In Stats Perform’s 2022 FCS Preseason All-America Team, all 15 FCS conferences, as well as 57 schools, earned spots in first, second and third teams. Five Southland Conference players––two from Southeastern Louisiana, two from Incarnate Word and one from Nicholls–– edged their way as one of the top performing players in the FCS.
First Team
Taylor Grimes––Senior Wide Receiver, UIW
Grimes, a 5-foot-11, 190-pound senior, secured a spot on the first team. During the Fall 2021 season, he led the team in receptions (87), receiving yards (1,145), and receiving touchdowns (15). Grimes had six games with over 100 receiving yards and three games with three touchdowns or more. He had explosive games against Nicholls, where he had nine receptions for 182 yards and four touchdowns, and against Southeastern Louisiana, where he recorded 12 receptions for 193 yards and two touchdowns.
Ferlando Jordan––Redshirt Senior Defensive Back, Southeastern Louisiana
Jordan finished the Fall 2021 season with nine tackles (all solo), an interception and two pass breakups. He returned an interception 41 yards for a touchdown in 49-28 victory at North Alabama. The pick-six was his Southland Conference career record fifth and earned him league Defensive Player of the Week honors Jordan was credited with season-high three tackles in 56-10 win at Central Connecticut State.
Second Team
Kelechi Anyalebechi––Grad Linebacker, UIW
Anyalebechi, as a 6-foot, 240-pound senior, was a force to be reckoned with throughout the 2021 season. He tallied six tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, and four forced fumbles. The senior also snagged two interceptions, both against Prairie View A&M. Anyalebechi registered the most tackles in a single season in UIW program history, ending the year with 130 tackles in 2021
Zy Alexander––Sophomore Defensive Back, Southeastern Louisiana
A breakout season in first year as a full-time starter, Alexander was eighth in FCS with a league-high six interceptions, tied for the third-highest single-season total in school history. In last year’s season opener, Alexander forced a fumble in SLU’s 49-28 victory at North Alabama. Alexander was mentioned on last year’s Second Team Stats Perform FCS All-American, as well as Third Team Associated Press FCS All-American and First Team All-Southland Conference.
Third Team
Evan Roussel––Sophomore Offensive Lineman, Nicholls
Roussel, entering his third year with the Colonels, started at center for the second straight season. Earning All-Southland Second Team and named to two freshman all-American squads in 2021, Roussel will be a key asset to Nicholls in 2022. The Colonels had the No. 4 total offense in the FCS, which also ranked fifth in rushing. Nicholls’ offensive line ranked No. 1 in the nation in fewest tackles for loss allowed and eighth in sacks allowed.
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