Montana State’s Tommy Mellott and Richmond’s Jeremiah Grant Highlight the 2024 AFCA FCS Coaches All-America Teams
December 20, 2024
Montana State quarterback Tommy Mellott and Richmond defensive lineman Jeremiah Grant headline the 2024 FCS Coaches’ All-America Team announced today by the American Football Coaches Association. The AFCA has selected an All-America team since 1945 and currently selects teams in all five of its divisions.
Mellott, the Big Sky Offensive MVP and a top three finalist for the Walter Payton Award, leads the nation in points responsible for (246) and passing efficiency (183.21). He has thrown 259 passes, completing 182 for 2,430 yards and 28 touchdowns on just two interceptions. Mellott has also rushed for 790 yards with 14 rushing touchdowns. His 8.6 yards per carry would lead the nation if he qualified for that NCAA stat.
Grant is a top three finalist for the Buck Buchanan Award after he led the nation in sacks with 13.5. He recorded 53 tackles, 38 of them solo, 19.5 tackles for loss, forced two fumbles, recovered one, had eight quarterback hurries and broke up two passes. Grant finished the season second on Richmond’s all-time list for sacks in a season and fifth in career sacks with 21.5.
2024 AFCA Football Championship Subdivision Coaches’ All-America Team
First Team-Offense
Pos Name Ht. Wt. Cl. School Coach Hometown (High School)
QB Tommy Mellott 6-0 208 Sr. Montana St. Brent Vigen Butte, Mont. (Butte)
RB Lan Larison 6-0 215 Sr. UC Davis Tim Plough Caldwell, Idaho (Vallivue)
RB Targhee Lambson 5-9 200 Sr. Southern Utah DeLane Fitzgerald Spanish Fork, Utah (Timpview)
WR Efton Chism III 5-11 200 Sr. Eastern Washington Aaron Best Monroe, Wash. (Monroe)
WR Jalen Walthall 6-2 180 R-Jr. UIW Clint Killough Missouri City, Tex. (Manvel)
WR Javonnie Gibson 6-3 205 R-So. Arkansas-Pine Bluff Alonzo Hampton Opelousas, La. (Opelousas)
TE Chris Corbo 6-5 245 Jr. Dartmouth Sammy McCorkle North Caldwell, N.J. (West Essex)
OL Gus Miller 6-3 295 Sr. South Dakota St. Jimmy Rogers Brookings, S.D. (Brookings)
OL *Marcus Wehr 6-4 300 Sr. Montana St. Brent Vigen Billings, Mont. (Central)
OL *Charles Grant 6-4 300 Sr. William & Mary Mike London Portsmouth, Va. (Churchland)
OL Grey Zabel 6-6 305 Sr. North Dakota St. Tim Polasek Pierre, S.D. (T.F. Riggs)
OL Jackson Slater 6-4 326 Sr. Sacramento St. Andy Thompson Bellevue, Wash. (Newport)
First Team-Defense
Pos Name Ht. Wt. Cl. School Coach Hometown (High School)
DL Keyshawn James-Newby 6-2 240 Sr. Idaho Jason Eck Helena, Mont. (Helena)
DL Jeremiah Grant 6-2 245 R-Sr. Richmond Russ Huesman South Orange, N.J. (Bergen Catholic)
DL Josiah Silver 6-2 247 Sr. New Hampshire Rick Santos Hampton, Va. (Phoebus)
DL David Walker 6-2 260 Sr. Central Arkansas Nathan Brown Stuttgart, Ark. (Stuttgart)
LB Bryce Norman 6-0 215 Sr. Southeast Missouri St. Tom Matukewicz Jackson, Mo. (Jackson)
LB Adam Bock 6-1 225 Sr. South Dakota St. Jimmy Rogers Solon, Iowa (Solon)
LB Brandon Tucker 5-10 225 R-So. East Texas A&M Clint Dolezel DeSoto, Tex. (DeSoto)
DB Tommy McCormick 6-1 210 Sr. Idaho Jason Eck Fallon, Nev. (Churchill County)
DB Jalen Jones 6-0 190 Jr. William & Mary Mike London Chesapeake, Va. (Deep Creek)
DB TJ Moore 6-0 185 Sr. Mercer Mike Jacobs Riverdale, Ga. (Riverdale)
DB Mike Smith Jr. 6-1 206 Sr. Eastern Kentucky Walt Wells Jacksonville, Fla. (First Coast)
First Team-Special Teams
Pos Name Ht. Wt. Cl. School Coach Hometown (High School)
P Jeff Yurk 6-2 224 R-Jr. Elon Tony Trisciani Southern Pines, N.C. (Pinecrest)
PK Gabe Panikowski 5-10 189 Jr. Idaho St. Cody Hawkins San Diego, Calif. (Torrey Pines)
