In a recent story post, we highlighted the top tacklers in North Carolina college football during the 2024 season. Now, we’re paying homage to those who earned the most hits in opposing backfields and swiped the most passes from opposing quarterbacks.
Here are your All-North Carolina stat leaders in the important defensive categories of tackles-for-loss, sacks and interceptions:
Wingate’s Marquise Fleming Wrapped Up Ball-Carriers, Racked Up Awards
Marquise Fleming, a 6-1, 240-pound defensive end, likely will have his own section in the Wingate football trophy case one day. The graduate student from Charlotte (Olympic HS) picked up first-team All-American accolades from four major publications, earned two National Player of the Year trophies and collected the Gene Upshaw Award as the top lineman in D2 football.
Fleming also led the state of North Carolina – all divisions – in tackles for loss with 19.5 for the season. That number ranked fourth nationally in Division II.
Fleming bullied Carson-Newman with four TFLs during a September meeting (won by the Eagles, alas) and two more during the South Atlantic championship game rematch two months later (won by the Bulldogs). Fleming had 3.5 tackles-for-loss against UVA Wise, 2.5 at Lenoir-Rhyne and 2.0 against Barton.
The only teams to keep him out of the backfield were UNC Pembroke in the season opener and Virginia Union in the playoffs. Fleming missed the second half of the D2 post-season contest due to injury. Wingate lost to VUU in overtime.
Fleming and teammate Kai Russell both played at Olympic High. They proved a menacing combination for Wingate in 2024. Russell finished with 14.0 tackles-for-loss from his defensive end spot, tied for fifth-best among North Carolina collegiate players.
Livingstone’s Davion Watkins and Johnson C. Smith’s Benari Black finished tied for second in the state in the TFL category. The two CIAA standouts each recorded 15.0 TFLs. Duke’s Alex Howard made 14.5 tackles-for-loss, while Brevard’s Robert Dorsey, NC State’s Davin Vann and North Carolina A&T’s Henry Daniel each made 14.0.
2024 North Carolina Tackles-for-Loss Leaders
| TFL | PLAYER (SCHOOL) | DIV | GAMES | TFL/YDS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19.5 | Marquise Fleming (Wingate) | D2 | 11 | 79 |
| 15.0 | Davion Watkins (Livingstone) | D2 | 10 | 59 |
| 15.0 | Benari Black (Johnson C. Smith) | D2 | 10 | 53 |
| 14.5 | Alex Howard (Duke) | FBS | 13 | 48 |
| 14.0 | Robert Dorsey (Brevard) | D3 | 9 | 76 |
| 14.0 | Kai Russell (Wingate) | D2 | 11 | 75 |
| 14.0 | Davin Vann (NC State) | FBS | 12 | 77 |
| 14.0 | Henry Daniel (NC A&T) | FCS | 12 | 71 |
| 13.5 | Wesley Williams (Duke) | FBS | 13 | 59 |
| 12.5 | Letraskey Pressley (Louisburg) | NJCAA | 11 | |
| 12.0 | Zakye Barker (East Carolina) | FBS | 11 | 27 |
| 12.0 | Cazeem Moore (Elon) | FCS | 12 | 59 |
| 12.0 | Beau Atkinson (North Carolina) | FBS | 13 | 67 |
| 12.0 | Jaelin Willis (Lenoir-Rhyne) | D2 | 13 | 45 |
| 11.5 | Jasheen Davis (Wake Forest) | FBS | 10 | 66 |
| 11.5 | Aiden Seagroves (NC Wesleyan) | D3 | 10 | 59 |
