ATLANTA — Quarterback Johnathan McCrary of Clark Atlanta University was named the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) Preseason Offensive Player of the Year along with linebacker Osband Thompson of Tuskegee University who was selected as the Preseason Defensive Player of the Year, announced Tuesday during media day at the College Football Hall of Fame.
All votes are submitted by SIAC head coaches and sports information directors.
McCrary, a redshirt senior from Decatur, Ga., completed 142-of-256 passes for 1,903 yards and averaged 211.4 yards per game last season. In his first year in the SIAC, McCrary led the league with 14 touchdown passes. In the come-from-behind victory over Morehouse (Oct. 1) he set SIAC single-game highs with 456 passing yards and five touchdowns.
Thompson recorded 137 tackles in 2016 for the Golden Tigers who advanced to the second round of the NCAA Division II Playoffs for the second consecutive year. The Miami, Fla. native totaled 67 solo tackles on the year, including 11.5 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks. He also forced three fumbles, intercepted one pass, recorded four pass breakups and three quarterback hurries. Thompson was also the 2016 SIAC Defensive Player of the Year and Division 2 Conference Commissioners Association (D2CCA) Super Region 2 Defensive Player of the Year.
Tuskegee was picked to win the west division with 75 points and 11 first-place votes in the preseason poll. Miles (60) was voted second, ahead of Kentucky State (48), Lane (37), and Central State (21).
Albany State was the preseason favorite in the east division with 65 points and six first-place votes. Fort Valley State earned 55 points followed by Benedict (52), Clark Atlanta (42), and Morehouse (26).
2017 SIAC Preseason Football All-Conference First Team
| Johnathon McCrary | Quarterback | Clark Atlanta | Redshirt-Senior | Decatur, Ga. |
| Ryan Edwards | Tight end | Morehouse | Senior | Atlanta, Ga. |
| Okechi Ntiasagwe | Wide receiver | Benedict | Junior | Columbia, S.C. |
| Dre Martin | Wide receiver | Clark Atlanta | Sophomore | LaGrange, Ga. |
| Marcus Holliday | Running back | Lane | Junior | Memphis, Tenn. |
| Ger’Kerry Jackson | Running back | Miles | Junior | Montgomery, Ala. |
| Tedrick Cofield | Offensive lineman | Albany State | Senior | Atlanta, Ga. |
| Leeward Brown | Offensive lineman | Tuskegee | Senior | Miami, Fla. |
| Marcus Campbell, Jr. | Offensive lineman | Kentucky State | Junior | Radcliff, Ky. |
| Justin Brown | Offensive lineman | Benedict | Junior | Marietta, Ga. |
| Howard Bush | Offensive lineman | Lane | Senior | Mobile, Ala. |
| Charles Williams | Defensive lineman | Benedict | Senior | Barnwell, S.C. |
| Rodriguez Jones | Defensive lineman | Kentucky State | Senior | Newport News, Va. |
| Aaryn Guy | Defensive lineman | Benedict | Junior | Grand Rapids, Mich. |
| Kaelan Bonds | Defensive lineman | Miles | Senior | Florence, Ala. |
| David Smith | Linebacker | Morehouse | Senior | Newport News, Va. |
| Osband Thompson | Linebacker | Tuskegee | Senior | Miami, Fla. |
| Kendrick Frazier | Linebacker | Benedict | Senior | Charleston, S.C. |
| Edward Kirkland | Defensive back | Benedict | Senior | Columbia, S.C. |
| Jonah McCutcheon | Defensive back | Tuskegee | Senior | Mobile, Ala. |
| Travionte Brown | Defensive back | Benedict | Sophomore | Albany, Ga. |
| Kenneth Morgan | Defensive back | Clark Atlanta | Sophomore | Milledgeville, Ga. |
| Nick Christiansen | Kicker | Miles | Senior | Clayton, N.C. |
| Juan Serna | Punter | Fort Valley State | Senior | Douglasville, Ga. |
| Ricci Nuckles | Kick returner | Morehouse | Sophomore | Suwanee, Ga. |
| Deandre Jackson | Punt returner | Clark Atlanta | Senior | Atlanta, Ga. |
2017 SIAC Preseason Football All-Conference Second Team
| Marcus Reynolds | Quarterback | Lane | Junior | Calhoun, Ga. |
| Darius Nelson | Tight end | Benedict | Junior | Milledgeville, Ga. |
| Jules St. Ge | Wide receiver | Kentucky State | Sophomore | Lakeland, Fla. |
| Javarrius Cheatham | Wide receiver | Tuskegee | Junior | Greenville, Ala. |
| Jamari Clark | Running back | Fort Valley State | Junior | Stockbridge, Ga. |
| Lavelle Cloyd | Running back | Kentucky State | Senior | Lexington, Ky. |
| Darius Thomas | Offensive lineman | Central State | Sophomore | Cincinnati, Ohio |
| Craig Hinson | Offensive lineman | Benedict | Junior | Hephzibah, Ga. |
| Christopher Ruffin | Offensive lineman | Miles | Senior | Bessemer, Ala. |
| Darius Preyer | Offensive lineman | Clark Atlanta | Junior | Montgomery, Ala. |
| Lowell Richardson | Offensive lineman | Tuskegee | Junior | Miami, Fla. |
| Antonio Johnson | Defensive lineman | Morehouse | Junior | Birmingham, Ala. |
| Voris Bryant | Defensive lineman | Morehouse | Senior | Gray, Ga. |
| Devonte West | Defensive lineman | Fort Valley State | Senior | Largo, Fla. |
| Mekiye Kingston | Defensive lineman | Clark Atlanta | Junior | Jonesboro, Ga. |
| Zavondric Shingleton | Linebacker | Albany State | Senior | Millen, Ga. |
| Anthony Hardy | Linebacker | Miles | Senior | Demopolis, Ala. |
| Keonte Reynolds | Linebacker | Kentucky State | Junior | Louisville, Ky. |
| Nick Scott | Defensive back | Albany State | Senior | Ellabell, Ga. |
| Ryan Luckett | Defensive back | Kentucky State | Senior | Orlando, Fla. |
| Robert Cummings | Defensive back | Benedict | Sophomore | Macon, Ga. |
| Kentron James | Defensive back | Fort Valley State | Junior | Tallahassee, Fla. |
| Carlos Saldana | Kicker | Clark Atlanta | Sophomore | Austell, Ga. |
| Nick Christiansen | Punter | Miles | Senior | Clayton, N.C. |
| Deandre Jackson | Kick returner | Clark Atlanta | Senior | Atlanta, Ga. |
| Ladarrell Pettway | Punt returner | Tuskegee | Redshirt-Sophomore | Spanish Fort, Ala. |
Preseason Offensive Player of the Year:
Johnathan McCrary, Clark Atlanta
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year:
Osband Thompson, Tuskegee
Predicted Order of Finish
East Division
- Albany State — 65 (6)
- Fort Valley State — 55 (4)
- Benedict — 52 (4)
- Clark Atlanta — 42 (2)
- Morehouse — 26
West Division
- Tuskegee — 75 (11)
- Miles — 60 (3)
- Kentucky State — 48 (2)
- Lane — 37
- Central State — 21
First place votes in parenthesis ()
