The 2025 season produced one of the deepest and most talent-rich years of FCS football talent that North Carolina has seen in recent memory.
Nationally recognized quarterbacks, record-setting specialists, game-wrecking pass rushers and all-purpose playmakers headlined this division of play, which includes seven teams – Western Carolina, North Carolina Central, North Carolina A&T, Gardner-Webb, Elon, Davidson and Campbell.
This All-North Carolina team is not a statistical leaderboard. NC Football News has already published its full breakdown of the state’s 2025 FCS Statistical Champions. This honors list instead reflects overall impact, season-long dominance, conference and national honors, and the players who most shaped the story of the year.
Selections were made based on production, consistency, awards, game-changing moments and role within each team’s success. There are no quotas by school or conference — only performance.
What follows is our permanent record of North Carolina’s best FCS players from the 2025 season.
FCS All-North Carolina Awards
🏆 Offensive Player of the Year
QB Taron Dickens, Western Carolina
There is no debate here. Dickens didn’t just have the best season in North Carolina — he had one of the best seasons in all of FCS football.
- Stats Perform FCS First-Team All-American
FCS Football Central & AFCA Second-Team All-American - Southern Conference Offensive Player of the Year
- Runner-up for the Walter Payton Award (FCS Heisman)
- Led FCS in passing yards per game, completion percentage, total offense and TD passes
- Set NCAA all-divisions records with 46 straight completions to start a game and 50 straight completions stretching across two games.
Despite playing in just nine games, Dickens threw for 3,508 yards and 38 touchdowns, accounting for some of the most jaw-dropping performances of the 2025 season. He was 7-2 as the Catamounts’ starter.
This is a statewide Player of the Year-caliber season, regardless of division.
🏆 Defensive Player of the Year
DL Kahmari Brown, Elon
Brown was the most disruptive defensive force in North Carolina FCS football in 2025.
- Multiple All-American selections (Second-Team Stats Perform, FCS Football Central, AP)
- First Elon player ever to record double-digit sacks in a season
- Tied Elon’s career sack record (16.5)
- 12 sacks , 16 TFLs, 66 total tackles, 3 forced fumbles on 2025 stat line.
Brown didn’t just rack up numbers — he changed games. He lived in backfields, wrecked protections and demanded double teams.
In a year stacked with elite North Carolina FCS pass rushers, Brown stood tallest.
🏆 Special Teams Player of the Year
PK Andrew Brown, North Carolina A&T
The four-year veteran of A&T special teams delivered one of the most remarkable kicking seasons in recent NC college football history.
- BOXTOROW HBCU Special Teams Player of the Year
- First-Team HBCU All-American (BOXTOROW)
- Second-Team All-CAA
- Finalist for the Fred Mitchell Award (best non-FBS kicker in the nation)
- Hit five field goals from 50+ yards without a miss
- Tied NCAA record for most 50+ yard FGs in a game (three vs. Monmouth)
- Set A&T school records with 55- and 56-yard field goals
Brown wasn’t just accurate — he was historic. His leg altered how opponents managed games.
🥇 2025 FCS First-Team All-North Carolina
OFFENSE (12)
QB – Taron Dickens, Western Carolina
RB – Chris Mosley, North Carolina Central
RB – Quasean Holmes, Gardner-Webb
WR – Isaiah Fuhrmann, Elon
WR – Chris Lofton, Gardner-Webb
WR – James Tyre, Western Carolina
TE – Josiah Thomas, Western Carolina
OL – Trevon Humphrey, North Carolina Central
OL – Zach Watson, Western Carolina
OL – Tim Hogan, Elon
OL – Andrew Threatt, Gardner-Webb
OL – Aaron McIver, Gardner-Webb
Why This First-Team Offense Was Chosen
- Taron Dickens was the most dominant quarterback in FCS football, not just in North Carolina.
- Chris Mosley combined 1,000+ rushing yards with receiving production, making him a true every-down back.
- Quasean Holmes provided near-1,000-yard consistency and workload reliability.