| 11.5 | Christian Santana (Lenoir-Rhyne) | D2 | 13 | 57 |
| 11.0 | Shi Gaskin (Fayetteville State) | D2 | 8 | 68 |
| 10.5 | Andre Jefferson (Lenoir-Rhyne) | D2 | 6 | 52 |
| 10.5 | Quantez Mansfield (NC Central) | FCS | 11 | 23 |
| 10.5 | Trevor Moffitt (Gardner-Webb) | FCS | 12 | 41 |
| 10.5 | Amare Campbell (North Carolina) | FBS | 13 | 53 |
| 10.0 | Jaki Brevard (NC Central) | FCS | 11 | 30 |
| 10.0 | Jah'keevi Garnett (Louisburg) | NJCAA | 11 | |
| 10.0 | Desmond Evans (North Carolina) | FBS | 12 | 42 |
| 9.5 | Carlo Thompson (UNC Pembroke) | D2 | 11 | 29 |
| 9.5 | Vincent Anthony (Duke) | FBS | 12 | 57 |
| 9.5 | Cameron Bergeron (Duke) | FBS | 13 | 45 |
| 9.0 | Malik Hargrove (Guilford) | D3 | 8 | 50 |
| 9.0 | Dexter Fitzpatrick (Mars Hill) | D2 | 9 | 35 |
| 9.0 | Malik McKinzie (UNC Pembroke) | D2 | 9 | 31 |
| 9.0 | John Brown (St. Andrews) | NAIA | 9 | 19 |
| 9.0 | Camar Kyle (Winston-Salem State) | D2 | 10 | 37 |
| 9.0 | Kobe Pringle (Livingstone) | D2 | 10 | 34 |
| 9.0 | Demorian Smith (Elizabeth City State) | D2 | 10 | 26 |
| 9.0 | Kahmari Brown (Elon) | FCS | 11 | 51 |
| 9.0 | Jamae Blank (UNC Pembroke) | D2 | 11 | 43 |
| 9.0 | Evan Simmons (Catawba) | D2 | 11 | 42 |
| 9.0 | Devon Betty (NC State) | FBS | 13 | 22 |
| 9.0 | Mike Edwards III (East Carolina) | FBS | 13 | 20 |
| 8.5 | Steven Reid (Mars Hill) | D2 | 9 | 23 |
| 8.5 | Osmanis Aguilera (Livingstone) | D2 | 10 | 70 |
| 8.5 | Omar Goodwin (Methodist) | D3 | 10 | 36 |
| 8.5 | Santana Hopper (Appalachian State) | FBS | 10 | 35 |
| 8.5 | Antonio O'Berry (Gardner-Webb) | FCS | 12 | 68 |
| 8.5 | Josh Johnson (Elon) | FCS | 12 | 33 |
| 8.5 | Jalen Brooks (Campbell) | FCS | 12 | 21 |
| 8.5 | Travali Price (NC State) | FBS | 13 | 42 |
| 8.5 | Sean Brown (NC State) | FBS | 13 | 28 |
| 8.0 | Kaimon Rucker (North Carolina) | FBS | 8 | 37 |
| 8.0 | Jayden Law (Greensboro) | D3 | 8 | 27 |
| 8.0 | Lamone Hill (Johnson C. Smith) | D2 | 9 | 42 |
| 8.0 | Baylee Ramey (Brevard) | D3 | 9 | 31 |
| 8.0 | Kevin Pointer (Wake Forest) | FBS | 11 | 35 |
| 8.0 | Blue Monroe (Western Carolina) | FCS | 11 | 24 |
| 8.0 | Raquon Hartley (Gardner-Webb) | FCS | 12 | 57 |
| 8.0 | Aaron Hall (Duke) | FBS | 13 | 20 |
Brevard’s Robert Dorsey Led Tornados’ Sack Attack
The junior defensive lineman, a native of Charlotte who played at Greenville, S.C.’s JL Mann High, had the most impressive sack numbers in NC college football in 2024. Dorsey (6-2, 215) earned 11.5 sacks, resulting in 71 negative yards. Most of his 14 tackles-for-loss involved putting an opposing quarterback on his back.
Dorsey tied a school record in the process. For his season efforts, he became Brevard’s first-ever first-team All-Region 3 player and was voted the USA South defensive player of the year.
Letraskey Pressley sparked Louisburg’s defense this past season, collecting 11.0 sacks. Wingate’s Fleming (8.0 sacks) and Russell (7.5) were among the leaders in this category as well. North Carolina’s Beau Atkinson and Duke’s Wesley Williams both finished with 7.5 sacks. Gardner-Webb’s Antonio O’Berry had 7.0, including four in a November game against Eastern Illinois.
