Epps Named AP All-American, First in DI Era

By Lion Athletics


NEW YORK – Texas A&M University-Commerce football player Max Epps is an All-American. Epps was named to the Associated Press third team All-America on Tuesday becoming the first player in any sport at A&M-Commerce to earn All-America honors in the Division I era.

Epps (Spring – Dekaney) is the first All-American for the Lion football program since 2021 and the first Lion All-American named by the AP since 2019. He is one of five AP All-Americans from the Southland Conference this year.

In 2023, he finished the regular season as the FCS leader in return yards and recorded four interceptions, which is tied for 10th in the country. He was named Stats FCS National Player of the Week and Conference Player of the Week after the game at Old Dominion, totaling 48 tackles, four interceptions, and three breakups on the season.

Epps was also named to first-team all-Southland defense.

2023 ASSOCIATED PRESS (AP) FCS ALL-AMERICA TEAM
FIRST TEAM (Offense)
Quarterback — Mark Gronowski, fourth-year, South Dakota State.

Running Backs — Jaden Shirden, fourth-year, Monmouth; Isaiah Davis, fourth-year, South Dakota State.

Offensive Linemen — Garret Greenfield, sixth-year, South Dakota State; Noah Atagi, sixth-year, Weber State; Mason McCormick, sixth-year, South Dakota State; Jacob Johanning, fifth-year, Furman; Marcus Wehr, fourth-year, Montana State.

Tight End — Cam Grandy, fifth-year, Illinois State.

Wide Receivers — Ty James, fifth-year, Mercer; Dymere Miller, fourth-year, Monmouth; Jalen Coker, fifth-year, Holy Cross.

All-Purpose Player —Dylan Laube, fifth-year, New Hampshire.

Kicker — Matthew Cook, fifth-year, Northern Iowa.

FIRST TEAM (defense)
Linemen — Terrell Allen, fourth-year, Tennessee State; Jay Person, sixth-year, Chattanooga; Anton Juncaj, fourth-year, Albany (N.Y.); Alex Gubner, sixth-year, Montana.

Linebackers — Dylan Kelly, fifth-year, Albany (N.Y.); Brock Mogensen, sixth-year, South Dakota; Jacob Dobbs, fifth-year, Holy Cross.

Defensive Backs — PJ Jules, fifth-year, Southern Illinois; Cole Wisniewski, fourth-year, North Dakota State; Lance Wise Jr., fifth-year, Mercer; Marcus Harris, fourth-year, Idaho; Sheldon Arnold II, fourth-year, East Tennessee State.

Punter — Aidan Laros, third-year, Tennessee Martin.

SECOND TEAM (offense)
Quarterback — Max Brosmer, fifth-year, New Hampshire.

Running Backs — Sam Franklin, third-year, UT Martin; Jamar Curtis, second-year, Lafayette.

Offensive Linemen — Luke Newman, fourth-year, Holy Cross; Charles Grant, fourth-year, William & Mary; Rush Reimer, fourth-year, Montana State; Mark Barthelemy, sixth-year, Nicholls State; Gavin Olson, fifth-year, UT Martin.

Tight End — Carter Runyon, third-year, Towson.

Wide Receivers — Brandon Porter, sixth-year, Incarnate Word; Hayden Hatten, fifth-year, Idaho; Chedon James, second-year, Idaho State.

All-Purpose Player — Junior Bergen, third-year, Montana.

Kicker — Ricardo Chavez, fourth-year, Idaho.

SECOND TEAM (defense)
Linemen — Ty French, fourth-year, Gardner-Webb; David Walker, fourth-year, Central Arkansas; Finn Claypool, third-year, Drake; Daylan Dotson, fourth-year, UT Martin.

Linebackers — Billy Shaeffer, sixth-year, Lafayette; Winston Reid, seventh-year, Weber State; Micah Davey, third-year, McNeese State.

Defensive Backs — Aamir Hall, fourth-year, Albany (N.Y.); Caleb Curtain, third-year, Elon; Blake Ruffin, third-year, Eastern Illinois; Tyler Morton, third-year, Nicholls State; Kenny Gallop, Jr., third-year, Howard.

Punter — Grant Burkett, fifth-year, Missouri State.

THIRD TEAM (offense)
Quarterback — Matthew Sluka, fourth-year, Holy Cross.

Running Backs — Lan Larison, fourth-year, UC Davis; Jordan Fuller, third-year, Holy Cross.

Offensive Linemen — John Allen, fourth-year, SE Louisiana; Josiah Ezirim, fifth-year, Eastern Kentucky; Jake Kubas, sixth-year, North Dakota State; Ryan Coll, fifth-year, Richmond; Seth Osborne, sixth-year, St. Francis, Pa.

Tight End — Cole Rusk, third-year, Murray State.

Wide Receivers — Raylen Sharpe, third-year, Missouri State; Efton Chism III, fourth-year, Eastern Washington; Kasey Hawthorne, third-year, Howard.

All-Purpose Player — Sean Chambers, sixth-year, Montana State.

Kicker — Kyle Ramsey, fifth-year, Abilene Christian.

THIRD TEAM (defense)
Linemen — Eric O’Neill, third-year, Long Island; Brendan Webb, sixth-year, South Dakota; Khristian Boyd, sixth-year, Northern Iowa; Brody Grebe, third-year, Montana State.

Linebackers — Amir Abdullah, fourth-year, Illinois State; Braxton Hill, fifth-year, Montana; Noah Martin, fourth-year, Samford.

Defensive backs — Myles Harden, fourth-year, South Dakota; Saiku White, third-year, Lafayette; Max Epps, third-year, A&M-Commerce; Travis Blackshear, sixth-year, Furman; Kaleb Lyons, second-year, Morehead State.

Punter — Aaron Trusler, third-year, Richmond.