- Isaiah Fuhrmann, Chris Lofton and James Tyre represent three elite WR archetypes: explosive, volume and red-zone.
- Josiah Thomas emerged as one of the top young tight ends in the region, a sneaky good target for QB Dickens.
- Trevon Humphrey anchored one of the MEAC’s most productive offenses and earned HBCU All-American honors.
- The rest of the line powered top-tier rushing and passing attacks for teams with winning records and stat-stuffer production.
DEFENSE (12)
DL – Kahmari Brown, Elon
DL – Thomas Johnson, North Carolina Central
DL – Robert Holtz, Gardner-Webb
DL – Marquis Hood, North Carolina A&T
DL – Antonio O’Berry, Gardner-Webb
LB – Brodie Carroll, Elon
LB – Asher Cunningham, Elon
LB – Max U’Ren, North Carolina Central
DB – Jelani Vassell, North Carolina Central
DB – Ken Moore Jr., Western Carolina
DB – Ishmel Atkins, Elon
DB – Josiah Harris, Gardner-Webb
Why This First-Team Defense Was Chosen
- North Carolina FCS football in 2025 was defined by elite pass rushers.
- Kahmari Brown, Thomas Johnson, Robert Holtz and Marquis Hood were all DPOY-caliber disruptors.
- This front generated sacks, forced fumbles and applied constant pressure.
- The linebacker group blends tackling volume, blitzing ability and turnover creation.
- The secondary emphasizes ball skills and playmaking, led by Jelani Vassell (5 INTs) and Ken Moore Jr. (3 INTs).
- Josiah Harris the only NC player at any level to pick off three passes in one game.
𝐖𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝟑 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐢𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐍𝐎 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 @OVCBigSouthFB 𝐃𝐞𝐟𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐞𝐞𝐤 𝐢𝐬 @HarrisJosiah4 pic.twitter.com/UEdf5KMTD2 — Gardner-Webb Football (@GWUFootball) November 17, 2025
SPECIAL TEAMS (4)
P – Jeff Yurk, Elon
PK – Andrew Brown, North Carolina A&T
RS – Elijah Kennedy, North Carolina A&T
AP – Anthony Lowe, Gardner-Webb
Why This First-Team Special Teams Unit Was Chosen
- Multi-year All-American Jeff Yurk was one of the best punters in the nation, full stop.
- Andrew Brown had a historic kicking season with record-setting range.
- Elijah Kennedy changed games with returns alone (3 return TDs, including a punt-return TD and kick-return TD in the same game).
- Anthony Lowe impacted games as a receiver, returner and all-purpose threat.
Another One. ☝️
Jeff's fourth All-American nod comes from AFCA. He is one of six, two-time AFCA FCS All-Americans on this year's list. #PhoenixRising | #AED pic.twitter.com/Vv1xY1oVyp — Elon Football (@ElonFootball) December 18, 2025
🥈 2025 FCS Second-Team All-North Carolina
OFFENSE
QB – Walker Harris, North Carolina Central
QB – Landen Clark, Elon
RB – Carson Gresock, Gardner-Webb
FB – Dylan Magazu, Elon
WR – Ivan Hoyt, Davidson
WR – Malik Knight, Western Carolina
WR – Randall King, Campbell
TE – Luke Bracey, North Carolina Central
OL – Freddie Pelling, Campbell
OL – Korion Sharpe, North Carolina A&T
OL – A.C. McMoore, North Carolina Central
OL – Ja’Quan Sprinkle, North Carolina Central
Why This Second-Team Offense Was Chosen
- Harris was the MEAC Offensive Player of the Year and had one of the most productive seasons in NCCU history.
- Clark became one of the most dynamic freshmen in FCS football, blending elite rushing production from the QB spot with passing efficiency.
- Gresock scored 14 touchdowns and averaged 6.7 yards per carry — pure finishing ability.
- Hoyt, Knight and King all produced WR1-level seasons within their respective conferences.
- Magazu represents the old-school hybrid: blocker, receiver, tone-setter.
- The Second-Team line reflects teams that leaned on the run and protected productive quarterbacks all season.
