Preview 2019: Previewing and looking ahead to the MAC season with the CFN All-MAC Team & Top 30 players.
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MAC Team Previews, 5 Things To Know
East Akron | Bowling Green | Buffalo
Kent State | Miami Univ. | Ohio
West Ball State | Bowling Green | Buffalo
Northern Illinois | Toledo | Western Michigan
2019 Preseason CFN MAC Offensive Player of the Year
QB Nathan Rourke, Sr. Ohio
One of the nation’s best all-around quarterbacks, Rourke is now in an elder statesman role with two years of experience for another good Bobcat team. The 6-2, 208-pounder is built a bit like a running back, but he completed 60% of his passes last season averaging close to nine yards per throw with 23 touchdowns and eight touchdowns. Oh yeah, and he can run, too.
Always dangerous with the ball in his hands, he has 1,900 rushing yards and 36 touchdowns in his two seasons, with multiple scoring runs in 11 career games along with seven 100-yard games. Considering all the work the Bobcats have to do to rebuild a bit, he’ll have to do even more.
– 2019 CFN All-MAC Top 30 Players
2018 Preseason CFN MAC Defensive Player of the Year
LB Antonio Jones-Davis, Sr. Northern Illinois
The NIU defensive spotlight was taken up by Sutton Smith and the pass rushers, but the MAC champion defense got some big seasons out of its linebackers, too. Kyle Pugh made 106 stops, Lance Deveaux came up with 67, but it was the 5-11, 226-pound Jones-Davis got in on everything. The ultra-quick defender led the team with 130 tackles with four sacks and 14.5 tackles for loss – he did his part to get behind the line, too.
2019 Preseason CFN All-MAC Offense
QB – Nathan Rourke, Sr. Ohio
RB – LeVante Bellamy, Sr. Western Michigan
RB – Jaret Patterson, Soph. Buffalo
WR – Riley Miller, Sr. Ball State
WR – Kalil Pimpleton, Soph. Central Michigan
TE – Giovanni Ricci, Sr. Western Michigan
OT – Evin Ksiezarczyk, Sr. Buffalo
OG – Luke Juriga, Sr. Western Michigan
C – Bryce Harris, Sr. Toledo
OG – (C) Jacob Gall, Jr. Buffalo
OT -Steve Nielsen, Sr. Eastern Michigan
2019 Preseason CFN All-MAC Defense
DE – Ali Fayad, Jr. Western Michigan
DT – Doug Costin, Sr. Miami Univ.
DT – Jack Heflin, Jr. Northern Illinois
DE – Jamal Hines, Soph. Toledo
LB – Jordan Fisher, Sr. Toledo
LB – Antonio Jones-Davis, Sr. Northern Illinois
LB – James Patterson, Jr. Buffalo
CB – Marlin Brooks, Jr. Ohio
S – Alvin Davis, Sr. Akron
S – Javan Hagan, Sr. Ohio
CB – Kevin McGill, Sr. Eastern Michigan
2019 Preseason CFN All-MAC Special Teams
PK – Matthew Trickett, Soph. Kent State
P – Jake Julien, Jr. Eastern Michigan
KR – Maurice Thomas, Sr. Miami University
PR – Jeremiah Knight, Jr. Akron
NEXT: 2019 Preseason CFN MAC Top 30 Players
2019 Preseason CFN MAC Top 30 Players
1. QB Nathan Rourke, Sr. Ohio
2. LB Antonio Jones-Davis, Sr. Northern Illinois
3. S Javan Hagan, Sr. Ohio
4. RB LeVante Bellamy, Sr. Western Michigan
5. S Alvin Davis, Sr. Akron
6. RB Jaret Patterson, Soph. Buffalo
7. OG Luke Juriga, Sr. Western Michigan
8. DT Doug Costin, Sr. Miami Univ.
9. QB Jon Wassink, Jr. Western Michigan
10. S Kahlil Robinson, Sr. Toledo
11. S Jerry McBride, Sr. Bowling Green
12. QB Woody Barrett, Jr. Kent State
13. LB Jordan Fisher, Sr. Toledo
14. LB James Patterson, Jr. Buffalo
15. QB Mitchell Guadagni, Sr. Toledo
16. S Devonni Reed, Soph. Central Michigan
17. CB Kevin McGill, Sr. Eastern Michigan
18. S Mykelti Williams, Sr. Northern Illinois
19. S Vince Calhoun, Sr. Eastern Michigan
20. LB Ray Wilborn, Sr. Ball State
21. QB Jarret Doege, Jr. Bowling Green
22. C Bryce Harris, Sr. Toledo
23. WR Riley Miller, Sr. Ball State
24. LB John Lako, Sr. Akron
25. LB Kyle Pugh, Sr. Northern Illinois
26. OT Evin Ksiezarczyk, Sr. Buffalo
27. RB Bryant Koback, Soph. Toledo
28. C Danny Godlevske, Jr. Miami Univ.
29. RB Tre Harbison, Jr. Northern Illinois
30. LB Christian Albright, Jr. Ball State
MAC Team Previews, 5 Things To Know
East Akron | Bowling Green | Buffalo
Kent State | Miami Univ. | Ohio
West Ball State | Bowling Green | Buffalo
Northern Illinois | Toledo | Western Michigan