ATLANTA — The Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference announced its 2025 preseason all-conference football teams, individual honors and predicted order of finish on Monday, featuring 18 returning players from the 2024 All-SIAC lineup.
Leading the way is preseason Defensive Player of the Year
Ty'Metrius Patterson, one of six Benedict College Tigers to earn preseason recognition.
Patterson is coming off a tremendous 2024 season, when he recorded 53 total tackles, including 13 tackles for loss (-39 yards) and three sacks (-17 yards), three quarterback hurries and three forced fumbles. He earned first-team All-SIAC honors in 2024.
Joining Patterson on the first-team is fellow linebacker
Isaiah Stephens. Stephens led the Tigers in total tackles in 2024 (68 total tackles – 41 solo and 27 assisted), which ranked sixth-best in the SIAC. He also recorded 6.5 tackles for loss (-18 yards), 0.5 sacks (-1 yard), and two pass breakups. He was a second-team All-SIAC selection in 2024.
Also on the preseason first team is defensive lineman
Israel Nwokocha. Nwokocha finished with 39 total tackles. His nine sacks (-63 yards) ranked third-best in the SIAC in 2024. He earned first-team All-SIAC and second-team All Super Region Two by the D2 Conference Commissioner's Association.
Kick returner
Jaxon Williams returns as a preseason first-team selection, after earning first-team All-SIAC honors following his breakout freshman season in 2024. Williams led the SIAC and ranked third in the nation in kickoff returns, and was named an honorable mention All-American by BoxToRow.
Rounding out the 2025 preseason first-team selections is Cam Williams, a transfer from Miles College. Williams led the SIAC in passes defended in 2024 with the Golden Bears, finishing with 11 pass breakups and three interceptions and earned first-team All-SIAC honors.
Offensive lineman
Jason Miller was named a preseason second-team choice. Miller anchored an offensive line that averaged more than 100 yards rushing per game and 291 yards of total offense.
The SIAC predicted order of finish was also released Monday. Benedict, coming off a 4-6 (4-4 in the SIAC) is projected to finish seventh in the league. Albany State is projected to finish in first, followed by Clark Atlanta, last year's league runner-up. Tuskegee is third, with Miles, the defending SIAC champions, picked fourth. Fort Valley State is fifth and Savannah State is sixth.
Benedict opens the 2025 season on Aug. 30 at home with a nationally-televised contest against Fayetteville State in the Labor Day Classic. Tickets are available at www.benedicttickets.com
Preseason honors are as voted by the conference's head coaches and sports information directors.
| FIRST TEAM |
| POSITION |
NAME |
SCHOOL |
CLASS |
HOMETOWN |
| Offensive Line |
Denzell Moore* |
Clark Atlanta |
Senior |
Powder Springs, Ga. |
| Offensive Line |
Elliott Howell* |
Tuskegee |
Senior |
Atlanta, Ga. |
| Offensive Line |
Noah Stovall |
Albany State |
Junior |
Warner Robins, Ga. |
| Offensive Line |
Desmon Self |
Edward Waters |
Junior |
Delray Beach, Fla. |
| Offensive Line |
Lebron Merriweather |
Tuskegee |
Junior |
Montgomery, Ala. |
| Tight End |
Gentry Sparks* |
Albany State |
R-Senior |
Tallahassee, Fla. |
| Wide Receiver |
Jamill Williams* |
Albany State |
R-Sophomore |
Atlanta, Ga. |
| Wide Receiver |
Javion Jackson |
Albany State |
R-Senior |
Jonesboro, Ga. |
| Running Back |
Tiant Wyche* |
Albany State |
Sophomore |
Jacksonville, Fla. |
| Running Back |
Javonta Leatherwood |
Miles |
R-Senior |
Tuscaloosa, Ala. |
| Quarterback |
Isaiah Knowles* |
Albany State |
R-Junior |
Tampa, Fla. |
| Defensive Line |
Israel Nwokocha* |
Benedict |
Senior |
Atlanta, Ga. |
| Defensive Line |
