No. 17 Football Sends Five To FCS Football Central All-American Team
12/11/2023 2:30:00 PM | Football
MOBILE, Ala. – The postseason honors continued to trickle in for the 17th-ranked Mercer football team on Monday afternoon when five student-athletes – Devron Harper, Ken Standley, Ty James, Lance Wise Jr. and Solomon Zubairu – were all decorated with all-America honors by FCS Football Central.
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The announcement marked the largest all-American crop for the Orange & Black in the 50-season history of the program, and yielded the second all-American laurels for both James and Harper. Standley, Wise Jr. and Zubairu all picked up the national accolade for the first time.
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Formerly known as The Bluebloods, a partnership with Sports Illustrated and FanNation over the last six months yielded the formation of FCS Football Central. The publication remains one of the top sources for the latest news and analysis on FCS Football, and is dedicated to promoting and advancing the recognition of programs and athletes at the FCS level.
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A product of Conyers, Harper is one of the nation's most electric return specialists, and currently leads all of NCAA FCS with 874 combined kick return yards (punt returns + kick returns), and sits among a six-way tie with a nation's-best two punt return scores. The 2-time SoCon Special Teams Player of the Week racked up more than 1,600 all-purpose yards this season, including 503 kickoff return and 371 punt return yards. On the offensive side of the ball, he caught 57 passes for 549 yards and two touchdowns, as well as amassed 185 rushing yards (26 carries) and one additional score.
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James, a Conyers native, ranks among the nation's top wide receivers in both receiving yards (3rd NCAA) and receiving yards per game (12th). He started all 13 games for the Bears this season while logging 63 catches for 1,130 yards and seven touchdowns. He hauled in four or more catches in nine outings this season, including a school record-tying 14-catch, 285-yard performance in the win at East Tennessee State in early October. He finished among a tie for 21st in voting for the Walter Payton Award which honors the national offensive player of the year in Division I FCS college football.
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Standley started in all 13 games for the Orange & Black this season, and logged a team-leading 97 tackles (51 solo), including 15.0 tackles for loss (-46 yards) and 4.0 sacks (-22 yards). The Waycross native also added nine quarterback hurries, one forced fumble and three pass break-ups, and broke through with his first two career interceptions, including one that he returned for a score in Mercer's road win over The Citadel. Standley turned in seven or more tackles nine times in 2023, including nine stops on four occasions.
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Wise Jr., a product of Marietta, Ga., amassed 82 tackles (36 solo) this season, while also adding 2-1/2 tackles for loss (-9 yards) one forced fumble and a pair of pass break-ups. He also ranks 12th, nationally, among the nation's interceptions leaders, and also returned two pickoffs for touchdowns. Wise Jr. logged double-digit stops in a trio of outings in 2023, including a season-best 14 tackles (2.0 TFL) in the home outing with nationally-ranked Chattanooga. Wise Jr. shared 20th place in voting for the Buck Buchanan award as well. That honor is bestowed on the national defensive player of the year in Division I FCS college football.
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Zubairu amassed 52 tackles (36 solo) this season, including a team-bests in both tackles for loss (17.5) and sacks (9.0). A menacing pass rusher on the right side of the defensive line, the Lawrenceville native produced multiple sacks against four opponents, while also posting five tackles on five occasions as well. The program's all-time quarterback hurries leader, including a career-best 12 this season alone, also forced and recovered a fumble in the end zone earlier this season against Wofford.
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The announcement marked the largest all-American crop for the Orange & Black in the 50-season history of the program, and yielded the second all-American laurels for both James and Harper. Standley, Wise Jr. and Zubairu all picked up the national accolade for the first time.
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Formerly known as The Bluebloods, a partnership with Sports Illustrated and FanNation over the last six months yielded the formation of FCS Football Central. The publication remains one of the top sources for the latest news and analysis on FCS Football, and is dedicated to promoting and advancing the recognition of programs and athletes at the FCS level.
Â
A product of Conyers, Harper is one of the nation's most electric return specialists, and currently leads all of NCAA FCS with 874 combined kick return yards (punt returns + kick returns), and sits among a six-way tie with a nation's-best two punt return scores. The 2-time SoCon Special Teams Player of the Week racked up more than 1,600 all-purpose yards this season, including 503 kickoff return and 371 punt return yards. On the offensive side of the ball, he caught 57 passes for 549 yards and two touchdowns, as well as amassed 185 rushing yards (26 carries) and one additional score.
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James, a Conyers native, ranks among the nation's top wide receivers in both receiving yards (3rd NCAA) and receiving yards per game (12th). He started all 13 games for the Bears this season while logging 63 catches for 1,130 yards and seven touchdowns. He hauled in four or more catches in nine outings this season, including a school record-tying 14-catch, 285-yard performance in the win at East Tennessee State in early October. He finished among a tie for 21st in voting for the Walter Payton Award which honors the national offensive player of the year in Division I FCS college football.
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Standley started in all 13 games for the Orange & Black this season, and logged a team-leading 97 tackles (51 solo), including 15.0 tackles for loss (-46 yards) and 4.0 sacks (-22 yards). The Waycross native also added nine quarterback hurries, one forced fumble and three pass break-ups, and broke through with his first two career interceptions, including one that he returned for a score in Mercer's road win over The Citadel. Standley turned in seven or more tackles nine times in 2023, including nine stops on four occasions.
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Wise Jr., a product of Marietta, Ga., amassed 82 tackles (36 solo) this season, while also adding 2-1/2 tackles for loss (-9 yards) one forced fumble and a pair of pass break-ups. He also ranks 12th, nationally, among the nation's interceptions leaders, and also returned two pickoffs for touchdowns. Wise Jr. logged double-digit stops in a trio of outings in 2023, including a season-best 14 tackles (2.0 TFL) in the home outing with nationally-ranked Chattanooga. Wise Jr. shared 20th place in voting for the Buck Buchanan award as well. That honor is bestowed on the national defensive player of the year in Division I FCS college football.
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Zubairu amassed 52 tackles (36 solo) this season, including a team-bests in both tackles for loss (17.5) and sacks (9.0). A menacing pass rusher on the right side of the defensive line, the Lawrenceville native produced multiple sacks against four opponents, while also posting five tackles on five occasions as well. The program's all-time quarterback hurries leader, including a career-best 12 this season alone, also forced and recovered a fumble in the end zone earlier this season against Wofford.
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