Football | 7/11/2017 8:53:00 AM

 ATLANTA – Benedict College led the way with 10 selections to the 2017 SIAC Preseason All-Conference football team, announced Tuesday during media day at the College Football Hall of Fame.

Benedict placed seven on the first team, with three more on the second team.

The Tigers were picked to finish third in the SIAC East Division in the preseason poll, which was also announced. Benedict received four first-place votes.

On the offensive side of the ball, wide receiver Okechi Ntiasagwe, an All-Conference selection last year, is joined by offensive lineman Justin Brown. The Tigers had five first-team preseason All-Conference selections on the defensive side of the ball with defensive backs Edward Kirkland, Travionte Brown, defensive linemen Charles Williams and Aaryn Guy and linebacker Kendrick Frazier.

Named to the second team were tight end Darius Nelson, offensive lineman Craig Hinson and defensive back Robert Cummings.

The preseason All-Conference team was selected by a vote of head coaches and sports information directors.

Quarterback Johnathan McCrary of Clark Atlanta University was named the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) Preseason Offensive Player of the Year along with linebacker Osband Thompson of Tuskegee University who was selected as the Preseason Defensive Player of the Year.

Tuskegee was picked to win the west division with 75 points and 11 first-place votes in the preseason poll. Miles (60) was voted second, ahead of Kentucky State (48), Lane (37), and Central State (21).

Albany State was the preseason favorite in the east division with 65 points and six first-place votes. Fort Valley State earned 55 points followed by Benedict (52), Clark Atlanta (42), and Morehouse (26).

2017 SIAC Preseason Football All-Conference First Team

Johnathon McCrary	Quarterback	Clark Atlanta	Redshirt-Senior	Decatur, Ga.
Ryan Edwards	Tight end	Morehouse	Senior	Atlanta, Ga.
Okechi Ntiasagwe	Wide receiver	Benedict	Junior	Columbia, S.C.
Dre Martin	Wide receiver	Clark Atlanta	Sophomore	LaGrange, Ga.
Marcus Holliday	Running back	Lane	Junior	Memphis, Tenn.
Ger'Kerry Jackson	Running back	Miles	Junior	Montgomery, Ala.
Tedrick Cofield	Offensive lineman	Albany State	Senior	Atlanta, Ga.
Leeward Brown	Offensive lineman	Tuskegee	Senior	Miami, Fla.
Marcus Campbell, Jr.	Offensive lineman	Kentucky State	Junior	Radcliff, Ky.
Justin Brown	Offensive lineman	Benedict	Junior	Marietta, Ga.
Howard Bush	Offensive lineman	Lane	Senior	Mobile, Ala.
Charles Williams	Defensive lineman	Benedict	Senior	Barnwell, S.C.
Rodriguez Jones	Defensive lineman	Kentucky State	Senior	Newport News, Va.
Aaryn Guy	Defensive lineman	Benedict	Junior	Grand Rapids, Mich.
Kaelan Bonds	Defensive lineman	Miles	Senior	Florence, Ala.
David Smith	Linebacker	Morehouse	Senior	Newport News, Va.
Osband Thompson	Linebacker	Tuskegee	Senior	Miami, Fla.
Kendrick Frazier	Linebacker	Benedict	Senior	Charleston, S.C.
Edward Kirkland	Defensive back	Benedict	Senior	Columbia, S.C.
Jonah McCutcheon	Defensive back	Tuskegee	Senior	Mobile, Ala.
Travionte Brown	Defensive back	Benedict	Sophomore	Albany, Ga.
Kenneth Morgan	Defensive back	Clark Atlanta	Sophomore	Milledgeville, Ga.
Nick Christiansen	Kicker	Miles	Senior	Clayton, N.C.
Juan Serna	Punter	Fort Valley State	Senior	Douglasville, Ga.
Ricci Nuckles	Kick returner	Morehouse	Sophomore	Suwanee, Ga.
Deandre Jackson	Punt returner	Clark Atlanta	Senior	Atlanta, Ga.

 
2017 SIAC Preseason Football All-Conference Second Team
 

Marcus Reynolds	Quarterback	Lane	Junior	Calhoun, Ga.
Darius Nelson	Tight end	Benedict	Junior	Milledgeville, Ga.
Jules St. Ge	Wide receiver	Kentucky State	Sophomore	Lakeland, Fla.
Javarrius Cheatham	Wide receiver	Tuskegee	Junior	Greenville, Ala.
Jamari Clark	Running back	Fort Valley State	Junior	Stockbridge, Ga.
Lavelle Cloyd	Running back	Kentucky State	Senior	Lexington, Ky.
Darius Thomas	Offensive lineman	Central State	Sophomore	Cincinnati, Ohio
Craig Hinson	Offensive lineman	Benedict	Junior	Hephzibah, Ga.
Christopher Ruffin	Offensive lineman	Miles	Senior	Bessemer, Ala.
Darius Preyer	Offensive lineman	Clark Atlanta	Junior	Montgomery, Ala.
Lowell Richardson	Offensive lineman	Tuskegee	Junior	Miami, Fla.
Antonio Johnson	Defensive lineman	Morehouse	Junior	Birmingham, Ala.
Voris Bryant	Defensive lineman	Morehouse	Senior	Gray, Ga.
Devonte West	Defensive lineman	Fort Valley State	Senior	Largo, Fla.
Mekiye Kingston	Defensive lineman	Clark Atlanta	Junior	Jonesboro, Ga.
Zavondric Shingleton	Linebacker	Albany State	Senior	Millen, Ga.
Anthony Hardy	Linebacker	Miles	Senior	Demopolis, Ala.
Keonte Reynolds	Linebacker	Kentucky State	Junior	Louisville, Ky.
Nick Scott	Defensive back	Albany State	Senior	Ellabell, Ga.
Ryan Luckett	Defensive back	Kentucky State	Senior	Orlando, Fla.
Robert Cummings	Defensive back	Benedict	Sophomore	Macon, Ga.
Kentron James	Defensive back	Fort Valley State	Junior	Tallahassee, Fla.
Carlos Saldana	Kicker	Clark Atlanta	Sophomore	Austell, Ga.
Nick Christiansen	Punter	Miles	Senior	Clayton, N.C.
Deandre Jackson	Kick returner	Clark Atlanta	Senior	Atlanta, Ga.
Ladarrell Pettway	Punt returner	Tuskegee	Redshirt-Sophomore	Spanish Fort, Ala.

Preseason Offensive Player of the Year:
Johnathan McCrary, Clark Atlanta
 
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year:
Osband Thompson, Tuskegee
 
Predicted Order of Finish
 
East Division
 

1. Albany State – 65 (6)
2. Fort Valley State – 55 (4)
3. Benedict – 52 (4)
4. Clark Atlanta – 42 (2)
5. Morehouse – 26

 
West Division
 

1. Tuskegee – 75 (11)
2. Miles – 60 (3)
3. Kentucky State – 48 (2)
4. Lane – 37
5. Central State – 21

 
First place votes in parenthesis ()