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Football

Herres, Snyder Named Athlon Sports Preseason All-Americans

CHICAGO – With a little over two months to go before the 2021 season begins, the preseason accolades are starting to trickle in as VMI wide receiver Jakob Herres and linebacker Stone Snyder were named to the Athlon Sports Preseason All-America team announced Tuesday.
 
The 32-player Athlon Sports Preseason All-America team is represented by 23 schools and 10 conferences. Schools with multiple selections are James Madison with three, and Delaware, North Dakota State, reigning national champion Sam Houston, South Dakota State, Southern Illinois, VMI and Weber State with two each. 
 
The Southern Conference had four nominees with Herres and Snyder from VMI, tight end Ryan Miller from Furman and defensive back Chris Edmonds from Samford.
 
Last week, Athlon gave the Keydets a No. 18 ranking in the 2021 FCS Preseason Top 25 poll.
 
Herres, named the 2020-21 Southern Conference Offensive Player of the Year in both the coaches' and media polls, led the Keydets in receiving during the season with 80 catches for 978 yards and eight touchdowns, averaging 12.2 yards per grab and 122.2 yards per game, all of which led the Southern Conference. Herres was also one of 16 finalists for the Stats Perform Walter Payton Award for the national FCS Offensive Player of the Year. In addition, the Easton, Pennsylvania, native was named the offensive end Player of the Year for Division I colleges and universities in the commonwealth of Virginia by the Touchdown Club of Richmond.
 
Snyder was named the 2020-21 Southern Conference Defensive Player of the Year in both the media and coaches' polls after leading the league in tackles per game (11.0) – 76 in seven regular season games, including a career-high 21 versus The Citadel. In helping VMI capture its first SoCon title since 1977 and first-ever FCS playoffs bid, he had 9.5 tackles for loss (64 yards), eight sacks and four QB hurries. He also had 12 tackles in the first round of the playoffs against #1 James Madison on April 24.

VMI opens the season on Saturday, September 4 at home against Davidson.
 

 
Athlon Sports FCS Preseason All-America Team
OFFENSE 
QB – Cole Kelley (6-7/260/Sr.) Southeastern Louisiana 
RB – Julius Chestnut (6-1/215/Sr.) Sacred Heart 
RB – Jah-Maine Martin (5-10/214/Sr.) North Carolina A&T 
RB – Otis Weah (5-9/195/Jr.) North Dakota 
WR – Avante Cox (5-10/170/Sr.) Southern Illinois 
WR – Jakob Herres (6-4/211/Sr.) VMI 
WR – Tyler Hudson (6-2/195/Jr.) Central Arkansas 
TE – Ryan Miller (6-2/221/Sr.) Furman 
OL – P.J. Burkhalter (6-3/330/Sr.) Nicholls 
OL – Garret Greenfield (6-6/295/Jr.) South Dakota State 
OL – David Kroll (6-7/315/Sr.) Delaware 
OL – Cordell Volson (6-7/310/Sr.) North Dakota State 
OL – Ty Whitworth (6-4/300/Sr.) Weber State 
DEFENSE 
DL – Jared Brinkman (6-2/290/Sr.) Northern Iowa 
DL – Mike Greene (6-3/285/Sr.) James Madison 
DL – Jahari Kay (6-2/255/Sr.) Sam Houston 
DL – Jordan Lewis (6-3/195/Sr.) Southern 
LB – Logan Backhaus (6-4/205/Sr.) South Dakota State 
LB – Conner Mortensen (6-0/215/Sr.) Weber State  
LB – Stone Snyder (6-3/225/Jr.) VMI 
LB – Tre Walker (6-1/235/Sr.) Idaho 
DB – Markquese Bell (6-3/205/Jr.) Florida A&M 
DB – Chris Edmonds (6-2/205/Jr.) Samford 
DB – Nicario Harper (6-1/205/Jr.) Jacksonville State 
DB – Kordell Jackson (5-9/188/Sr.) Austin Peay 
DB – Kedrick Whitehead (5-11/195/Sr.) Delaware 
SPECIAL TEAMS 
PK – Ethan Ratke (5-10/185/Sr.) James Madison 
P – Daniel Whelan (6-6/215/Sr.) UC Davis 
LS – Kyle Davis (5-11/210/Sr.) James Madison 
KR – Christian Watson (6-4/200/Sr.) North Dakota State 
PR – Jequez Ezzard (5-9/190/Grad) Sam Houston 
AP – Javon Williams Jr. (6-2/245/Jr.) Southern Illinois 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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Players Mentioned

Jakob Herres

#14 Jakob Herres

WR
6' 4"
Junior
Stone Snyder

#5 Stone Snyder

LB
6' 3"
Sophomore

Players Mentioned

Jakob Herres

#14 Jakob Herres

6' 4"
Junior
WR
Stone Snyder

#5 Stone Snyder

6' 3"
Sophomore
LB