AP Chandler Brayboy 6-1 199 R-Sr. Elon Tony Trisciani Pembroke, N.C. (Purnell Swett)
LS Tommy Sullivan 5-11 200 Sr. Montana St. Brent Vigen Everett, Wash. (Archbishop Murphy)
Second Team-Offense
Pos Name Ht. Wt. Cl. School Coach Hometown (High School)
QB Cam Miller 6-1 212 Sr. North Dakota St. Tim Polasek Solon, Iowa (Solon)
RB Travis Theis 5-11 215 Sr. South Dakota Bob Nielson Pratt, Kan. (Pratt)
RB Kayvon Britten 5-7 195 Sr. Tarleton St. Todd Whitten Cincinnati, Ohio (Western Hills University)
WR Cooper Barkate 6-1 195 Jr. Harvard Andrew Aurich Newport Beach, Calif. (Mater Dei)
WR Bo Belquist 6-1 185 Sr. North Dakota Bubba Schweigert New Rockford, N.D. (Sheyenne)
WR Kylon Harris 5-11 160 Jr. Stephen F. Austin Colby Carthel Reserve, La. (East St. John)
TE Bryzai White 6-3 245 Sr. Northern Arizona Brian Wright San Diego, Calif. (Morse)
OL Conner Moore 6-5 310 So. Montana St. Brent Vigen Millbury, Ohio (Lake)
OL Brandon Casey 6-5 309 Sr. Montana Bobby Hauck Sandpoint, Idaho (Sandpoint)
OL Cam Johnson 6-4 300 Sr. South Carolina St. Chennis Berry Irmo, S.C. (Dutch Fork)
OL Evan Beerntsen 6-4 300 Sr. South Dakota St. Jimmy Rogers De Pere, Wis. (Appleton North)
OL Carson Vinson 6-6 305 Sr. Alabama A&M Connell Maynor Morrisville, N.C. (Panther Creek)
Second Team-Defense
Pos Name Ht. Wt. Cl. School Coach Hometown (High School)
DL Brody Grebe 6-3 250 Sr. Montana St. Brent Vigen Melstone, Mont. (Melstone/Roundup)
DL Elijah Williams 6-3 270 Sr. Morgan St. Damon Wilson Jersey City, N.J. (Lincoln)
DL Mi’Quise Grace 6-4 255 R-So. South Dakota Bob Nielson Cincinnati, Ohio (Princeton)
DL Brayden Manley 6-2 245 So. Mercer Mike Jacobs Vanceboro, N.C. (West Craven)
LB David Meyer 6-1 230 R-Jr. UC Davis Tim Plough Mission Viejo, Calif. (Mission Viejo)
LB Tye Niekamp 6-3 240 So. Illinois St. Brock Spack Normal, Ill. (Community)
LB Andrew Jones 6-2 220 R-Jr. Grambling St. Mickey Joseph Marrero, La. (John Ehret)
DB Rex Connors 6-1 210 Jr. UC Davis Tim Plough Pleasant Grove, Utah (Pleasant Grove)
DB Hayden McDonald 5-9 180 Sr. Columbia Jon Poppe Seattle, Wash. (O’Dea)
DB Kenny Gallop Jr. 6-0 214 Gr. Howard Larry Scott Portsmouth, Va. (Churchland)
DB James Burgess 6-3 186 Sr. Alabama St. Eddie Robinson, Jr. Center Point, Ala. (Huffman)
Second Team-Special Teams
Pos Name Ht. Wt. Cl. School Coach Hometown (High School)
P James Platte 6-0 210 Gr. The Citadel Maurice Drayton Aiken, S.C. (South Aiken)
PK Guillermo Garcia Rodriguez 6-1 200 Gr. Prairie View A&M Bubba McDowell Dickinson, Tex. (Dickinson)
AP Michael Wortham 5-9 177 Sr. Eastern Washington Aaron Best North Highlands, Calif. (Center)
LS Caden Bolz 6-0 200 Sr. Missouri St. Ryan Beard Overland Park, Kan. (Blue Valley West)
*-2023 AFCA All-American #-2022 AFCA All-American
Team Background: The five teams now chosen for each AFCA division evolved from a single 11-player squad. From 1945 until 1967, only one team was chosen. From 1967 through 1971, two teams, University Division and College Division, were selected. In 1972, the College Division was split into College I and College II. In 1979, the University Division was split into two teams — Division I-A and Division I-AA. In 1996, the College I and College II teams were renamed Division II and Division III, respectively. In 2006, the Division I-A and Division I-AA teams were renamed Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) and Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), respectively. In 2006, the AFCA started selecting an NAIA-only team. The AFCA added a second team in 2016.
