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SMU lands record-tying 18 All-AAC selections

On3 imageby:Billy Embody•11/29/23•

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SMU OT Marcus Bryant. (Matt Visinsky - On3)

IRVING, Texas – No. 25 SMU got some well-deserved recognition on Wednesday for its season, having 18 players selected to all of the American Athletic Conference (AAC) All-Conference Teams in a release by the conference.

The 18 selections tied a conference record for most selections in a single year.

The Mustangs’ first-team selections were Marcus Bryant, Justin Osborne, Logan Parr and RJ Maryland on offense. On defense, senior Elijah Chatman was the lone selection. Sophomore Collin Rogers was selected as the kicker.

The linemen trio of Bryant, Osborne and Parr for SMU have been dominant this year, helping lead an explosive offense that ranks in the top 10 in the country in both scoring (fourth) and total offense (ninth), while also ranking 13th in sacks allowed.

Maryland continued to elevate his game this season, posting career highs in receiving yards (462) and touchdowns (7).

Rogers found his groove this year, going 16-for-21 on field goals, including hitting a clutch 51-yarder at Rice on Nov. 4.

Making the second team were Branson Hickman and Jaylan Knighton on offense, and Elijah Roberts and Kobe Wilson on defense. Roderick Daniels Jr. earned the nod as the return specialist.

Hickman anchored the offense line this season for the Mustangs that has helped lead to its first-ever appearance in the AAC Championship game. Knighton, transfer from Miami, showcased his ability all season long, finishing with a team-high 645 rushing yards and six touchdowns. The speedy back posted two 100-yard rushing games in 2023.

Roberts made an immediate impact on the defensive side of the ball, causing constant pressure that resulted in a career-high 8.5 sacks, which ranks 16th in the NCAA. Kobe Wilson helped power a SMU defense that overpowered the opposition all year, leading the team in tackles with 62.

Daniels Jr. has been a valuable piece in the return game for the Mustangs this season, ranking 18th in the country in return average at 10.1 yards per return. He took back a 67-yard punt at Temple that earned him AAC Special Teams Player of the Week honors back on Oct. 23.

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On the third team, SMU had Preston Stone on offense, while Jonathan McGill and Charles Woods represented the Mustangs on defense. Ryan Bujcevski earned the nod at the punter position.

Stone had a breakout season in 2023, finishing the year 3,197 yards passing and 28 touchdowns. The Dallas native was a three-time AAC Offensive Player of the Week selection this year.

McGill helped captain the defense, which ranked in the top 20 in the NCAA in multiple defensive statistics. He highlighted his season with a crucial pick-six at ECU on Oct. 12.

Bujcevski led the AAC in punting with a 45.4 average for the season, which included nine punts of at least 50 yards.

The trio of Chris Megginson, Ahmad Walker and Hyrin White received honorable mention honors.

Full list of the teams are below. 

2023 AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE FOOTBALL AWARDS
 
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Michael Pratt, QB, Tulane
 
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Trey Moore, LB, UTSA
 
SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE YEAR
LaJohntay Wester, WR/RS, Florida Atlantic
 
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
Makhi Hughes, RB, Tulane
 
COACH OF THE YEAR
Willie Fritz, Tulane
 
ALL-CONFERENCE FIRST TEAM

Pos.PlayerSchoolCl.Ht.Wt.Hometown
WRLaJohntay WesterFlorida AtlanticJr.5-11167Palmetto, Fla.
WRLuke McCaffreyRiceJr.6-2198Highlands Ranch, Colo.
WRJoshua CephusUTSASr.6-3185Houston, Texas
OTMarcus BryantSMUSr.6-8318Round Rock, Texas
OTCameron WireTulaneSr.6-6305Gonzalez, La.
OGJustin OsborneSMUSr.6-5314Flower Mound, Texas
OGLogan ParrSMUJr.6-4314Helotes, Texas
CSincere Haynesworth 2 1TulaneSr.6-1310Pearland, Texas
TERJ MarylandSMUSo.6-4233Southlake, Texas
QBFrank HarrisUTSASr.6-0205Schertz, Texas
QBMichael Pratt 2TulaneSr.6-3220Boca Raton, Fla.
RBBlake WatsonMemphisSr.5-9195Queens, N.Y.
RBMakhi HughesTulaneRFr.5-11205Birmingham, Ala.
DLElijah Chatman 2 2SMUGr.6-0278Shreveport, La.
DLDarius Hodges 2TulaneJr.6-2280Montgomery, Ala.
DLPatrick Jenkins 2TulaneJr.6-2305New Orleans, La.
DLBen KopenskiTulsaGr.6-1255McKinney, Texas
LBDemetrius Knight IICharlotteSr.6-2248Locust Grove, Ga.
LBColin RamosNavyJr.5-11215Wayne, N.J.
LBChandler MartinMemphisSo.6-0215Lithonia, Ga.
LBTrey MooreUTSASo.6-3235San Antonio, Texas
CBKam AlexanderUTSAJr.5-11175Manvel, Texas
CBJarius Monroe 1TulaneSr.6-2205LaPlace, La.
SJulius WoodEast CarolinaSr.6-1194Columbus, Ohio
SRashad WisdomUTSASr.5-9210Converse, Texas
KCollin RogersSMUSo.6-4206Prattville, Ala.
PRiley ReithmanNavyJr.5-10191Keller, Texas
RSLaJohntay WesterFlorida AtlanticJr.5-11167Palmetto, Fla.


