BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Jackson State football tight end D.J. Stevens was named a first-team All-SWAC Preseason selection and the lone Tiger selected to this year's preseason all-conference team.
A clutch piece to the Tigers' attack last season, Stevens (6-4, 235; Sr., Ridgeland, Miss.) caught 37 passes for 376 yards and four touchdowns in earning second-team all-conference accolades by the SWAC and Phil Steele. Stevens caught at least one pass in every game, including 12 games with multiple receptions and six games with at least three receptions.
Stevens caught a career-high six passes for 31 yards against Bethune-Cookman, and caught touchdown passes in games against Campbell (career-long 48 yards), Texas Southern (38 yards), Alabama A&M (19 yards), and North Carolina Central (24 yards).
The two-time defending SWAC Champions were picked to finish second in the SWAC's Eastern Division in a poll of the league's head coaches and sports information contacts.
SWAC Predicted Order of Finish
SWAC East
- Florida A&M- 116 points (16)
- Jackson State- 94 points (2)
- Alabama State- 80 points (2)
- Alabama A&M- 73 points (2)
- Mississippi Valley State- 35 points (2)
- Bethune-Cookman- 34 points
SWAC West
- Southern- 122 points (13)
- Alcorn State- 94 points (6)
- Texas Southern- 73 points (1)
- Grambling State- 69 points (2)
- Prairie View A&M- 68 points (2)
- Arkansas-Pine Bluff- 33 points
*First place votes listed in parenthesis ( )
#TheeILove #GuardTHEEYard
