Ernest Ceasar III, RB for Texas Wesleyan, in 2024.
Texas Wesleyan running back Ernest Ceasar III and Morningside (Iowa) quarterback Zack Chevalier highlight The Associated Press NAIA All-America team announced Friday.
Ceasar set an NAIA single-season record with 40 rushing touchdowns, and Chevalier led the nation with 334 yards passing per game and 45 passing touchdowns. Morningside's four first-team selections were most of any school.
Keiser (Florida) and Grand View (Iowa), which will play for the NAIA championship in Durham, North Carolina, on Saturday, each had one player on the first team. Keiser's Jude Guerrier is on the offensive line and Grand View's Jackson Filer is on the defensive line.
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First-team offense
Quarterback — Zack Chevalier, Morningside (Iowa), junior, 6-2, 205, Santa Clarita, California.
Running backs — Gunner Yates, Southern Oregon, sophomore, 6-0, 205, Coquille, Oregon; Ernest Ceasar, Texas Wesleyan, senior, 5-6, 175, Beaumont, Texas.
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Linemen — Jude Guerrier, Keiser (Florida), junior, 6-2, 339, Boca Raton, Florida; Marcus Lombard, Montana Western, senior, 6-1, 300, Laie, Hawaii; Zach Sibila, Marian (Indiana), senior, 6-3, 285, Zionsville, Indiana; Blake Gossett, Georgetown (Kentucky), senior, 6-2, 280, Louisville, Kentucky; Jordan Scott, Pikeville (Kentucky), graduate, 6-2, 306, Belfry, Kentucky.
Tight end — Blake Lamb, Olivet Nazarene (Illinois), senior, 6-2, 236, Cincinnati.
Wide receivers — Drew Sellon, Morningside (Iowa), sophomore, 6-0, 185, Fremont, Nebraska; Gerald Monroe, Graceland (Iowa), junior, 5-10, 185, Glenn Heights, Texas; Jacob Gathright, Benedictine (Kansas), senior, 5-10, 160, Oceanside, California.
All-purpose player — Luke Armstrong, Kansas Wesleyan, junior, 5-11, 190, Carlsbad, California.
Kicker — Seth Simpson, Baker (Kansas), junior, 6-0, 185, Lee’s Summit, Missouri.
First-team defense
Linemen — Quincy Robinson, Bluefield (Virginia), senior, 6-3, 240, Wilmington, North Carolina; Jackson Filer, Grand View (Iowa), junior, 6-3, 245, Des Moines, Iowa; Josh King-Bradley, Kansas Wesleyan, junior, 6-0, 250, Mont Belvieu, Texas; Nicolas Engler, St. Thomas (Florida), graduate, 6-4, 250, Port St. Lucie, Florida.
Linebackers — Isaac Pingel, Morningside (Iowa), senior, 6-1, 215, Spencer, Iowa; Parker Fryar, Northwestern (Iowa), senior, 6-3, 230, Waukee, Iowa; Aven Jones, Taylor (Indiana), senior, 6-0, 224, New Palestine, Indiana.
Defensive backs — Dijion Walls, Morningside (Iowa), senior, 6-1, 185, Hazelwood, Missouri; Deveon Moses, Dakota State (South Dakota), junior, 6-0, 180, Houston; Nehemiah Figueroa, McPherson (Kansas), senior, 5-11, 185, Boyertown, Pennsylvania; Jayden Heartwell, Dickinson State (North Dakota), senior, 6-1, 205, Anchorage, Alaska; Daylon Henson, Concordia (Nebraska), junior, 6-0, 200, Pearland, Texas.
Punter — Kelen Meyer, Doane (Nebraska), junior, 6-2, 210, Ord, Nebraska.
Second-team offense
Quarterback — Michael Palandri, Montana Western, junior, 6-1, 215, Maple Valley, Washington.
Running backs — Rontavious Farmer, St. Thomas (Florida), senior, 5-10, 195, Port St. Lucie, Florida; Landers Smith, Montana Tech, senior, 6-0, 230, Charlo, Montana.
Linemen — Aidan Queen, Morningside (Iowa), senior, 6-4, 270, Fremont, Nebraska; Brandon Spencer, Montana Tech, senior, 6-3, 315, Lolo, Montana; Jayson Weiland, Grand View (Iowa), senior, 6-3, 290, Cedar Falls, Iowa; Will Angel, Indiana Wesleyan, senior, 6-1, 286, Liberty, Missouri; Kyree Watkins, Friends (Kansas), senior, 6-0, 275, Atlanta.
Tight end — Carson Ochoa, Carroll (Montana), junior, 6-3, 235, Yorba Linda, California.
Wide receivers — David Hayes, St. Thomas (Florida), senior, 6-4, 188, Tampa, Florida; Eli Nourse, Montana Western, sophomore, 5-10, 170, Dillon, Montana; Matthew Holthusen, Southwestern (Kansas), junior, 5-11, 180, Wichita, Kansas.
All-purpose player — Tyson Denkert, Midland (Nebraska), junior, 5-10, 200, Kenesaw, Nebraska.
Kicker — Eli Stader, Northwestern (Iowa), senior, 6-0, 225, Cedar Grove, Wisconsin.
Second-team defense
Linemen — Dylan Dahlgren, Dickinson State (North Dakota), sophomore, 6-3, 210, Soldotna, Alaska; Trystin Voss, Northwestern (Iowa), junior, 6-2, 260, Rogersville, Missouri; Bam Brima, Keiser (Florida), senior, 6-5, 270, Worcester, Massachusetts; Hunter Peck, Carroll (Montana), senior, 6-2, 245, Windsor, Colorado.
Linebackers — Bradley Myers, Evangel (Missouri), senior, 5-11, 215, Lee's Summit, Missouri; John Argo, Grand View (Iowa), junior, 6-0, 220, Davenport, Iowa; Clayton Mosher, Indiana Wesleyan, senior, 6-0, 208, Stow, Ohio.
Defensive backs — Caleb Walker, St. Thomas (Florida), graduate, 5-10, 182, Tampa, Florida; Cody Moser, Northwestern (Iowa), senior, 6-3, 195, Rock Valley, Iowa; Justin Carcel, Keiser (Florida), junior, 5-9, 173, Port St. Lucie, Florida; Javhi Blomquist, Benedictine (Kansas), senior, 5-9, 180, San Diego; Brayden Johnson, Bethel (Tennessee), junior, 6-2, 213, Syracuse, Indiana.
