UCA duo selected to AP’s first team
Eastern Washington quarterback Eric Barriere, Sacred Heart running back Julius Chestnut and VMI receiver Jakob Herres are among the Walter Payton Award finalists highlighting The Associated Press FCS All-America team released Wednesday.
The University of Central Arkansas placed two players on the first team senior defensive back Robert Rochell and sophomore wide receiver Tyler Hudson.
Rochell, a 6-1 cornerback from Shreveport, was drafted in the fourth round by the Los Angeles Rams, making him just one of five FCS players selected in the 2021 NFL Draft. Rochell was UCA’s highest draft pick in school history, going as the No. 130 selection overall. He was the first Southland Conference player drafted since 2018.
Rochell is a two-time FCS All-American and a two-time All-Southland Conference selection who also participated in the Senior Bowl. In seven games last fall, Rochell totaled 27 tackles, 3 pass breakups, 1 forced fumble and 1 fumble recovery he returned 35 yards for a touchdown against UAB.
For his career, Rochell had 104 tackles, including 6.5 tackles for loss, along with 28 pass breakups and 10 interceptions, with 3 forced fumbles and 3 fumble recoveries.
Hudson, a 6-2 receiver from Spring, Texas, had 50 receptions for 845 yards (16.9 yards per catch) and 7 touchdowns in UCA’s nine games last fall. He added 15 punt returns for 119 yards and another touchdown. He had four 100-yard receiving games, including 12 catches for 154 yards against Arkansas State.
In his two years at UCA, Hudson has 105 receptions for 1,820 yards and 19 touchdowns, as well as 30 punt returns for 172 yards and a touchdown. Hudson was the Southland Conference Freshman of the Year in 2019.
The FCS’ spring season, pushed back nearly six months because of the pandemic, will conclude Sunday with the national title game between No. 2-seeded Sam Houston State and top-seeded South Dakota State in Frisco, Texas.
The two biggest awards in Division I football’s second tier will be handed out Saturday. The Walter Payton Award goes to the player of the year, and the Buck Buchanan Award honors the top defensive player in the FCS.
Former University of Arkansas player Cole Kelley was selected as the second-team quarterback. The senior for Southeastern Louisiana led the Southland Conference with 2,662 yards passing. Kelley was responsible for 27 touchdowns 18 passing, 7 rushing and 2 receiving. The Lafayette, La., native passed for 300 yards or more in all seven games, and topped 400 yards three times.
Chestnut led FCS in rushing at 171 yards per game. He was joined in the first team backfield by North Dakota’s Otis Weah, who averaged 7.1 yards per carry.
Herres led the nation in receiving at 122 yards per game.
Northern Iowa nose tackle Jared Brinkman leads the first-team defense, along with McNeese State defensive lineman Isaiah Chambers, who had 14 tackles for loss this season.
Samford defensive back Chris Edmond was a firstteam selection after intercepting four passes this season, and Presbyterian linebacker Colby Campbell was a first-team pick after leading the nation with 96 tackles.