophomore tight end D.J. Cornish (Felton, Del./Lake Forest) was an honorable mention choice.
Hights, who finished third in the Gene Upshaw award balloting, was a D2Football.com All-America choice for the second consecutive year. He set the Shepherd all-time mark for consecutive starts with 49. Hights anchored an offensive line that helped Shepherd rank third nationally in scoring offense, fifth in total offense, and seventh in passing offense.
Jessop, who finished fourth in the Harlon Hill award balloting, completed 240-of-294 passes for 3,532 yards and 40 touchdowns. He also rushed 61 times for 355 yards and six scores. He set Shepherd single-season marks for total offense (3,887), passing touchdowns, touchdowns responsible for (47), and points responsible for (282). Jessop ranked second nationally in passing yards per game (321.1) and points responsible for per game (25.6), while ranking third in passing yards, passing touchdowns, points responsible for (282), and total offense (353.4). He ranked sixth in passing efficiency (167.4).
Humphrey was a D2Football.com All-America choice for the second consecutive year. He led the Rams with 13 sacks (-73 yards) and 20.5 tackles-for-loss (-92 yards). He recorded 59 tackles (47 solo stops) on the year. Humphrey also added four forced fumbles and three pass breakups. He is the program's all-time leader in sacks with 40 (-229 yards). His 69 career tackles-for-loss tie Howard Jones (2010-13) for the most in program history.
Cornish had 36 receptions for 561 yards and six touchdowns. He was third on the team in all three categories. His 70.13 receiving yards per game average was also third on the team.
Shepherd finished the season with a 10-1 record as the Mountain East Conference champion. The Rams advanced to the NCAA II playoffs for the 11th time.
2017 D2Football.com All-America Team
D2Football.com Individual Award Winners
|
Offensive
Player of the Year
|
|
Defensive
Player of the Year
|
|
Coach of the Year
|
|
Luis Perez
Texas A&M-Commerce
|
|
Marcus Martin
Slippery Rock
|
|
Pete Schinnick
West Florida
|
|
First Team
|
|
|
|
|
|
QB
|
Luis Perez
|
6-3, 220, Sr.
|
Texas A&M-Commerce
|
|
RB
|
Marc Jones
|
5-11, 225, Jr.
|
Gannon
|
|
RB
|
Trent Cannon
|
5-11, 175, Sr.
|
Virginia State
|
|
WR
|
Marcus Johnson
|
6-2, 190, Sr.
|
Slippery Rock
|
|
WR
|
J.T. Luper
|
5-9, 175, Sr.
|
Central Oklahoma
|
|
TE
|
Nick Keizer
|
6-5, 255, Sr.
|
Grand Valley
|
|
OL
|
Alex Cappa
|
6-7, 305, Sr.
|
Humboldt State
|
|
OL
|
Jared Machorro
|
6-7, 280, Sr.
|
Texas A&M-Commerce
|
|
OL
|
Desmond Harrison
|
6-7, 288, Sr.
|
West Georgia
|
|
OL
|
Lavonte Hights
|
6-4, 300, Sr.
|
Shepherd
|
|
OL
|
Ty McCulley
|
6-5, 308, Sr.
|
CSU-Pueblo
|
|
|
|
|
|
DL
|
Marcus Martin
|
6-3, 245, Sr.
|
Slippery Rock
|
|
DL
|
Nathan Shepherd
|
6-5, 300, Sr.
|
Fort Hays
|
|
DL
|
Zach Sieler
|
6-6, 275, Jr.
|
Ferris State
|
|
DL
|
Evan Perrizo
|
6-5, 275, Sr.
|
Minnesota State
|
|
LB
|
Dennis Gardeck
|
6-0, 205, Sr.
|
Sioux Falls
|
|
LB
|
Kevin Haynes
|
6-1, 228, Sr.
|
Central Washington
|
|
LB
|
Kyle Kitchens
|
6-2, 205, Sr.
|
Catawba
|
|
DB
|
Darius Williams
|
6-0, 180, Jr.
|
CSU-Pueblo
|
|
DB
|
Andrew Spencer
|
6-1, 210, Sr.
