Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
Eight Blue Raiders earn recognition by CUSA
12/4/2025 11:00:00 AM | Football
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – Conference USA announced its 2025 football all-conference and all-freshman award winners on Thursday, as voted on by the league's head football coaches. Middle Tennessee had eight players honored.
The Blue Raiders had a first-team selection, one on the second team, one honorable mention pick, and five on the all-freshman team.
Defensive tackle Damonte Smith was the lone Blue Raider on the first team as he was honored by the league for the first time in his career. Smith, out of Savannah, Ga., set a personal-best with 34 tackles this season to go along with a team-best 11.5 TFLs, three sacks and an interception. He also added four hurries and a forced fumble.
Smith is the first MTSU defensive tackle to win first team all-conference honors since 2005 when the Sun Belt voted Jeff Littlejohn to the first unit.
Parker Hughes, a team captain, earned second team honors from his linebacker position after posting a career-high 100 tackles to lead MTSU. Hughes, a former walk-on, is the first Blue Raider to top 100 tackles since Tra Fluellen in 2022 and the first linebacker since T.T. Barber in 2013.
The Elizabethton, Tenn., native also had 3.0 TFLs, his first two career interceptions, two pass breakups and two hurries on the season.
Running back Jekail Middlebrook was on the honorable mention list following a career season. Middlebrook led MTSU in rushing with 752 yards and four touchdowns while adding 40 receptions for 473 yards and five scores. His 40 grabs is currently tied for the third most in the nation among running backs.
Offensive linemen Otto Janse Van Rensburg and Alex Gale both made the All-Freshman team along with defensive tackle Zeion Simpson-Smith, cornerback Jackson Lowe and kicker Baylen Woodman.
The five all-freshman team members are the most by MTSU since 2020 when that team also had five.
2025 CUSA Players of the Year
MVP and Newcomer of the Year: Cam Cook, Jax State
Offensive Player of the Year: Kejon Owens, FIU
Co-Defensive Player of the Year: Baron Hopson, Kennesaw State
Co-Defensive Player of the Year: Jacob Fields, LA Tech
Special Teams Player of the Year: Cole Maynard, WKU
Freshman of the Year: Rodney Tisdale Jr., WKU
Coach of the Year: Jerry Mack, Kennesaw State
First Team All-Conference
Offense
QB Amari Odom, Kennesaw State
RB Cam Cook, Jax State
RB Kejon Owens, FIU
WR Gabriel Benyard, Kennesaw State
WR Alex Perry, FIU
WR Kyre Duplessis, Delaware
TE Gavin Harris, NM State
OL Amare Grayson, Jax State
OL Fintan Brose, Delaware
OL Brandon Best, Kennesaw State
OL Josiah Chenault, Kennesaw State
OL Cameron Griffin, Jax State
Defense
DE Elijah Hill, Kennesaw State
DT Damonte Smith, MTSU
DT Ezra Christensen, NM State
DE Emmanuel Oyebadejo, Jax State
LB Johnny Chaney Jr., FIU
LB Baron Hopson, Kennesaw State
LB Micah Davey, UTEP
DB Mister Clark, FIU
DB Caleb Nix, Jax State
DB Jacob Fields, LA Tech
DB KT Seay, Delaware
Special Teams
K Garrison Rippa, Jax State
P Cole Maynard, WKU
KR Devin Gandy, LA Tech
PR Gabriel Benyard, Kennesaw State
LS Cole Marszalek, Jax State
Second Team
Offense
QB Nick Minicucci, Delaware
RB Evan Dickens, Liberty
RB Shomari Lawrence, Missouri State
WR Donovan Faupel, NM State
WR Matthew Henry, WKU
WR Kenny Odom, UTEP
TE Eli Finley, LA Tech
OL Steven Demboski, Delaware
OL J.T. Pennington, Kennesaw State
OL Laurance Seymore, WKU
OL Julius Pierce, FIU
OL Jaheim Buchanon, FIU
Defense
DE Keegan Davis, FIU
DT Tylon Dunlap, Kennesaw State
