BIRMINGHAM, Ala.- The Southwestern Athletic Conference has released its revised Spring 2021 Preseason All-SWAC Football team with Alabama A&M’s Aqeel Glass being named Preseason Offensive Player of the Year. The preseason team and preseason poll was updated to include only student-athletes and teams scheduled to participate during the spring season.
 
The preseason team and predicted order of finish was voted on by the league’s head coaches and sports information directors. Student-athletes were selected to the team based upon total number of votes received.
 
Alabama A&M’s Glass (St. Louis, Mo.) was an All-SWAC second team choice a year ago, playing in all 12 games for the Bulldogs under center while anchoring the top passing attack in the SWAC. He threw for 3,600 yards to lead the league and his 32 touchdowns was second for the conference lead in that category. Glass also now enters the season as an All-SWAC Preseason first team honoree at quarterback.
 
A total of nine student-athletes were elevated on the team including Alabama State’s Ezra Gray who moved up to the Preseason All-SWAC first team at running back. Southern’s Ladarius Skelton (QB/2^nd team), Texas Southern’s Dominic Franklin (RB/2^nd team), Alabama A&M’s Gary Quarles (RB/2^nd team), Grambling State’s Kyree Wade-McLeod (OL/2^nd team), and Alabama A&M’s Jonathan Williams (OL/2^nd team) were all tabbed Preseason All-SWAC second team selections.
 
Defensively, Alabama State’s Andrew Ogletree (DL/2^nd team) and Grambling State’s Kenan Fontenot (DB/2^nd team) were elevated to the Preseason All-SWAC second team defense. 
 
Each active team in the league was represented on the preseason team with Alabama A&M tallying the most preseason selections with 11 total picks. Prairie View A&M amassed the second most selections (8), followed by Alabama State (7), Southern (7), Arkansas-Pine Bluff (6), Jackson State (4), Texas Southern (3), Grambling State (2), and Mississippi Valley State (1).  
 
In the revised predicted order of finish, Alabama A&M was picked to finish first in the East division followed by Jackson State, Alabama State, and Mississippi Valley State. AAMU claimed 13 first place votes while also tallying a league leading 83 total points.
 
In the SWAC West division Southern was picked to finish first as they will seek their third consecutive divisional title. Grambling State was tabbed to finish second followed by Prairie View A&M, Arkansas-Pine Bluff, and Texas Southern. Southern garnered eight first place votes while amassing 77 total points.
 
Spring football conference games are scheduled to start on Friday, Feb. 26 as Southern travels to face Alabama State in a game that will be carried live on ESPN3. The season will culminate with the Cricket Wireless SWAC Championship Game. The title game is scheduled to be played on Saturday, May 1 live on ESPNU.
  
Predicted Order of Finish  
 
SWAC East

1. Alabama A&M 83 (13)
2. Jackson State 63 (3)
3. Alabama State 61 (2) 
4. Mississippi Valley State 40

 SWAC West

1. Southern 77 (8)
2. Grambling State 70 (4)
3. Prairie View A&M 65 (4)
4. Arkansas-Pine Bluff 34 (1)
5. Texas Southern 28 (1)

 *First place votes listed in (parentheses)
 
Alcorn State has elected to opt-out of competing during the spring season
   

Position	Name	Classification	School	Hometown
QB	Aqeel Glass	Senior	Alabama A&M	St. Louis, Mo.
RB	Devon Benn	Redshirt Senior	Southern	New Orleans, La.
RB	Ezra Gray	Redshirt Senior	Alabama State	Lynnhaven, Fla.
OL	Mark Evans, II	Junior	Arkansas-Pine Bluff	Houston, Texas
OL	Danny Garza	Senior	Prairie View A&M	San Antonio, Texas
OL	Atondre Smith	Senior	Arkansas-Pine Bluff	Desoto, Texas
OL	Cedric Dunbar	Junior	Jackson State	Natchez, Miss.
OL	Johnathan Bishop	Senior	Southern	Birmingham, Ala.
WR	Abdul-Fatai Ibrahim	Sophomore	Alabama A&M	Miramar, Fla.
WR	Harry Ballard, III	Senior	Arkansas-Pine Bluff	St. Louis, Mo.
TE	Kendric Johnson	Redshirt Junior	Alabama A&M	New Market, Ala.