From 1965-81, a 22-player (11 offensive, 11 defensive) team was chosen. In 1982, a punter and placekicker were added to the team. A return specialist was added in 1997. The return specialist position was replaced by an all-purpose player in 2006. AFCA added a third wide receiver in 2024.
The Award: Members of the AFCA Coaches’ All-America First Team will receive a plaque commemorating their selection to the team, while members of the Second Team will receive a certificate.
Long Time: Defensive back Hayden McDonald is the first player from Columbia to earn AFCA All-America honors since Bill Swiacki was named an end on the 1947 AFCA All-America Team.
For more information about the AFCA, visit www.AFCA.com. For more interesting articles, check out The Insider and subscribe to our weekly email.
If you are interested in more in-depth articles and videos, please become an AFCA member. You can find out more information about membership and specific member benefits on the AFCA Membership Overview page. If you are ready to join, please fill out the AFCA Membership Application.
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Montana State quarterback Tommy Mellott and Richmond defensive lineman Jeremiah Grant headline the 2024 FCS Coaches’ All-America Team announced today by the American Football Coaches Association. The AFCA has selected an All-America team since 1945 and currently selects teams in all five of its divisions.
Mellott, the Big Sky Offensive MVP and a top three finalist for the Walter Payton Award, leads the nation in points responsible for (246) and passing efficiency (183.21). He has thrown 259 passes, completing 182 for 2,430 yards and 28 touchdowns on just two interceptions. Mellott has also rushed for 790 yards with 14 rushing touchdowns. His 8.6 yards per carry would lead the nation if he qualified for that NCAA stat.
Grant is a top three finalist for the Buck Buchanan Award after he led the nation in sacks with 13.5. He recorded 53 tackles, 38 of them solo, 19.5 tackles for loss, forced two fumbles, recovered one, had eight quarterback hurries and broke up two passes. Grant finished the season second on Richmond’s all-time list for sacks in a season and fifth in career sacks with 21.5.
| 2024 AFCA Football Championship Subdivision Coaches’ All-America Team | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Team-Offense | ||||||||
| Pos | Name | Ht. | Wt. | Cl. | School | Coach | Hometown (High School) | |
| QB | Tommy Mellott | 6-0 | 208 | Sr. | Montana St. | Brent Vigen | Butte, Mont. (Butte) | |
| RB | Lan Larison | 6-0 | 215 | Sr. | UC Davis | Tim Plough | Caldwell, Idaho (Vallivue) | |
| RB | Targhee Lambson | 5-9 | 200 | Sr. | Southern Utah | DeLane Fitzgerald | Spanish Fork, Utah (Timpview) | |
| WR | Efton Chism III | 5-11 | 200 | Sr. | Eastern Washington | Aaron Best | Monroe, Wash. (Monroe) | |
| WR | Jalen Walthall | 6-2 | 180 | R-Jr. | UIW | Clint Killough | Missouri City, Tex. (Manvel) | |
| WR | Javonnie Gibson | 6-3 | 205 | R-So. | Arkansas-Pine Bluff | Alonzo Hampton | Opelousas, La. (Opelousas) | |
| TE | Chris Corbo | 6-5 | 245 | Jr. | Dartmouth | Sammy McCorkle | North Caldwell, N.J. (West Essex) | |
| OL | Gus Miller | 6-3 | 295 | Sr. | South Dakota St. | Jimmy Rogers | Brookings, S.D. (Brookings) | |
| OL | *Marcus Wehr | 6-4 | 300 | Sr. | Montana St. | Brent Vigen | Billings, Mont. (Central) | |
| OL | *Charles Grant | 6-4 | 300 | Sr. | William & Mary | Mike London | Portsmouth, Va. (Churchland) | |