DT Talan Carter, Jax State
DE Kenton Simmons, FIU
LB Parker Hughes, MTSU
LB Mekhi Mason, LA Tech
LB Walker O'Steen, Jax State
DB Jakari Foster, LA Tech
DB Jessiah McGrew, FIU
DB Naeten Mitchell, NM State
DB Caleb Offord, Kennesaw State
Special Teams
K Nate Reed, Delaware
P John Hoyet Chance, LA Tech
KR Mysonne Pollard, Delaware
PR Dash Luke, Missouri State
LS Rex Robich, WKU
Honorable Mention
Offense
QB Jacob Clark, Missouri State
RB Coleman Bennett, Kennesaw State
RB Jekail Middlebrook, MTSU
WR K.D. Hutchinson, WKU
WR Sean Wilson, Delaware
WR Deondre Johnson, Jax State
TE Jeron Askren, Missouri State
OL Marshall Jackson, WKU
OL Landon Nelson, LA Tech
OL Anwar O'neal, Delaware
OL Erick Cade, Missouri State
OL Mark Robinson, UTEP
Defense
DE Harper Holloman, WKU
DT KD Johnson, UTEP
DT Adam Watkins, Kennesaw State
DE Udoka Ezeani, UTEP
LB Mac Sanders, Jax State
LB Gavin Moul, Delaware
LB Derrell Farrar, Liberty
DB Tre'Quon Fegans, Jax State
DB Shamir Sterlin, FIU
DB Brian Blades II, FIU
DB Jaylen Lewis, WKU
Special Teams
K Yousef Obeid, Missouri State
P Joshua Huiet, Kennesaw State
KR Tim Burns Jr., Sam Houston
PR Dedrick Latulas, LA Tech
LS Josh Hancock, UTEP
All-Freshman
Offense
QB Rodney Tisdale Jr., WKU
RB Ashten Emory, UTEP
RB Marvis Parrish, WKU
WR Sean Wilson, Delaware
WR Clayton Coppock, Kennesaw State
WR Wondame Davis Jr., UTEP
TE Josh Schucts, UTEP
OL Lucas Mrachkovskiy, Jax State
OL Otto Janse Van Rensburg, MTSU
OL Alex Gale, MTSU
OL Lance Johnson, Jax State
OL Elijah Williams, WKU
Defense
DE Elijah Hill, Kennesaw State
DT Zeion Simpson-Smith, MTSU
DT Dezmond Barnes, Missouri State
DE Elijah Baldwin, UTEP
LB Mac Sanders, Jax State
LB Jadon Mayfield, LA Tech
LB Tywon Christopher, Kennesaw State
DB Jessiah McGrew, FIU
DB Shamir Sterlin, FIU
DB Jackson Lowe, MTSU
DB Jamarion Kolagbodi, Delaware
Special Teams
K Baylen Woodman, MTSU
P John Hoyet Chance, LA Tech
KR Nikolas Henry, UTEP
PR Nikolas Henry, UTEP
LS Mitch Weisenborn, Missouri State
The Blue Raiders had a first-team selection, one on the second team, one honorable mention pick, and five on the all-freshman team.
Defensive tackle Damonte Smith was the lone Blue Raider on the first team as he was honored by the league for the first time in his career. Smith, out of Savannah, Ga., set a personal-best with 34 tackles this season to go along with a team-best 11.5 TFLs, three sacks and an interception. He also added four hurries and a forced fumble.
Smith is the first MTSU defensive tackle to win first team all-conference honors since 2005 when the Sun Belt voted Jeff Littlejohn to the first unit.
Parker Hughes, a team captain, earned second team honors from his linebacker position after posting a career-high 100 tackles to lead MTSU. Hughes, a former walk-on, is the first Blue Raider to top 100 tackles since Tra Fluellen in 2022 and the first linebacker since T.T. Barber in 2013.
The Elizabethton, Tenn., native also had 3.0 TFLs, his first two career interceptions, two pass breakups and two hurries on the season.
Running back Jekail Middlebrook was on the honorable mention list following a career season. Middlebrook led MTSU in rushing with 752 yards and four touchdowns while adding 40 receptions for 473 yards and five scores. His 40 grabs is currently tied for the third most in the nation among running backs.
Offensive linemen Otto Janse Van Rensburg and Alex Gale both made the All-Freshman team along with defensive tackle Zeion Simpson-Smith, cornerback Jackson Lowe and kicker Baylen Woodman.
The five all-freshman team members are the most by MTSU since 2020 when that team also had five.
