8 Bobcats on Stats Perform Preseason All-America, Griz have 3 selections

Defending national champion Montana State has five first-team picks and eight overall on the Stats Perform FCS Preseason All-America team that was released Monday. 

The honors squad includes a second and third team; Montana has two first-team picks — the Grizzlies fell to the MSU Bobcats in last year’s FCS semifinals — and three overall. 

The 12-man first team offense includes three running backs, and two represent the Treasure State: Adam Jones of Montana State and Eli Gillman of Montana. 

Also on the first team from MSU are offensive lineman Titan Fleischmann, safety Caden Dowler, place kicker Myles Sansted and receiver Taco Dowler, Caden’s twin who was selected at all-purpose. 

Caden Dowler is the reigning Big Sky Conference Defensive Player of the Year who had 91 tackles and six interceptions in 2025; Taco Dowler is a returning All-America who averaged 92 all-purpose yards a game and had 77 catches for 1,025 yards and seven scores. 

Jones ran for 1,115 yards and 15 touchdowns in 2025 while Sansted was one of the top kickers in FCS with 126 points. He made 17 of 21 field goals and his extra point clinched MSU’s first national title since 1984, a 35-34 win over Illinois State in January. 

On the second team for the Bobcats is quarterback Justin Lamson; linebacker Cole Taylor and cornerback Tayden Gray are third-team selections for MSU. 

All Lamson did was throw for 3,172 yards and 26 touchdowns and run for 734 yards and 16 scores while the Cats went 14-2, winning their last 14. 

He’s one of two second-team quarterbacks with the other being Montana’s Keali’i Ah Yat, who threw for 4,070 yards and 33 touchdowns as a sophomore last fall. Ah Yat also ran for eight TDs. 

Back to the first team: Gillman was named the Big Sky Offensive Player of the Year in 2025 after rushing for 1,540 yards and 21 scores; plus the Grizzlies had another first-team pick in linebacker Peyton Wing. 

Wing was among the top three UM tacklers with 78 (Caleb Otlewski led with 79), including 8.5 tackles for loss. He had four interceptions. 

Several other Big Sky players were honored, including receiver Samuel Gbatu, Jr., and safety Rex Connors of UC Davis and running back Dason Brooks of Idaho State. 

The full honors team follows:  