DEFENSE
DL – Tim Alderman, North Carolina A&T
DL – Donquarius Parker, North Carolina Central
LB – Isaiah Lawson, North Carolina Central
LB – Joshua Iseah, North Carolina A&T
LB – Cahari Haynes, Gardner-Webb
DB – DJ James Hamilton, Elon
DB – Tony Hart III, Elon
DB – Tomondrey Braxton, North Carolina Central
DB – Aaron Harris, North Carolina A&T
DB – Tre Mittman, North Carolina A&T
Why This Second-Team Defense Was Chosen
- This group reflects how brutal the cuts were on the First Team.
- Alderman and Parker both produced strong pass-rush numbers and disruption.
- Lawson, Iseah and Haynes were tackling machines and multi-phase defenders.
- Hamilton, Hart, Braxton, Harris and Mittman all brought ball skills, physicality and reliability to their secondaries.
- This is not a drop-off unit — it’s a different flavor of excellence.
SPECIAL TEAMS / FLEX (Second Team)
K – Kaleb Robison, North Carolina Central
K – Luke Barnes, Elon
P – Brandon Bowman, North Carolina Central
AP – Mehki Wall, North Carolina Central
RS – Dominic Dutton, Western Carolina
RS – Trayjen Llanas-Wilcox, Campbell
Why These Special Teamers Made Second Team
- Robison and Barnes were both highly efficient and dependable scorers, with Robison accounting for 99 kicker points.
- Bowman consistently flipped field position.
- Wall established field position on returns and gave Harris a reliable WR target
- Dutton and Llanas-Wilcox gave their teams explosive field position advantages.
📦 Following these players beyond 2025
Many of these All-North Carolina selections have already drawn interest at the FBS level. NC Football News maintains a running FCS Transfer Tracker to document roster movement across the state.
2025 FCS All-North Carolina Honor Roll
The Honor Roll exists to recognize players who defined their team’s season, produced at a high level, earned conference honors or delivered unforgettable moments.
These players matter to the story of 2025 FCS football in North Carolina.
Campbell
- QB Kamden Sixkiller
- LB Logan Livermon
- DL DaVonyae Pettis
- PK Alex Crabb
Davidson
- RB Mason Sheron
- QB Coulter Cleland
- DB Hudson Altenburg
- DL Mikah Kent
- FB Brodey Berg
Elon
- RB Jimmyl Williams
RB TJ Thomas - DL Jake Louro
- DB Jevean Brown
- PR DJ James Hamilton
Gardner-Webb
- OL CJ Dawson
- OL Luke Rector
- DB Que Billingsley
- PK Charlie Viorel
- P Brady Braun
North Carolina Central
- WR Chauncey Spikes
- WR Chance Peterson
- LB Isaiah Lawson
North Carolina A&T
- RB Wesley Graves
- QB Kevin White
- DB Jonathan Kimbrough-Campbell
Western Carolina
- RB Markel Townsend
- WR Michael Rossin
- K Marcus Trout
P Stephen Brantley
About Our All-North Carolina Teams
The All-North Carolina FCS teams are not intended to mirror box scores or weekly stat leaders. NC Football News publishes separate statistical breakdowns each season to highlight the state’s leaders in passing, rushing, receiving and defensive categories.
These honors instead reflect overall impact, consistency, role within a team, awards recognition, and the players who most shaped the story of the season.
In some cases, that means recognizing a dominant force who changed how opponents game-planned. In others, it means honoring a versatile piece who made his team better in multiple ways.
This list is not about roster movement or future projections. It is about what happened on the field during the 2025 season — and how it will be remembered.
NC Football News also publishes awards teams for other divisions, including our 2025 D2 All-North Carolina Team, as part of its ongoing effort to document and preserve the full scope of college football across the state.
Want a weekly snapshot of what’s happening across North Carolina college football?
Subscribe free to NC Football Weekly, our Wednesday newsletter covering roster movement, schedules and key storylines across the state.
Learn more → Read NC Football Weekly on Substack