 
ALL-CONFERENCE SECOND TEAM

Pos.PlayerSchoolCl.Ht.Wt.Hometown
WRRoc TaylorMemphisJr.6-3215Oxford, Ala.
WRJa’Mori MaclinNorth TexasSo.5-11183Kirkwood, Mo.
WRSean AtkinsSouth FloridaGr.5-10172Viera, Fla.
OTChaz NealFlorida AtlanticSr.6-8315Tampa, Fla.
OTXavier HillMemphisSo.6-4318Olive Branch, Miss.
OGGabe BlairNorth TexasJr.6-2294Denton, Texas
OGTerrell HaynesUTSASr.6-3345Arlington, Texas
CBranson HickmanSMUJr.6-3294McKinney, Texas
TEDavid Martin-RobinsonTempleGr.6-4255Landisville, Pa.
QBSeth HeniganMemphisJr.6-3210Denton, Texas
RBAyo AdeyiNorth TexasJr.5-7192Mansfield, Texas
RBJaylan KnightonSMUSr.5-10185Lauderhill, Fla.
DLEyabi Okie-AnomaCharlotteGr.6-5267Baltimore, Md.
DLD’Anta JohnsonEast CarolinaJr.6-2294Dinwiddie, Va.
DLJaylon Allen HMemphisSr.6-3240Humble, Texas
DLElijah RobertsSMUSr.6-4278Miami, Fla.
LBKobe WilsonSMUJr.6-0226Snellville, Ga.
LBDonyai TaylorUTSASr.6-1205Shiner, Texas
LBJordan MageeTempleGr.6-3225Dover, Del.
LBJesus MachadoTulaneJr.6-1220Miami, Fla.
CBShavon RevelEast CarolinaJr.6-2185Winston-Salem, N.C.
CBLance RobinsonTulaneSr.5-11180New Orleans, La.
SKam PedescleauxTulaneSr.5-9185Houston, Texas
SKendarin Ray HTulsaSr.6-3213Brenham, Texas
KChase AllenUTSAJr.6-2195Colleyville, Texas
PLucas DeanUTSASr.6-2215Dunsborough, Australia
RSRoderick Daniels Jr.SMUJr.5-9182Duncanville, Texas

 
 
ALL-CONFERENCE THIRD TEAM

Pos.PlayerSchoolCl.Ht.Wt.Hometown
WRTejhaun PalmerUABSr.6-2210Milwaukee, Wis.
WRChris BrazzellTulaneRFr.6-5195Midland, Texas
WRLawrence Keys IIITulaneSr.5-11170New Orleans, La.
OTErnesto AlmarazUTSASr.6-2295Los Angeles, Calif.
OTRashad GreenTulaneJr.6-4300Baton Rouge, La.
OGFebechi NwaiwuNorth TexasSo.6-4316Coppell, Texas
OGChester BaahTulsaSr.6-3303Tulsa, Okla.
CJacob LikesMemphisSr.6-3305Memphis, Tenn.
TEOscar CardenasUTSASr.6-4285San Antonio, Texas
QBPreston StoneSMUSo.6-1219Dallas, Texas
RBJermaine Brown Jr.UABSr.5-8195Prichard, Ala.
RBAnthony WatkinsTulsaSr.5-11210Fort Worth, Texas
DLEvan AndersonFlorida AtlanticJr.6-3356West Orlando, Fla.
DLBrandon BrownUTSAJr.6-2310Brandon Brown
DLJoe EvansUTSASr.6-3340Haynesville, La.
DLBrandon MattersonUTSASr.6-2295San Antonio, Texas
LBNikhai Hill-GreenCharlotteSo.6-2232Pittsburgh, Pa.
LBJeremy LewisEast CarolinaSr.6-2237Greenville, NC.
LBJordan BrownNorth TexasJr.6-1228Huntsville, Texas
LBTyler GrubbsTulaneJr.6-2230New Orleans, La.
CBDontae BalfourCharlotteSo.6-2180Starke, Fla.
CBCharles WoodsSMUSr.5-11191Dallas, Texas
SJarron MorrisFlorida AtlanticGr.5-9170Orange, Texas
SSimeon BlairMemphisSr.5-10208Pine Bluff, Ark.
SRayuan LaneNavyJr.5-11197Jessup, Md.
SJonathan McGillSMUSr.5-10186Coppell, Texas
KNoah RauschenbergNorth Texas

Editor’s Note: SMU release.

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