 

Position	Name	Classification	School	Hometown
DL	Jason Dumas	Junior	Prairie View A&M	Vacherie, La.
DL	Jerry Garner	Senior	Mississippi Valley State	Chunchula, Ala.
DL	Christian Clark	Redshirt Senior	Alabama State	Euclid, Ohio
DL	Marcus Cushine	Junior	Alabama A&M	Broward Ct., Fla.
LB	Armoni Holloway	Senior	Alabama A&M	Pinson, Ala.
LB	Keonte Hampton	Junior	Jackson State	West Point, Miss.
LB	Tre’Shaud Smith	Senior	Prairie View A&M	Centreville, Miss.
DB	Naytron Culpepper	Junior	Alabama State	Miami, Fla.
DB	Drake Cheatum	Junior	Prairie View A&M	Mesquite, Texas
DB	Jaylen Harris	Redshirt Senior	Prairie View A&M	Round Rock, Texas
DB	Tamaurice Smith	Redshirt Junior	Southern	Mobile, Ala.

 

Position	Name	Classification	School	Hometown
K	Spencer Corey	Senior	Alabama A&M	New Palestine, Ind.
P	Caleb Darbone	Junior	Prairie View A&M	Lake Charles, La.
RS	Tyrin Ralph	Redshirt Senior	Arkansas-Pine Bluff	New Orleans, La.

 

Position	Name	Classification	School	Hometown
QB	Ladarius Skelton	Redshirt Senior	Southern	Pine Bluff, Ark.
RB	Dominic Franklin	Junior	Texas Southern	Houston, Texas
RB	Gary Quarles	Junior	Alabama A&M	Cottondale, Ala.
OL	Dexter Fuqua, II	Junior	Alabama A&M	Tanner, Ala.
OL	J’Atyre Carter	Senior	Southern	White Castle, La.
OL	DeJohn Jones	Senior	Prairie View A&M	Garland, Texas
OL	Kyree Wade-McLeod	Senior	Grambling State	Philadelphia, Pa.
OL	Jonathan Williams	Sophomore	Alabama A&M	Mobile, Ala.
WR	Zabrian Moore	Senior	Alabama A&M	Tuscaloosa, Ala.
WR	Michael Jefferson	Junior	Alabama State	Mobile, Ala.
TE	Kyland Richey	Senior	Jackson State	Cedar Hill, Texas

 

Position	Name	Classification	School	Hometown
DL	Jordan Lewis	Junior	Southern	Ocala, Fla.
DL	Xavier Mitchell	Redshirt Junior	Arkansas-Pine Bluff	New Orleans, La.
DL	Michael Badejo	Redshirt Senior	Texas Southern	Mansfield, Texas
DL	Andrew Ogletree	Redshirt Sophomore	Alabama State	Columbus, Ga.
LB	Caleb Carter	Redshirt Senior	Southern	Shreveport, La.
LB	Quantravis Kelly	Redshirt Senior	Alabama A&M	Montgomery, Ala.
LB	Storey Jackson	Senior	Prairie View A&M	Olathe, Kansas
DB	Shawn Steele	Senior	Arkansas-Pine Bluff	Arlington, Texas
DB	C.J. Holmes	Senior	Jackson State	New Orleans, La.
DB	Keenan Issac	Junior	Alabama State	Midfield, Ala.
DB	Kenan Fontenot	Redshirt Junior	Grambling State	Lake Charles, La.

 

Position	Name	Classification	School	Hometown
K	Richard Garcia, III	Sophomore	Texas Southern	Mesquite, Texas
RS	Ezra Gray	Senior	Alabama State	Lynn Haven, Fla.