|
Winona State
|
|
DB
|
Marcus Jones
|
6-0, 178, Sr
|
Northwest Missouri
|
|
DB
|
Max Redfield
|
6-1, 205, Sr.
|
IUP
|
|
|
|
|
|
K
|
Cole Tracy
|
5-11, 190, Sr.
|
Assumption
|
|
P
|
Garrett Lee
|
6-1, 185, Sr.
|
Concord
|
|
AP
|
Paul Revis
|
5-8, 155, Sr.
|
Western Oregon
|
|
|
|
|
|
Second Team
|
|
|
|
|
|
QB
|
Connor Jessop
|
6-5, 220, Sr.
|
Shepherd
|
|
RB
|
Kamal Cass
|
5-11, 189, Sr.
|
Eastern New Mexico
|
|
RB
|
Ja'Quan Gardner
|
5-7, 205, Sr.
|
Humboldt State
|
|
WR
|
Weston Carr
|
6-2, 200, So.
|
Azusa Pacific
|
|
WR
|
Jalen Tolliver
|
6-3, 210, Sr.
|
Arkansas-Monticello
|
|
TE
|
Seth Hebert
|
6-4, 225, Jr.
|
Central Missouri
|
|
OL
|
Corbin Feenstra
|
6-3, 287, Sr.
|
CSU-Pueblo
|
|
OL
|
Austin Fleer
|
6-8, 300, Sr.
|
Colorado Mesa
|
|
OL
|
Harley Vaughn
|
6-4, 293, Sr
|
West Georgia
|
|
OL
|
Ruben Holcomb
|
6-4, 317, Sr.
|
Indianapolis
|
|
OL
|
Andrew Alten
|
6-2, 308, Sr.
|
Findlay
|
|
|
|
|
|
DL
|
Myles Humphrey
|
6-3, 236, Sr.
|
Shepherd
|
|
DL
|
Blake Nelson
|
5-11, 230, Sr.
|
Colorado Mesa
|
|
DL
|
James Prater
|
6-1, 253, Jr.
|
Ashland
|
|
DL
|
Markus Jones
|
6-3, 255, Jr.
|
Angelo State
|
|
LB
|
Brandon Payer
|
6-4, 248, Jr.
|
CSU-Pueblo
|
|
LB
|
Luke Hrapchak
|
6-2, 240, Sr.
|
California
|
|
LB
|
Osband Thompson
|
6-0, 194, Sr.
|
Tuskegee
|
|
DB
|
Tavierre Thomas
|
5-11, 195, Sr.
|
Ferris State
|
|
DB
|
Chris Johnson
|
6-3, 200, Jr.
|
North Alabama
|
|
DB
|
Yusef Sterling-Lowe
|
6-2, 170, Sr.
|
Texas A&M-Commerce
|
|
DB
|
Andrew Benson
|
6-2, 205, Sr.
|
Assumption
|
|
|
|
|
|
K
|
Casey Bednarski
|
6-1, 230, Jr.
|
Minnesota State
|
|
P
|
Justin Marcha
|
6-1, 200, Sr.
|
Emporia State
|
|
AP
|
Deonte Harris
|
5-6, 170, Jr.
|
Assumption
|
|
|
|
|
|
Honorable Mention
|
|
|
|
|
|
QB
|
Amir Hall
|
6-4, 180, Jr.
|
Bowie State
|
|
QB
|
Travis Tarnowski
|
5-11, 218, Sr.
|
Ashland
|
|
QB
|
Harry Satterwhite
|
6-1, 182, Jr.
|
West Alabama
|
|
QB
|
Brook Bolles
|
6-3, 190, Jr.
|
Central Missouri
|
|
QB
|
Grant Russell
|
6-4, 225, Sr.
|
Ohio Dominican
|
|
QB
|
Barrett Renner
|
6-3, 206, Jr.
|
Southern Arkansas
|
|
RB
|
Chris Robinson
|
5-9, 196, Sr.
|
Delta State
|
|
RB
|
Cameron Mayberry
|
5-11, 200, So.
|
Colorado Mines
|
|
RB
|
Walter Fletcher
|
5-10, 191, So.
