Taylor Earns A Spot On AFCA’s All-America Team

Courtesy: Paul Ridings, Jr., SHSU Sports Information

For the second year in a row, Sam Houston State safety Darnell Taylor has been named to the American Football Coaches Association All-America team, the AFCA announced today.

The AFCA has selected an All-America team since 1945 and currently selects teams in all five of its divisions. What makes these teams so special is that they are the only ones chosen exclusively by the men who know the players the best – the coaches themselves. Also, only the top 22 players in NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision play receive the honor.

Taylor is a repeat AFCA All-America performer. He also is a two-time Southland Conference “Defensive Player of the Year” honoree after winning first team All-Southland honors at safety.

Taylor leads the Bearkat defense in tackles this season with 91 including 63 solos stops and two quarterback sacks. Sam Houston ranks No. 3 in the nation in rush defense, No. 14 in scoring defense and No. 15 in total defense. The Bearkats led the Southland Conference in rushing, total defense and scoring defense.

The Mesquite senior broke the school record for most solo tackles in a career with a four-year total of 228. The old record of 215 was set by former NFL New York Jet veteran linebacker Stan Blinka who was an NAIA All-America selection for Sam Houston in 1975-78.

2012 AFCA Football Championship Subdivision Coaches All-America Team

Offense
WR Aaron Mellette 6-4 220 Sr. Elon
WR Erik Lora 5-10 181 Jr. Eastern Illinois
TE Kyle Juszczyk 6-3 245 Sr. Harvard
OL Earl Watford 6-4 295 Sr. James Madison
OL Terren Jones 6-7 320 Sr. Alabama St.
C Mike Sellers 6-0 290 Jr. Citadel
OL Randy Richards 6-4 310 Sr. Missouri St.
OL Will Post 6-6 310 Sr. Eastern Washington
QB DeNarius McGhee 6-0 210 Jr. Montana St.
RB Miguel Maysonet 5-10 210 Sr. Stony Brook
RB Zach Zenner 6-0 215 So. South Dakota St.

Defense
DL Caraun Reid 6-2 305 Sr. Princeton
DL Davis Tull 6-3 230 So. Tenn.-Chattanooga
DL Brandon Thurmond 6-2 260 Sr. Ark.-Pine Bluff
DL Kenneth Boatright 6-4 253 Sr. Southern Illinois
LB Matt Evans 6-0 228 Sr. New Hampshire
LB Robert McCabe 6-2 234 Sr. Georgetown
LB Jody Owens 6-0 223 Sr. Montana St.
DB AJ Cruz 5-9 190 Sr. Brown
DB Kejuan Riley 6-1 208 Sr. Alabama St.
DB Marcus Williams 5-11 194 Jr. North Dakota St.
DB Darnell Taylor 6-0 195 Sr. Sam Houston