| OL | Grey Zabel | 6-6 | 305 | Sr. | North Dakota St. | Tim Polasek | Pierre, S.D. (T.F. Riggs) | |
| OL | Jackson Slater | 6-4 | 326 | Sr. | Sacramento St. | Andy Thompson | Bellevue, Wash. (Newport) | |
| First Team-Defense | ||||||||
| Pos | Name | Ht. | Wt. | Cl. | School | Coach | Hometown (High School) | |
| DL | Keyshawn James-Newby | 6-2 | 240 | Sr. | Idaho | Jason Eck | Helena, Mont. (Helena) | |
| DL | Jeremiah Grant | 6-2 | 245 | R-Sr. | Richmond | Russ Huesman | South Orange, N.J. (Bergen Catholic) | |
| DL | Josiah Silver | 6-2 | 247 | Sr. | New Hampshire | Rick Santos | Hampton, Va. (Phoebus) | |
| DL | David Walker | 6-2 | 260 | Sr. | Central Arkansas | Nathan Brown | Stuttgart, Ark. (Stuttgart) | |
| LB | Bryce Norman | 6-0 | 215 | Sr. | Southeast Missouri St. | Tom Matukewicz | Jackson, Mo. (Jackson) | |
| LB | Adam Bock | 6-1 | 225 | Sr. | South Dakota St. | Jimmy Rogers | Solon, Iowa (Solon) | |
| LB | Brandon Tucker | 5-10 | 225 | R-So. | East Texas A&M | Clint Dolezel | DeSoto, Tex. (DeSoto) | |
| DB | Tommy McCormick | 6-1 | 210 | Sr. | Idaho | Jason Eck | Fallon, Nev. (Churchill County) | |
| DB | Jalen Jones | 6-0 | 190 | Jr. | William & Mary | Mike London | Chesapeake, Va. (Deep Creek) | |
| DB | TJ Moore | 6-0 | 185 | Sr. | Mercer | Mike Jacobs | Riverdale, Ga. (Riverdale) | |
| DB | Mike Smith Jr. | 6-1 | 206 | Sr. | Eastern Kentucky | Walt Wells | Jacksonville, Fla. (First Coast) | |
| First Team-Special Teams | ||||||||
| Pos | Name | Ht. | Wt. | Cl. | School | Coach | Hometown (High School) | |
| P | Jeff Yurk | 6-2 | 224 | R-Jr. | Elon | Tony Trisciani | Southern Pines, N.C. (Pinecrest) | |
| PK | Gabe Panikowski | 5-10 | 189 | Jr. | Idaho St. | Cody Hawkins | San Diego, Calif. (Torrey Pines) | |
| AP | Chandler Brayboy | 6-1 | 199 | R-Sr. | Elon | Tony Trisciani | Pembroke, N.C. (Purnell Swett) | |
| LS | Tommy Sullivan | 5-11 | 200 | Sr. | Montana St. | Brent Vigen | Everett, Wash. (Archbishop Murphy) | |
| Second Team-Offense | ||||||||
| Pos | Name | Ht. | Wt. | Cl. | School | Coach | Hometown (High School) | |
| QB | Cam Miller | 6-1 | 212 | Sr. | North Dakota St. | Tim Polasek | Solon, Iowa (Solon) | |
| RB | Travis Theis | 5-11 | 215 | Sr. | South Dakota | Bob Nielson | Pratt, Kan. (Pratt) | |
| RB | Kayvon Britten | 5-7 | 195 | Sr. | Tarleton St. | Todd Whitten | Cincinnati, Ohio (Western Hills University) | |
| WR | Cooper Barkate | 6-1 | 195 | Jr. | Harvard | Andrew Aurich | Newport Beach, Calif. (Mater Dei) | |
| WR | Bo Belquist | 6-1 | 185 | Sr. | North Dakota | Bubba Schweigert | New Rockford, N.D. (Sheyenne) | |
| WR | Kylon Harris | 5-11 | 160 | Jr. | Stephen F. Austin | Colby Carthel | Reserve, La. (East St. John) | |
| TE | Bryzai White | 6-3 | 245 | Sr. | Northern Arizona | Brian Wright | San Diego, Calif. (Morse) | |
| OL | Conner Moore | 6-5 | 310 | So. | Montana St. | Brent Vigen | Millbury, Ohio (Lake) | |
| OL | Brandon Casey | 6-5 | 309 | Sr. | Montana | Bobby Hauck | Sandpoint, Idaho (Sandpoint) | |
| OL | Cam Johnson | 6-4 | 300 | Sr. | South Carolina St. | Chennis Berry | Irmo, S.C. (Dutch Fork) | |
| OL | Evan Beerntsen | 6-4 | 300 | Sr. | South Dakota St. | Jimmy Rogers | De Pere, Wis. (Appleton North) | |
| OL | Carson Vinson | 6-6 | 305 | Sr. | Alabama A&M | Connell Maynor | Morrisville, N.C. (Panther Creek) | |
| Second Team-Defense | ||||||||
| Pos | Name | Ht. | Wt. | Cl. | School | Coach | Hometown (High School) | |
| DL | Brody Grebe | 6-3 | 250 | Sr. | Montana St. | Brent Vigen | Melstone, Mont. (Melstone/Roundup) | |
