FRISCO, Texas – The Nicholls State University football team had a total of 11 student-athletes named to the 2021 Preseason All-Southland Team, as the league office announced Thursday morning its preseason honorees.
The Colonels landed six on first team, with five being offensive players. Offensive linemen
P.J. Burkhalter,
Jair Joseph, and
Evan Roussel, along with tight end
David Mosley and wide receiver
Dai'Jean Dixon, made up the first-team selections for the offense. Nicholls averaged a school record 48.7 points and 521.6 yards of total offense in the spring. Safety
Kevin Moore III was the lone representative on the defense.
All six Colonels on first team were named all-conference in the spring season.
Second-team members included running back
Julien Gums, receiver
K.J. Franklin, receiver/kick returner
Dontaze Costly, who each were named all-conference as well this spring. Newcomers to the all-league squads were defensive lineman
Perry Ganci and linebacker
Hayden Shaheen.
As in the spring, the big guys up front led Nicholls on the all-conference teams. Burkhalter, who was named Southland Offensive Lineman of the Year the last two seasons, returns for an extra campaign. Playing at guard, he has been named to nearly every all-American team since 2019.
The offensive line paved the way for the No. 3 rushing offense in the spring. Joseph started at right tackle while Roussel handled the center duties as a true freshman. Mosley was a key blocker at tight end and added three receptions for 22 yards.
Dixon is coming off another outstanding season, finishing the spring with seven touchdown catches and 514 yards on 35 receptions, averaging 73.4 yards per game. He eclipsed 2,000 yards receiving for his career and is now the program record holder for receptions, receiving yards, and touchdown receptions.
Gums rushed for 467 yards and eight touchdowns on 91 carries in the spring. He rushed for over 100 yards twice, highlighted by a 156-yard outing in the win at Northwestern State. Gums put his name in the record book by tying the single-game school record with four rushing touchdowns in the finale against Southeastern.
Franklin totaled 303 yards receiving and two touchdowns on 23 receptions in his sophomore season. Costly had one kick return for a touchdown
For the defense, Moore is coming off his second All-Southland First Team season at safety. He led Nicholls with 48 tackles and had two forced fumbles and one sack.
Shaheen started at linebacker as a true freshman and was second on the team in tackles in the spring with 38, despite missing one game with an injury. He totaled 3.5 tackles for loss and had a forced fumble and fumble recovery.
Ganci started all seven games on the defensive line and racked up and 2.5 sacks.
Returning all-conference selections from the previous season are automatically named to the preseason all-conference teams and may advance to higher team slots if they are vacated by non-returning players. Open positions are nominated and voted upon by the league's head coaches.
The preseason poll will be revealed next Thursday, July 22, to kick off the 2021 Southland Conference Football Media Day Presented by Levy Recognition and Ready®.
First Team All-Conference Offense
| Pos. |
Name |
School |
Class |
Hometown |
| QB |
Cole Kelley* |
Southeastern |
Sr. |
Lafayette, La. |
| RB |
Kevin Brown* |
UIW |
|
Mount Pleasant, S.C. |
| RB |
Scooter Adams* |
Northwestern State |
Jr. |
Halletsville, Texas |
| TE/HB |
David Mosley* |
Nicholls |
Sr. |
New Orleans, La. |
| WR |
Dai'Jean Dixon* |
Nicholls |
Sr. |
New Orleans, La. |
| WR |
CJ Turner* |
Southeastern |
R-Jr. |
LaPlace, La. |
| WR |
Robert Ferrel* |
UIW |
Sr. |
Sparks, Nev. |
| OL |
PJ Burkhalter* |
