Fourteen SMU Mustangs named to Preseason All-AAC Team

DALLAS (SMU)– SMU had 14 football players named to the College Football Network All-American Athletic Conference Team, the publication announced on Tuesday. 

Earning first-team recognition were running back Jaylan Knighton, offensive linemen Marcus Bryant and Justin Osborne, defensive tackle Elijah Chatman and kicker Collin Rogers, who was named the Preseason AAC Kicker of the Year. 

Knighton comes to the Hilltop from the University of Miami, where he led the Hurricanes with 145 rushes for 561 yards and eight touchdowns, while registering 20 receptions for 280 yards and three touchdowns as a sophomore. Last season, Knighton carried the ball 78 times for 423 yards and one touchdown. He was also named to the 2023 Athlon Sports Preseason All-AAC Second Team and East-West Shrine Bowl 1000 list. 

Bryant made 12 starts in his junior season and was selected to the Pro Football Focus All-AAC Second Team. The senior was named to the 2023 Preseason All-AAC Athlon Sports First Team, and East-West Shrine Bowl 1000 list. 

Last season, Osborne earned second-team nods on the All-AAC, DCTF All-Texas, and Phill Steele All-AAC teams after making 11 starts for the Mustangs and playing in all 13 games as a junior. Osborne was named to the 2023 preseason All-AAC Athlon Sports First Team, Phil Steele preseason All-AAC Third Team, DCTF All-Texas First Team and East-West Shrine Bowl 1000 list. 

Chatman started 11 games for the Mustangs in 2022, registering 39 tackles. The senior added four tackles for loss, three sacks, and added a blocked kick and a fumble recovery for a touchdown. Chatman was a 2022 All-AAC Second Team selection and earned spots on the DCTF All-Texas Second and the Phil Steele All-AAC Third teams. He was named to the 2023 Preseason Athlon Sports All-AAC First Team, and East-West Shrine Bowl 1000 list. 

Rogers earned a preseason first-team nod after being selected as a College Football Network Freshman All-America Honorable Mention and a PFF All-AAC First Team selection in 2022. He was perfect on PATs with a school-record 56. Rogers registered 106 points (fifth AAC) and was 16-20 on field goals, including a perfect mark under 49 yards.

Tight end RJ Maryland, defensive tackle DeVere Levelston and linebacker Ahmad Walker collected second-team honors. 

Offensive lineman Hyrin White and cornerback Charles Woods landed on the third team, while running back Tyler Lavine, wide receivers Key’Shawn Smith and Jordan Kerley, and offensive lineman Jakai Clark earned honorable mention recognition. 

The preseason honors continue to roll in for SMU as a handful have already earned preseason recognition by Phil Steele, Athlon Sports, Dave Campbell’s Texas Football and East-West Shrine Bowl.

The Mustangs kick off the 2023 season against Louisiana Tech on Saturday, Sept. 2, at Gerald J. Ford Stadium. Season tickets are available at SMUMustangs.com/tickets or by calling 214-SMU-GAME. For any additional ticket questions, please contact 214-SMU-GAME or email [email protected].

It’s a new era of Athletics at SMU. In the classroom and on the field, SMU is driving excellence and growth to be among the best athletics programs in the country. We are bringing the highest level of collegiate competition to Dallas, which was recently named the No. 1 city for sports business by the Sports Business Journal, and building on our recent success, with all 17 programs reaching the postseason and 15 programs winning conference championships since 2013. SMU is the only NCAA FBS program in Dallas, and has claimed nine overall national championships, almost 200 team conference championships, over 100 individual national championships, more than 150 NCAA top-10 finishes, nearly 2,000 All-American honors and over 150 Olympic appearances. Since 2013, SMU has invested over $250 million to develop and enhance championship-caliber facilities.

Editor’s Note: SMU release.