BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Jackson State quarterback Shedeur Sanders was named Southwestern Athletic Conference Preseason Offensive Player Of The Year and was among eight Tigers on the all-conference team as announced Thursday at SWAC Football Media Day.
Shedeur Sanders was also a first-team All-SWAC selection and was one of five JSU players on the first team along with OL
Tony Gray, LB
Aubrey Miller Jr., S
Shilo Sanders, and return specialist
Isaiah Bolden.
A trio of Tigers were selected to the preseason second team: WR
Malachi Wideman, DL
Devonta Davis, and S
Cam'Ron Silmon-Craig.
JSU was picked to repeat as Eastern Division Champions in the predicted order of finish.
Sheduer Sanders was the FCS Jerry Rice National Freshman Of The Year, BOXTOROW National Impact Player Of The Year, SWAC Freshman of the Year and a second-team All-SWAC selection. He was a four-time SWAC Newcomer of the Week and earned SWAC Offensive Player of the Week and FCS National Freshman of the Week during 2021 as led the conference in completions (272) and completion percentage (65.9) ranked second in passing yards (3,231) and passing touchdowns (30). Sanders posted nine multi-TD passing games (two 2-TD, five 3-TD, two 4-TD) and three 300+ yard passing games as he led JSU to a school-record 11 wins.
Gray, a second-team All-SWAC selection in 2021, helped JSU rank fourth in scoring at 27.5 yards per game. The offense had a pair of 200-yard rushing games (247 at Alabama A&M; 223 vs. Texas Southern) and gained a season-high 528 yards against Texas Southern, including 305 yards through the air. JSU did not allow a sack and gained 496 yards in scoring a season-high 61 points at Alabama A&M.
Miller Jr. earned first-team All-SWAC honors last season after leading the league with 109 tackles (53 solo) with 11.5 TFL (7th/SWAC), 6.5 sacks (t-4th/SWAC), three passes defensed, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery. Miller posted 7+ tackles in a game nine times, including three 10+-tackle games. He earned SWAC Defensive Player of the Week honors vs. Florida A&M after recording nine tackles including 1.0 tackles for loss, one sack, and one pass breakup.
Shilo Sanders was a second-team All-SWAC selection after tying for second in the league with four interceptions. He made 39 tackles (28 solo) with 1.5 TFL and had INTs against Bethune-Cookman, Southern, Alcorn, and South Carolina St. Sanders recorded a season-high seven tackles with 1.5 tackles for loss vs. Florida A&M and posted a pair of five-tackle games vs. Tennessee St. and at Alabama A&M.
Bolden was a first-team All-SWAC selection who led the nation (both FBS and FCS) in kickoff return average at 36.9 per attempt, tied for the FCS lead with two KOR touchdowns, and averaged 10.1 yards on seven punt returns. Bolden returned KOs for TDs vs. Bethune-Cookman (94 yards) and Prairie View A&M in SWAC Championship (91 yards).
Wideman tied for SWAC lead in touchdown receptions with 12 while catching 34 passes for 540 yards. Wideman had career highs in receptions (nine), receiving yards (169) and TD receptions (four) vs. Bethune-Cookman and had back-to-back two-TD reception games vs. Texas Southern (5 rec, 58 yds) and at Southern (4 rec, 81 yds).
Davis was a disruptive force in the middle, recording 24 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, 3.0 sacks, one forced fumble, and one quarterback hurry. He made season-high six tackles (three solo) with three tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, one forced fumble, and one quarterback hit vs. Delta State.
Silmon-Craig ranked fifth on team with 48 tackles (34 solo) with 2.5 sacks and 4.5 TFL. He also was second on team with three interceptions while registering five pass breakups, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery. He made career-high nine tackles (six solo) with one forced fumble vs. South Carolina St. in the Celebration Bowl and had a two-interception game vs. Prairie View A&M in the SWAC Championship.
In voting for predicted order of finish in the SWAC East, JSU received 12 first-place votes and 116 points, ahead of Florida A&M (seven first-place votes; 108 points). Alabama A&M was picked third (two first-place votes; 87 points), followed by Alabama St. (one first-place vote, 60 points), Bethune-Cookman (56 points), and Mississippi Valley St. (35 points).
In the SWAC West, Southern was picked to win the division (11 first-place votes, 111 points), just ahead of Alcorn St. (five first-place votes; 110 points). Prairie View A&M was picked third (five first-place votes; 82 points), followed by Grambling St. (one first-place vote; 77 points), Arkansas Pine Bluff (42 points), and Texas Southern (40 points).