Nicholls |
Sr. |
Franklinton, La. |
| OL |
Christian Hood* |
Houston Baptist |
So. |
Marshall, Texas |
| OL |
Jair Joseph* |
Nicholls |
Sr. |
Belle Rose, La. |
| OL |
Jalen Bell* |
Southeastern |
Jr. |
Amory, Miss. |
| OL |
Evan Roussel* |
Nicholls |
So. |
Gramercy, La. |
| PK |
Mateo Rengifo* |
Southeastern |
So. |
Lawrenceville, Ga. |
| P |
Austin Dunlap* |
Southeastern |
So. |
Slidell, La. |
First Team All-Conference Defense
| Pos. |
Name |
School |
Class |
Hometown |
| DL |
Isaiah Chambers* |
McNeese |
Gr. |
Houston, Texas |
| DL |
Mason Kinsey* |
McNeese |
R-Jr. |
Mansfield, Texas |
| DL |
Cameron Preston* |
UIW |
Sr. |
Crowley, Texas |
| DL |
Darrius Harry* |
Southeastern |
R-Fr. |
New Orleans, La. |
| LB |
Kelechi Anyalebechi* |
UIW |
Sr. |
Pearland, Texas |
| LB |
Jomard Valsin* |
Northwestern State |
Jr. |
Port Arthur, Texas |
| LB |
Alexis Ramos* |
Southeastern |
Sr. |
Salinas, Calif. |
| DB |
Patrick Wolfe* |
Houston Baptist |
Sr. |
St. Amant, La. |
| DB |
Ferlando Jordan* |
Southeastern |
R-Jr. |
Atlanta, Ga. |
| DB |
Kevin Moore III* |
Nicholls |
Sr. |
Lafayette, La. |
| DB |
Andre Sam* |
McNeese |
Sr. |
Iowa, La. |
| DB |
Donnell Ward-McGee* |
Southeastern |
Jr. |
New Orleans, La. |
| KR |
Ce'Cori Tolds* |
UIW |
Sr. |
Houston, Texas |
| PR |
Robert Ferrel* |
UIW |
Sr. |
Sparks, Nev. |
Second Team All-Conference Offense
| Pos. |
Name |
School |
Class |
Hometown |
| QB |
Cameron Ward* |
UIW |
So. |
West Columbia, Texas |
| RB |
Julien Gums* |
Nicholls |
Sr. |
New Orleans, La. |
| RB |
Dreshawn Minnieweather |
Houston Baptist |
Sr. |
Mesquite, Texas |
| TE/HB |
Damien Dawson* |
Southeastern |
R-Sr. |
Franklinton, La. |
| WR |
Austin Mitchell* |
Southeastern |
R-Sr. |
Plaquemine, La. |
| WR |
KJ Franklin* |
Nicholls |
Jr. |
Prairieville, La. |
| WR |
Josh Matthews* |
McNeese |
Sr. |
Baton Rouge, La. |
| OL |
Ethan McMullan* |
Southeastern |
Sr. |
Decatur, Miss. |
| OL |
Caleb Johnson* |
UIW |
Sr. |
Mount Pleasant, Texas |
| OL |
Khalil Corbett-Canada* |
Northwestern State |
Sr. |
Harker Heights, Texas |
| OL |
Rendon Miles-Character* |
Southeastern |
Sr. |
New Orleans, La. |
| OL |
Drew Jones* |
Southeastern |
Sr. |
Des Allemands, La. |
| OL |
Nash Jones* |
UIW |
So. |
Nacogdoches, Texas |
| OL |
Jakob Sell* |
Northwestern State |
Jr. |
Dallas, Texas |
| OL |
Reid Francis* |
UIW |
R-Fr. |
College Station, Texas |
| PK |
Carson Mohr* |
UIW |
Jr. |
The Woodlands, Texas |
| P |
Scotty Roblow* |
Northwestern State |
R-So. |
Shreveport, La. |
Second Team All-Conference Defense
| Pos. |
Name |
School |
Class |
Hometown |
| DL |
Blaine Hoover* |
UIW |
R-Sr. |
Bedias, Texas |
| DL |
Perry Ganci |
Nicholls |
So. |
New Orleans, La. |
| DL |
Segun Ijiyera |
Houston Baptist |
Jr. |
Corinth, Texas |
| DL |
Philip Ossai |
Houston Baptist |
So. |
Conroe, Texas |
| LB |
Isaiah Paul* |
UIW |
R-So. |
San Antonio, Texas |
| LB |
Herman Christophe* |
Southeastern |
So. |
Plaquemine, La. |
| LB |
Ja'Quay Pough |
Northwestern State |
Sr. |
Sherman, Texas |
| LB |
Hayden Shaheen |
Nicholls |
Fr. |
Baton Rouge, La. |
| LB |
Brennan Young |
Houston Baptist |
Jr. |
Conroe, Texas |
| DB |
Chris Joyce* |
McNeese |
Jr. |
Hampton, Ga. |
| DB |
Shawn Holton* |
UIW |
Jr. |
Fort Worth, Texas |
| DB |
Jack Henderson* |
Southeastern |
Fr. |
Mandeville, La. |
| DB |
P.J. Herrington* |
Northwestern State |
Jr. |
Natchez, Miss. |
| DB |
Elliott Davison* |
UIW |
So. |
Flint, Texas |
| DB |
William Hooper* |
Northwestern State |
Jr. |
Montgomery, Ala. |
| KR |
Donovan Duvernay* |
Northwestern State |
Sr. |
Garland, Texas |
| KR |
Dontaze Costly* |
Nicholls |
Sr. |
Vacherie, La. |
| PR |
Mason Pierce |
McNeese |
R-So. |
Pearland, Texas |
*
Automatic selection; returning all-conference player