2026 STATS PERFORM FCS  

PRESEASON ALL-AMERICA   

First Team 

OFFENSE 

QB – Beau Brungard, Youngstown State, Sr., 6-0, 215 

RB – Eli Gillman, Montana, R-Sr., 6-0, 213 

RB – Adam Jones, Montana State, Jr., 6-1, 200

RB – Luke Yoder, Lehigh, Sr., 5-11, 205 

WR – Marquis Buchanan, Rhode Island, R-Sr., 6-4, 190 

WR – Samuel Gbatu Jr., UC Davis, Sr., 5-10, 185 

TE – Ryder Kurtz, Cornell, Sr., 6-5, 233 

OL – Quinten Christensen, South Dakota State, Sr., 6-5, 300 

OL – Titan Fleischmann, Montana State, Sr., 6-4, 300

OL – Erik Gray, Stephen F. Austin, Sr., 6-1, 256 

OL – Stryker Rashid, Idaho State, R-Sr., 6-5, 295 

OL – Joshua Sales Jr., Austin Peay, R-Sr., 6-5, 312 

DEFENSE 

DL – Andrew Huff, Lamar, Sr., 6-2, 230 

DL – Lance Rucker, North Dakota, Sr., 6-3, 230 

DL – Joshua Stoneking, Furman, R-Jr., 6-3, 258 

DL – Michael Wells, Youngstown State, Sr., 6-3, 250 

LB – Jake Dalmado, Southeastern Louisiana, Sr., 6-0, 215 

LB – Mikey D’Amato, Cal Poly, Sr., 6-0, 230 

LB – Tye Niekamp, Illinois State, Sr., 6-3, 240 

LB – Peyton Wing, Montana, Sr., 6-0, 229

DB – Rex Connors, UC Davis, Sr., 6-1, 220 

DB – Caden Dowler, Montana State, Sr., 6-0, 205

DB – Abu Kamara, Yale, Sr., 6-1, 208 

DB – Christopher Jean, Central Connecticut State, R-Jr., 5-10, 180

SPECIAL TEAMS

PK – Myles Sansted, Montana State, Sr., 6-3, 188

P – Ben Shrewsbury, VMI, Sr., 6-2, 190 

LS – Hayden King, UT Martin, R-Jr., 5-10, 205 

KR – Ja’briel Mace, Villanova, Jr., 5-9, 175 

PR – Bugs Mortimer, Stephen F. Austin, R-Sr., 5-10, 177 

AP – Taco Dowler, Montana State, Sr., 5-9, 190

Second Team 

OFFENSE 

QB – Keali’I Ah Yat, Montana, R-Jr., 6-1, 200 

QB – Justin Lamson, Montana State, Sr., 6-2, 210

RB – Victor Dawson, Illinois State, Sr., 5-11, 220 

RB – Charles Pierre Jr., South Dakota, R-Sr., 5-10, 210 

WR – Sam Milligan, Bucknell, Sr., 6-3, 220 

WR – Lofton O’Groske, South Dakota State, Jr., 6-0, 210 

WR – Eric Weatherly, Tennessee Tech, Sr., 5-8, 183 

TE – Winston Williams, UC Davis, Sr., 6-4, 245 

OL – Liam Becher, North Dakota, Sr., 6-7, 306 

OL – Desmeal Leigh, Youngstown State, Sr., 6-7, 325

OL – Aidan Moe, Tarleton State, Sr., 6-8, 310 

OL – Aidan Palmer, Lehigh, 5th Year, 6-4, 300 

OL – Luke Roaten, Abilene Christian, R-Sr., 6-6, 300 

DEFENSE 

DL – Chris Benton, The Citadel, Sr., 6-0, 250 

DL – Camden Byrd, Richmond, R-Sr., 6-3, 245 

DL – Dawson Ripperda, South Dakota State, Sr., 6-4, 255 

DL – Kaden Vig, North Dakota, Jr., 6-6, 253 

LB – Brodie Carroll, Elon, R-Jr., 6-1, 240 

LB – Rohan Davy, Rhode Island, Jr., 5-10, 205 

LB – Eli Ennis, Stephen F. Austin, R-Sr., 6-2, 220 

LB – Carter Glassmyer, Richmond, Grad, 6-1, 224 

LB – Cullen McShane, South Dakota State, Jr., 6-2, 230 

DB – Damien Henderson, Harvard, Sr., 6-0, 180 

DB – Jaylon Jenkins, Eastern Washington, R-Jr., 6-1, 192 

DB – Jaeden Jones, Monmouth, Jr., 6-0, 190 

DB – Ken Moore Jr., Western Carolina, R-Sr., 5-10, 160 

DB – Dylan Rowsey, Murray State, Sr., 6-1, 195 

SPECIAL TEAMS 

PK – Luke Barnes, Elon, Jr., 6-6, 220 

P – Max Pelham, South Dakota State, Grad, 6-1, 195 

LS – Maddox Boughton, Northern Colorado, R-So., 6-0, 225 

KR – DeAndre Buchannon, Tarleton State, Sr., 5-10, 175 

PR – Elijah Kennedy, North Carolina A&T, R-Sr., 5-11, 180 

AP – Brayden Smith, Mercer, Jr., 5-10, 185 

Third Team

OFFENSE 

QB – Chris Parson, Austin Peay, R-Jr., 5-11, 224 

QB – DJ Williams, Southern Illinois, Sr., 6-3, 218 

RB – Dason Brooks, Idaho State, R-Sr., 5-11, 228 

RB – MJ Flowers, Tennessee Tech, R-Sr., 6-1, 193 

WR – Roy Alexander, UIW, Grad, 5-11, 200 

WR – Chedon James, Idaho State, R-Sr., 5-9, 175 

WR – Samuel Musungu, Cornell, Sr., 6-1, 192 

TE – Greyton Gannon, South Dakota State, Sr., 6-4, 235 

TE – Seamus Gilmartin, Harvard, Sr., 6-4, 235  

OL – Tre Alexander, Rhode Island, R-Sr., 6-2, 321 

OL – Quaveon Davis, Jackson State, Sr., 6-8, 330 

OL – Anthony Iliano, Maine, R-Jr., 6-3, 305 

OL – Cam Nolan, Holy Cross, 5th Year, 6-3, 305 

OL – Thomas O’Brien, Harvard, Sr., 6-6, 310 

OL – Landon Woodard, Illinois State, Sr., 6-5, 330 

DEFENSE 

DL – McCoy Casey, Southeast Missouri, Sr., 6-2, 244 

DL – Case Mankins, Rhode Island, Sr., 6-3, 245 

DL – Ike Odimegwu, Brown, Sr., 6-3, 235 

DL – Isaiah Perez, Eastern Washington, R-Sr., 6-2, 290 

LB – Porter Connors, UC Davis, R-Sr., 6-1, 220 

LB – Anthony Ferrelli, Stony Brook, R-Sr., 6-0, 225 

LB – Jordan Franklin, South Carolina State, R-Jr., 6-2, 205 

LB – Gabriel Hardman, South Dakota, R-Jr., 5-10, 230 

LB – Sean Line, Harvard, Sr., 6-0, 220 

LB – Kenny Olson, Cal Poly, R-Sr., 6-1, 225 

LB – Cole Taylor, Montana State, Jr., 6-3, 230

LB – Malachi Williams, Stephen F. Austin, Sr., 6-1, 220 

LB – Steve Zayachkowsky, Charleston Southern, Sr., 5-10, 215 

DB – La’Shavion Brown, Illinois State, Sr., 6-2, 215 

DB – Tayden Gray, Montana State, Jr., 6-0, 185

DB – Nick Peltekian, Lehigh, 5th Year, 6-0, 215 

DB – Trey Watkins, LIU, R-Sr., 6-0, 184

SPECIAL TEAMS 

PK – Andrew Lastovka, Youngstown State, Sr., 5-8, 170 

P – Ryan Marks, Utah Tech, R-Sr., 5-11, 235 

LS – Pierson Parent, McNeese, Jr., 5-8, 180 

KR – Keylijah Williams, Bryant, Sr., 6-0, 183 

PR – Dkhai Joseph, Southeastern Louisiana, Sr., 5-10, 160 

AP – Gavin Lochow, Dayton, Sr., 6-0, 185