2024 North Carolina Sacks Leaders
| SACKS | PLAYER (SCHOOL) | DIV | GAMES | SACK YDS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11.5 | Robert Dorsey (Brevard) | D3 | 9 | 71 |
| 11.0 | Letraskey Pressley (Louisburg) | NJCAA | 11 | |
| 8.0 | Marquise Fleming (Wingate) | D2 | 11 | 55 |
| 7.5 | Kai Russell (Wingate) | D2 | 11 | 56 |
| 7.5 | Beau Atkinson (North Carolina) | FBS | 13 | 55 |
| 7.5 | Wesley Williams (Duke) | FBS | 13 | 46 |
| 7.0 | Antonio O'Berry (Gardner-Webb) | FCS | 12 | 65 |
| 6.5 | Davion Watkins (Livingstone) | D2 | 10 | 36 |
| 6.5 | Keaton Braddock (Louisburg) | NJCAA | 10 | |
| 6.5 | Davin Vann (NC State) | FBS | 12 | 54 |
| 6.5 | Jahvaree Ritzie (North Carolina) | FBS | 12 | 41 |
| 6.5 | Amare Campbell (North Carolina) | FBS | 13 | 40 |
| 6.5 | Alex Howard (Duke) | FBS | 13 | 31 |
| 6.0 | Kaimon Rucker (North Carolina) | FBS | 8 | 35 |
| 6.0 | Jamae Blank (UNC Pembroke) | D2 | 11 | 35 |
| 6.0 | Jah'keevi Garnett (Louisburg) | NJCAA | 11 | |
| 6.0 | Cazeem Moore (Elon) | FCS | 12 | 40 |
| 5.5 | Shi Gaskin (Fayetteville State) | D2 | 8 | 54 |
| 5.5 | Aiden Seagroves (NC Wesleyan) | D3 | 10 | 48 |
| 5.5 | Jasheen Davis (Wake Forest) | FBS | 10 | 36 |
| 5.5 | Daniel Morrison (Wingate) | D2 | 11 | 41 |
| 5.5 | Henry Daniel (NC A&T) | FCS | 12 | 35 |
| 5.5 | Robert Holtz (Gardner-Webb) | FCS | 12 | 33 |
| 5.0 | Andre Jefferson (Lenoir-Rhyne) | D2 | 6 | 35 |
| 5.0 | Santana Hopper (Appalachian State) | FBS | 10 | 23 |
| 5.0 | Julian Rawlins (Davidson) | FCS | 11 | 34 |
| 5.0 | Cameron Wallace (Louisburg) | FBS | 11 | |
| 5.0 | Desmond Evans (North Carolina) | FBS | 12 | 35 |
| 5.0 | Trevor Moffitt (Gardner-Webb) | FCS | 12 | 31 |
| 5.0 | Vincent Anthony Jr. (Duke) | FBS | 12 | 30 |
| 5.0 | George Wilson (Campbell) | FCS | 12 | 15 |
| 4.5 | Trey Williams (Brevard) | D3 | 9 | 39 |
| 4.5 | Dexter Fitzpatrick (Mars Hill) | D2 | 9 | 21 |
| 4.5 | John Brown (St. Andrews) | NAIA | 9 | 12 |
| 4.5 | Osmanis Aguilera (Livingstone) | D2 | 10 | 53 |
| 4.5 | Jonah Kurker (Chowan) | D2 | 10 | 19 |
| 4.5 | Marvin Togbe (Louisburg) | FBS | 10 | |
| 4.5 | Kahmari Brown (Elon) | FCS | 11 | 39 |
| 4.5 | Marquise Raspberry (UNC Pembroke) | D2 | 11 | 37 |
| 4.5 | Cameron Bergeron (Duke) | FBS | 13 | 35 |
| 4.0 | Thomas Johnson (NC Central) | FCS | 3 | 31 |
| 4.0 | Drewvon Oxendine (Elizabeth City State) | D2 | 4 | 20 |
| 4.0 | Kobe Haynes (Mars Hill) | D2 | 9 | 43 |
| 4.0 | TreShaun Harris (Elizabeth City State) | D2 | 9 | 39 |
| 4.0 | Justin Fleming (Winston-Salem State) | D2 | 10 | 26 |
| 4.0 | Travis Burton (Guilford) | D3 | 10 | 22 |
| 4.0 | Michael Fletcher (Appalachian State) | FBS | 10 | 17 |
| 4.0 | Kairon Martin (Winston-Salem State) | D2 | 10 | 16 |
| 4.0 | Kevin Pointer (Wake Forest) | FBS | 11 | 26 |
| 4.0 | Dominique Leonard (Louisburg) | NJCAA | 11 | |
| 4.0 | Raquon Hartley (Gardner-Webb) | FCS | 12 | 46 |
| 4.0 | Chantz Williams (Charlotte) | FBS | 12 | 30 |
| 4.0 | Javon Armstrong-Grady (NC A&T) | FCS | 12 | 22 |
| 4.0 | Jalen Brooks (Campbell) | FCS | 12 | 15 |
| 4.0 | Elijah Morris (East Carolina) | FBS | 13 | 18 |
| 4.0 | Ryan Smith (Duke) | FBS | 13 | 16 |
| 4.0 | Danny Foster (Chowan) | D2 | 21 |
Western Carolina’s Jordy Lowery Led NC In Interceptions
Jordy Lowry, a redshirt junior from Bartow, Fla. (Bartow HS), ended up in a class by himself in the interceptions category. Lowery was the only North Carolina collegiate to pick off six passes (he also made 48 tackles). He won this category outright by snatching two interceptions in the Catamounts’ season finale against Samford.