Xavier Esquillen* |
Savannah State |
Junior |
Charlotte, N.C. |
| Defensive Line |
Mike White* |
Central State |
Graduate |
Springfield, Ohio |
| Defensive Line |
Kurtis Waye* |
Clark Atlanta |
Junior |
McDonough, Ga. |
| Linebacker |
Ty'Metrius Patterson* |
Benedict |
Graduate |
Detroit, Mich. |
| Linebacker |
Gary Davis Jr.* |
Savannah State |
Senior |
Cairo, Ga. |
| Linebacker |
Isaiah Stephens* |
Benedict |
Graduate |
Roanoke, Va. |
| Defensive Back |
Lawrence McConnell* |
Kentucky State |
Junior |
St. Louis, Mo. |
| Defensive Back |
Mikael King Jr.* |
Tuskegee |
Senior |
Tuskegee, Ala. |
| Defensive Back |
Cam Williams* |
Benedict |
R-Junior |
Bessemer, Ala. |
| Defensive Back |
Carlos Dunovant Jr. |
Morehouse |
Senior |
Cusseta, Ga. |
| Kicker |
Lorcan Ryans* |
Tuskegee |
Junior |
Limerick, Ireland |
| Punter |
Seve Spruill II |
Morehouse |
Junior |
Plymouth Meeting, Pa. |
| Punt Returner |
Ronnie West |
Clark Atlanta |
Senior |
Atlanta, Ga. |
| Kick Returner |
Jaxon Williams* |
Benedict |
Sophomore |
Dothan, Ala. |
| – * RETURNING 2024 ALL-SIAC SELECTION |
| SECOND TEAM |
| POSITION |
NAME |
SCHOOL |
CLASS |
HOMETOWN |
| Offensive Line |
Leon Wesley |
Albany State |
Sophomore |
Powder Springs, Ga. |
| Offensive Line |
O'Shea Stroman |
Albany State |
Sophomore |
Lithonia, Ga. |
| Offensive Line |
Keshawn Palmore |
Savannah State |
Junior |
Moultrie, Ga. |
| Offensive Line |
Khalifa Sene |
Savannah State |
Senior |
Pensacola, Fla. |
| Offensive Line |
Jason Miller |
Benedict |
Junior |
Columbus, Ohio |
| Tight End |
Xavier Herndon |
Albany State |
R-Junior |
Norcross, Ga. |
| Wide Receiver |
Nanders Lawrence |
Allen |
Junior |
Dixiana, S.C. |
| Wide Receiver |
Makai Lovett |
Edward Waters |
Senior |
Miami, Fla. |
| Running Back |
Johntarrious Thomas |
Edward Waters |
Junior |
Gadsden County, Fla. |
| Running Back |
Desmond Leverette |
Tuskegee |
Junior |
Roswell, Ga. |
| Quarterback |
Jamir Dismukes |
Allen |
Senior |
Cleveland, Ohio |
| Defensive Line |
Tyreese Williams |
Edward Waters |
Sophomore |
Jacksonville, Fla. |
| Defensive Line |
Osirus Rhodes |
Allen |
R-Senior |
Manhattan, N.Y. |
| Defensive Line |
Masiah Wells |
Tuskegee |
Senior |
Jacksonville, Fla. |
| Defensive Line |
Abraham Clinkscales |
Albany State |
R-Junior |
Atlanta, Ga. |
| Linebacker |
Sean Johnson |
Morehouse |
Junior |
Atlanta, Ga. |
| Linebacker |
Kaquan Kimber |
Tuskegee |
Sophomore |
Fairburn, Ga. |
| Linebacker |
Carson Pritchett |
Miles |
Sophomore |
Atlanta, Ga. |
| Defensive Back |
Aydin Henningham |
Albany State |
Senior |
Delray Beach, Fla. |
| Defensive Back |
Darnell Stephens |
Fort Valley State |
R-Junior |
Conyers, Ga. |
| Defensive Back |
Tyler Davis |
Morehouse |
Senior |
Atlanta, Ga. |
| Defensive Back |
Tyreshon Freeman |
Allen |
R-Sophomore |
Prattville, Ala. |
| Kicker |
Kyle Wright |
Albany State |
R-Junior |
Atlanta, Ga. |
| Punter |
Trevor Bywater |
Allen |
R-Junior |
Rockledge, Fla. |
| Punt Returner |
Javion Jackson |
Albany State |
R-Senior |
Jonesboro, Ga. |
| Kick Returner |
Brady Tillman |
Edward Waters |
Sophomore |
Newnan, Ga. |
| PRESEASON OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR |
| NAME |
SCHOOL |
CLASS |
HOMETOWN |
| Isaiah Knowles |
Albany State |
R-Junior |
Tampa, Fla. |
| PRESEASON DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR |
| NAME |
SCHOOL |
CLASS |
HOMETOWN |
| Ty'Metrius Patterson |
Benedict |
Graduate |
Detroit, Mich. |
| PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH |
| 1. Albany State |
| 2. Clark Atlanta |
| 3. Tuskegee |
| 4. Miles |
| 5. Fort Valley State |
| 6. Savannah State |
| 7. Benedict |
| 8. Edward Waters |
| 9. Allen |
| 10. Kentucky State |
| 11. Morehouse |
| 12. Lane |
| 13. Central State |