| DL | Elijah Williams | 6-3 | 270 | Sr. | Morgan St. | Damon Wilson | Jersey City, N.J. (Lincoln) | |
| DL | Mi’Quise Grace | 6-4 | 255 | R-So. | South Dakota | Bob Nielson | Cincinnati, Ohio (Princeton) | |
| DL | Brayden Manley | 6-2 | 245 | So. | Mercer | Mike Jacobs | Vanceboro, N.C. (West Craven) | |
| LB | David Meyer | 6-1 | 230 | R-Jr. | UC Davis | Tim Plough | Mission Viejo, Calif. (Mission Viejo) | |
| LB | Tye Niekamp | 6-3 | 240 | So. | Illinois St. | Brock Spack | Normal, Ill. (Community) | |
| LB | Andrew Jones | 6-2 | 220 | R-Jr. | Grambling St. | Mickey Joseph | Marrero, La. (John Ehret) | |
| DB | Rex Connors | 6-1 | 210 | Jr. | UC Davis | Tim Plough | Pleasant Grove, Utah (Pleasant Grove) | |
| DB | Hayden McDonald | 5-9 | 180 | Sr. | Columbia | Jon Poppe | Seattle, Wash. (O’Dea) | |
| DB | Kenny Gallop Jr. | 6-0 | 214 | Gr. | Howard | Larry Scott | Portsmouth, Va. (Churchland) | |
| DB | James Burgess | 6-3 | 186 | Sr. | Alabama St. | Eddie Robinson, Jr. | Center Point, Ala. (Huffman) | |
| Second Team-Special Teams | ||||||||
| Pos | Name | Ht. | Wt. | Cl. | School | Coach | Hometown (High School) | |
| P | James Platte | 6-0 | 210 | Gr. | The Citadel | Maurice Drayton | Aiken, S.C. (South Aiken) | |
| PK | Guillermo Garcia Rodriguez | 6-1 | 200 | Gr. | Prairie View A&M | Bubba McDowell | Dickinson, Tex. (Dickinson) | |
| AP | Michael Wortham | 5-9 | 177 | Sr. | Eastern Washington | Aaron Best | North Highlands, Calif. (Center) | |
| LS | Caden Bolz | 6-0 | 200 | Sr. | Missouri St. | Ryan Beard | Overland Park, Kan. (Blue Valley West) |
*-2023 AFCA All-American #-2022 AFCA All-American
Team Background: The five teams now chosen for each AFCA division evolved from a single 11-player squad. From 1945 until 1967, only one team was chosen. From 1967 through 1971, two teams, University Division and College Division, were selected. In 1972, the College Division was split into College I and College II. In 1979, the University Division was split into two teams — Division I-A and Division I-AA. In 1996, the College I and College II teams were renamed Division II and Division III, respectively. In 2006, the Division I-A and Division I-AA teams were renamed Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) and Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), respectively. In 2006, the AFCA started selecting an NAIA-only team. The AFCA added a second team in 2016.
From 1965-81, a 22-player (11 offensive, 11 defensive) team was chosen. In 1982, a punter and placekicker were added to the team. A return specialist was added in 1997. The return specialist position was replaced by an all-purpose player in 2006. AFCA added a third wide receiver in 2024.
The Award: Members of the AFCA Coaches’ All-America First Team will receive a plaque commemorating their selection to the team, while members of the Second Team will receive a certificate.
Long Time: Defensive back Hayden McDonald is the first player from Columbia to earn AFCA All-America honors since Bill Swiacki was named an end on the 1947 AFCA All-America Team.
For more information about the AFCA, visit www.AFCA.com. For more interesting articles, check out The Insider and subscribe to our weekly email.
If you are interested in more in-depth articles and videos, please become an AFCA member. You can find out more information about membership and specific member benefits on the AFCA Membership Overview page. If you are ready to join, please fill out the AFCA Membership Application.