Three players – Mars Hill’s Tristian Rankin, Guilford’s Tristan Bailey and Lenoir-Rhyne’s Nic Cheeley – each made five interceptions.
2024 North Carolina Interceptions Leaders
| INT | PLAYER (SCHOOL) | DIV | GAMES | INT/GM |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | Jordy Lowry (Western Carolina) | FCS | 12 | 0.50 |
| 5 | Tristian Rankin (Mars Hill) | D2 | 9 | 0.56 |
| 5 | Tristan Bailey (Guilford) | D3 | 10 | 0.50 |
| 5 | Nic Cheeley (Lenoir-Rhyne) | D2 | 13 | 0.38 |
| 4 | James Woods (Brevard) | D3 | 7 | 0.57 |
| 4 | Joseph Reddish (Wingate) | D2 | 10 | 0.40 |
| 4 | Kevin Larkins (Livingstone) | D2 | 10 | 0.40 |
| 4 | Chris Brown (Lenoir-Rhyne) | D2 | 11 | 0.36 |
| 4 | Mike Webb (Barton) | D2 | 11 | 0.36 |
| 4 | Ken Moore Jr (Western Carolina) | FCS | 12 | 0.33 |
| 4 | Terry Moore (Duke) | FBS | 13 | 0.31 |
| 3 | Jayden Reeder (Livingstone) | D2 | 8 | 0.38 |
| 3 | Narique Smith (Winston-Salem State) | D2 | 8 | 0.38 |
| 3 | Wendell McClain (Gardner-Webb) | FCS | 8 | 0.38 |
| 3 | Cherron Holt (Mars Hill) | D2 | 9 | 0.33 |
| 3 | Courtney Slocum (Mars Hill) | D2 | 9 | 0.33 |
| 3 | Dacarris Jacobs (Methodist) | D3 | 9 | 0.33 |
| 3 | Neil Vertilus (Mars Hill) | D2 | 9 | 0.33 |
| 3 | Noah Gibson (Shaw) | D2 | 9 | 0.33 |
| 3 | Jeremiah Young (NC Wesleyan) | D3 | 10 | 0.30 |
| 3 | Justin Fleming (Winston-Salem State) | D2 | 10 | 0.30 |
| 3 | Shamar Baker (Johnson C. Smith) | D2 | 10 | 0.30 |
| 3 | Joanue Morten-Berry (Louisburg) | JUCO | 11 | 0.27 |
| 3 | Damien Savage (Lenoir-Rhyne) | D2 | 12 | 0.25 |
| 3 | Mateo Sudipo (Western Carolina) | FCS | 12 | 0.25 |
| 3 | Bishop Fitzgerald (NC State) | FBS | 13 | 0.23 |
| 3 | Chandler Rivers (Duke) | FBS | 13 | 0.23 |
| 3 | Gavin Gibson (East Carolina) | FBS | 13 | 0.23 |
| 3 | Ja'Marley Riddle (East Carolina) | FBS | 13 | 0.23 |
| 3 | Tamarcus Cooley (NC State) | FBS | 13 | 0.23 |
READ MORE: All-North Carolina Rushing Leaders: UNC’s Omarion Hampton leads the way
READ MORE: All-North Carolina Passing Leaders: Jalen Ferguson, Joey Aguilar Break 3,000 Yards
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