|
Edinboro
|
|
RB
|
Nate Gunn
|
6-2, 215, So.
|
Minnesota State
|
|
RB
|
Deshawn Jones
|
5-9, 185, So.
|
Missouri S&T
|
|
WR
|
Jordan Thomas
|
6-0, 165, Sr.
|
Texas A&M-Kingsville
|
|
WR
|
Shane Zylstra
|
6-4, 215, So.
|
Minnesota State
|
|
WR
|
Keshaun Taylor
|
6-1, 180, Sr.
|
Mars Hill
|
|
WR
|
Donta Armstrong
|
5-10, 151, Sr.
|
West Alabama
|
|
TE
|
Tanner Hudson
|
6-5, 239, Sr.
|
Southern Arkansas
|
|
TE
|
D.J. Cornish
|
6-2, 260, So.
|
Shepherd
|
|
TE
|
Kyle Self
|
6-5, 229, Sr.
|
Central Washington
|
|
OL
|
Travis Talley
|
6-3, 285, Sr.
|
Fort Hays
|
|
OL
|
Dontavius Blair
|
6-7, 294, Sr.
|
West Alabama
|
|
OL
|
Sam Lee
|
6-5, 300, Sr.
|
Augustana
|
|
OL
|
Jake Krause
|
6-3, 293, Sr.
|
Bemidji State
|
|
OL
|
Joseph Lacey
|
6-6, 328, Sr.
|
LIU-Post
|
|
OL
|
Gavin De Los Santos
|
6-3, 285, Sr.
|
Harding
|
|
OL
|
Victor Tamba
|
6-5, 335, Sr.
|
Bowie State
|
|
OL
|
Islam Sbeih
|
6-1, 298, Sr.
|
Midwestern State
|
|
OL
|
Ian Park
|
6-4, 315, Sr.
|
Slippery Rock
|
|
OL
|
Dominic Giunta
|
6-3, 284, Sr.
|
Ashland
|
|
OL
|
Taylor Nikithser
|
6-4, 300, Sr.
|
California
|
|
OL
|
Daniel Owens
|
6-3, 300, Sr.
|
Wingate
|
|
|
|
|
|
DL
|
John Williamson
|
6-3, 240, Jr.
|
West Florida
|
|
DL
|
Adonis Davis
|
6-3, 257, Jr.
|
Florida Tech
|
|
DL
|
Bo Banner
|
6-2, 241, Sr.
|
Central Washington
|
|
DL
|
Davondrick Lison
|
6-3, 225, Jr.
|
Southern Arkansas
|
|
LB
|
Terry Samuel
|
6-2, 193, Jr.
|
West Alabama
|
|
LB
|
Kirby Hora
|
6-2, 216, Jr.
|
Augustana
|
|
LB
|
Jalen Nelson
|
6-2, 230, Jr.
|
Charleston
|
|
LB
|
Austin Weltha
|
5-10, 220, Sr.
|
McKendree
|
|
LB
|
Tyler Morrissey
|
6-3, 256, Jr.
|
West Chester
|
|
DB
|
D.J. Olmstead
|
5-11, 185, Sr.
|
Washburn
|
|
DB
|
Sterling Hammond
|
6-1, 210, So.
|
Virginia Union
|
|
DB
|
Tevin Madison
|
5-10, 168, Sr.
|
West Alabama
|
|
DB
|
Marvin Conley
|
5-10, 190, Jr.
|
West Florida
|
|
DB
|
Tyler Hasty
|
6-0, 190, Jr.
|
Central Washington
|
|
DB
|
Glenn Harris
|
6-1, 180, Sr.
|
Wayne State (Neb.)
|
|
DB
|
Cua' Rose
|
5-10, 183, Jr.
|
Arkansas Tech
|
|
|
|
|
|
P
|
Cody Mikell
|
6-0, 215, Sr.
|
Henderson State
|
|
AP
|
Drew Harris
|
5-10, 185, Jr.
|
Ouachita Baptist
|
|
AP
|
Devontae Jackson
|
5-8, 171, Jr.
|
West Georgia
|
|
AP
|
B.J. Muckelvene
|
5-10, 170, So.
|
Wingate
|
