Rodriguez, Taylor, Epps Earn First Team All-SLC Honors

By Lion Athletics

FRISCO – Three Texas A&M University-Commerce football players earned all-Southland Conference honors on Wednesday morning, with all three landing on first team defense.

In 2023, the Lions finished with the third best total defense and third best passing offense during conference play. Levi Drake Rodriguez (Georgetown – Eastview) is named to first team defense on the defensive line, while defensive backs Daryion Taylor (Humble – Atascocita) and Max Epps (Spring – Dekaney) are also named to the first team.

Rodriguez totaled 43 tackles in conference play, which is 10^th in conference play, he ranks seventh with his 28 assisted tackles, fourth in the SLC in tackles for loss and tied for second in sacks, recovered two fumbles and forced one.

Taylor was the team leader in tackles, ranking 10^th with 41 total tackles in conference play, 10^th with 4.5 tackles for loss, tied for fifth with two interceptions in conference play.

Epps was National Player of the Week and Conference Player of the Week after the game at Old Dominion, recorded four interceptions on the season, which is tied for most in the FCS. He is the FCS leader in interception return yards and totaled 48 tackles, four interceptions, and three breakups.

The Lions have had multiple first team all-conference honorees in each of the last two seasons that they have been part of the NCAA Division I FCS and the Southland Conference.

2023 Southland Conference Football Individual Superlative Winners
Player of the Year: Jaylon Spears, Nicholls
Offensive Player of the Year: Brandon Porter, UIW
Defensive Player of the Year: Jalyx Hunt, HCU
Newcomer of the Year: Zach Calzada, UIW
Freshman of the Year: Rasheed Lovelace, Nicholls
Offensive Lineman of the Year: Mark Barthelemy, Nicholls
Coach of the Year: Tim Rebowe, Nicholls

First Team All-Conference Offense

Pos.	Name	School	Class	Hometown
QB	Zach Calzada	UIW	Gr.	Buford, Ga.
RB	Jaylon Spears	Nicholls	R-So.	New Orleans, La.
RB	Collin Guggenheim 2	Nicholls	Jr.	Kenner, La.
TE/HB	Bauer Sharp	Southeastern	R-So.	Dothan, Ala.
WR	Brandon Porter	UIW	Gr.	Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.
WR	Karl Reynolds 2	HCU	Sr.	Humble, Texas
WR	Caleb Chapman	UIW	Gr.	Webster, Texas
OL	Mark Barthelemy	Nicholls	Sr.	Opelousas, La.
OL	Silas Robinson	UIW	Gr.	Yoakum, Texas
OL	John Allen 3	Southeastern	Sr.	Jackson, Miss.
OL	Stanley Mark	UIW	Gr.	Seguin, Texas
OL	Evan Roussel 4	Nicholls	Jr.	Lutcher, La.
PK	Dillon Fedor	HCU	Jr.	Henderson, Nev.
P	Austin Dunlap 2	Southeastern	Sr.	Slidell, La.

First Team All-Conference Defense

Pos.	Name	School	Class	Hometown
DL	Steven Parker 2	UIW	Jr.	Dallas, Texas
DL	Levi Drake Rodriguez	A&M-Commerce	Sr.	Georgetown, Texas
DL	Arlen Williams 2	Southeastern	R-Sr.	Boothville, La.
DL	Ayodele Adeoye	UIW	Gr.	St. Louis, Mo.
LB	Micah Davey	McNeese	R-So.	Baton Rouge, La.
LB	Jalyx Hunt 2	HCU	Sr.	DeBary, Fla.
LB	Tylan Foster	UIW	Jr.	Houston, Texas
DB	Tyler Morton	Nicholls	Jr.	St. Rose, La.
DB	Ian Conerly-Goodly	Southeastern	So.	Covington, La.
DB	Max Epps	A&M-Commerce	Jr.	Spring, Texas
DB	Daryion Taylor	A&M-Commerce	Sr.	Humble, Texas
DB	Kendarius Smith	Nicholls	Jr.	Meridian, Miss.
KR	Damashja Harris	Lamar	So.	Killeen, Texas
PR	Darius Lewis	Southeastern	R-Jr.	New Orleans, La.

Second Team All-Conference Offense

Pos.	Name	School	Class	Hometown
QB	Pat McQuaide	Nicholls	So.	Solon, Ohio
RB	Khalan Griffin	Lamar	Jr.	Tyler, Texas
RB	Harlan Dixon	Southeastern	Jr.	Slidell, La.
TE/HB	Lee Negrotto	Nicholls	Jr.	Pass Christian, Miss.
WR	David Robinson Jr.	Nicholls	R-Jr.	LaPlace, La.
WR	Darius Lewis	Southeastern	R-Jr.	New Orleans, La.
WR	Jon McCall	McNeese	R-So.	New Orleans, La.
OL	Cole Leclair	McNeese	Jr.	Middleburg, Fla.
OL	Jevale Roberson	Lamar	Jr.	Cleveland, Texas
OL	Joe Bryson	UIW	Gr.	Castle Pines, Colo.
OL	Christian Hood	HCU	Sr.	Marshall, Texas
OL	Elias Ripley	Lamar	Jr.	Cedar Rapids, Iowa
PK	Gavin Lasseigne	Nicholls	Sr.	Raceland, La.
P	Kylan Dupre	Nicholls	So.	Geismar, La.

Second Team All-Conference Defense

Pos.	Name	School	Class	Hometown
DL	Rasheed Lovelave	Nicholls	R-Fr.	Pesacola, Fla.
DL	Caleb Williams	Lamar	Jr.	Houston, Texas
DL	Kershawn Fisher	Nicholls	Jr.	New Orleans, La.
DL	Perry Ganci 3	Nicholls	Sr.	New Orleans, La.
LB	Rodney Dansby 3	HCU	Jr.	Houston, Texas
LB	Hayden Shaheen	Nicholls	R-So.	Baton Rouge, La.
LB	Herman Christophe IV	Southeastern	Sr.	Plaquemine, La.
DB	Brandon Richard	UIW	Gr.	San Antonio, Texas
DB	Joshua Ofili	Lamar	Sr.	Katy, Texas
DB	Ronald Wilson	UIW	Jr.	Fort Worth, Texas
DB	Ramond Stevens	Lamar	Jr.	Dallas, Texas
DB	Jordan Jackson 2	Nicholls	Sr.	Prairieville, La.
KR	Dekalon Taylor	UIW	So.	Longview, Texas
PR	Dekalon Taylor	UIW	So.	Longview, Texas

^{2 = Two-time All-Conference
3 = Three-time All-Conference
4 = Four-time All-Conference}