2025 CUSA Players of the Year
MVP and Newcomer of the Year: Cam Cook, Jax State
Offensive Player of the Year: Kejon Owens, FIU
Co-Defensive Player of the Year: Baron Hopson, Kennesaw State
Co-Defensive Player of the Year: Jacob Fields, LA Tech
Special Teams Player of the Year: Cole Maynard, WKU
Freshman of the Year: Rodney Tisdale Jr., WKU
Coach of the Year: Jerry Mack, Kennesaw State
First Team All-Conference
Offense
QB Amari Odom, Kennesaw State
RB Cam Cook, Jax State
RB Kejon Owens, FIU
WR Gabriel Benyard, Kennesaw State
WR Alex Perry, FIU
WR Kyre Duplessis, Delaware
TE Gavin Harris, NM State
OL Amare Grayson, Jax State
OL Fintan Brose, Delaware
OL Brandon Best, Kennesaw State
OL Josiah Chenault, Kennesaw State
OL Cameron Griffin, Jax State
Defense
DE Elijah Hill, Kennesaw State
DT Damonte Smith, MTSU
DT Ezra Christensen, NM State
DE Emmanuel Oyebadejo, Jax State
LB Johnny Chaney Jr., FIU
LB Baron Hopson, Kennesaw State
LB Micah Davey, UTEP
DB Mister Clark, FIU
DB Caleb Nix, Jax State
DB Jacob Fields, LA Tech
DB KT Seay, Delaware
Special Teams
K Garrison Rippa, Jax State
P Cole Maynard, WKU
KR Devin Gandy, LA Tech
PR Gabriel Benyard, Kennesaw State
LS Cole Marszalek, Jax State
Second Team
Offense
QB Nick Minicucci, Delaware
RB Evan Dickens, Liberty
RB Shomari Lawrence, Missouri State
WR Donovan Faupel, NM State
WR Matthew Henry, WKU
WR Kenny Odom, UTEP
TE Eli Finley, LA Tech
OL Steven Demboski, Delaware
OL J.T. Pennington, Kennesaw State
OL Laurance Seymore, WKU
OL Julius Pierce, FIU
OL Jaheim Buchanon, FIU
Defense
DE Keegan Davis, FIU
DT Tylon Dunlap, Kennesaw State
DT Talan Carter, Jax State
DE Kenton Simmons, FIU
LB Parker Hughes, MTSU
LB Mekhi Mason, LA Tech
LB Walker O'Steen, Jax State
DB Jakari Foster, LA Tech
DB Jessiah McGrew, FIU
DB Naeten Mitchell, NM State
DB Caleb Offord, Kennesaw State
Special Teams
K Nate Reed, Delaware
P John Hoyet Chance, LA Tech
KR Mysonne Pollard, Delaware
PR Dash Luke, Missouri State
LS Rex Robich, WKU
Honorable Mention
Offense
QB Jacob Clark, Missouri State
RB Coleman Bennett, Kennesaw State
RB Jekail Middlebrook, MTSU
WR K.D. Hutchinson, WKU
WR Sean Wilson, Delaware
WR Deondre Johnson, Jax State
TE Jeron Askren, Missouri State
OL Marshall Jackson, WKU
OL Landon Nelson, LA Tech
OL Anwar O'neal, Delaware
OL Erick Cade, Missouri State
OL Mark Robinson, UTEP
Defense
DE Harper Holloman, WKU
DT KD Johnson, UTEP
DT Adam Watkins, Kennesaw State
DE Udoka Ezeani, UTEP
LB Mac Sanders, Jax State
LB Gavin Moul, Delaware
LB Derrell Farrar, Liberty
DB Tre'Quon Fegans, Jax State
DB Shamir Sterlin, FIU
DB Brian Blades II, FIU
DB Jaylen Lewis, WKU
Special Teams
K Yousef Obeid, Missouri State
P Joshua Huiet, Kennesaw State
KR Tim Burns Jr., Sam Houston
PR Dedrick Latulas, LA Tech
LS Josh Hancock, UTEP
All-Freshman
Offense
QB Rodney Tisdale Jr., WKU
RB Ashten Emory, UTEP
RB Marvis Parrish, WKU
WR Sean Wilson, Delaware
WR Clayton Coppock, Kennesaw State
WR Wondame Davis Jr., UTEP
TE Josh Schucts, UTEP
OL Lucas Mrachkovskiy, Jax State
OL Otto Janse Van Rensburg, MTSU
OL Alex Gale, MTSU
OL Lance Johnson, Jax State
OL Elijah Williams, WKU
Defense
DE Elijah Hill, Kennesaw State
DT Zeion Simpson-Smith, MTSU
DT Dezmond Barnes, Missouri State
DE Elijah Baldwin, UTEP
LB Mac Sanders, Jax State
LB Jadon Mayfield, LA Tech
LB Tywon Christopher, Kennesaw State
DB Jessiah McGrew, FIU
DB Shamir Sterlin, FIU
DB Jackson Lowe, MTSU
DB Jamarion Kolagbodi, Delaware
Special Teams
K Baylen Woodman, MTSU
P John Hoyet Chance, LA Tech
KR Nikolas Henry, UTEP
PR Nikolas Henry, UTEP
LS Mitch Weisenborn, Missouri State
Players Mentioned
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