The 2025 North Carolina college football season has arrived, and with it comes our first-ever NC Football News Player of the Year awards.
We’ll honor the top standouts from across North Carolina’s 33 college programs each week throughout the season, then crown the top Offensive, Defensive and Special Teams Players of the Year in December/January.
Below is our preseason player watch list from the Division I FCS ranks. This list highlights many of the top playmakers across North Carolina’s seven FCS programs heading into the fall.
This is not a final ballot by any stretch. Players will rise, newcomers will emerge and every athlete in the state remains eligible for weekly and year-end honors. Think of this as the starting point — a preseason snapshot of names to watch.
🏈 FCS Player of the Year Watch List – 2025
Offensive Player of the Year Watch List
Quarterbacks
- Cole Pennington (Gardner-Webb): Son of former Marshall quarterback Chad Pennington battling for starting job after transferring in from the Thundering Herd.
- Mike Chandler II (Campbell): Dynamic play-maker led Camels in rushing (505 yards, 3 TDs) last season, while throwing for 1,118 yards and 12 more scores as part-time starter.
- Taron Dickens (Western Carolina): Preseason All-American and SoCon offensive player of the year was electric when thrust into duty last season (3-1, 1,428 passing yards, 12 TDs)
- Nate Hampton (Gardner-Webb): Former Davie County High and Liberty University signal caller saw action in the Flames’ bowl game this past January.
- Walker Harris (North Carolina Central): Veteran left-hander gives Eagles steady presence in the huddle and a pinpoint passer (19-of-24 for 183 yards, 1 TD in Saturday’s season opener vs. Southern).
Running Backs
- Branson Adams (Western Carolina): Fifth-year senior from Greensboro has 1,332 career rushing yards, 7 rushing TDs and 5 TD receptions.
- Chris Mosley (North Carolina Central): Maybe not on the list had we published this story a week ago, Mosley burst onto the scene with a 174-yard, one-touchdown performance to win MEAC/SWAC Challenge game MVP honors this past Saturday.
- Mari Adams (Davidson): Preseason All-American and Walter Payton watch list pick, Adams rushed for 1,231 yards and 15 TDs a year ago – averaging 6.6 yards per carry.
- Mark Biggins (Campbell): Started six games in 2024 after transferring from Cal Poly – 88 rushes for 406 yards and 3 TDs – before injury shut down his season.
- Mason Sheron (Davidson): Ranks eighth all-time in Davidson history in rushing yards (2,015) and has 26 career touchdowns.
- Quasean Holmes (Gardner-Webb): Rushed for 395 yards and four TDs a year ago and could assume RB1 duties this season.
- Shimique Blizzard (North Carolina A&T): Top rusher for the Aggies in 2024, finishing with 431 yards and three touchdowns.
- TJ Thomas Jr. (Elon): Phoenix’s second-leading rusher as a freshman (588 yards, 5 TDs), collected Freshman All-American honors from Phil Steele.
Wide Receivers/Tight Ends
- Anthony Lowe (Gardner-Webb): Vital to the Bulldogs’ attack last season, caught 40 passes for 523 yards and three touchdowns.
- Brody Reina (Davidson): Secret weapon in Davidson’s run-heavy offense a year ago, catching 25 passes for 432 yards and six TDs.
- Chance Peterson (North Carolina Central): Top returning wideout for the Eagles caught 21 passes last season and figured prominently in the 2025 season opener (four catches).
- Dylan Magazu (Elon): Redshirt sophomore tight end collected honorable mention All-CAA and Phil Steele third-team All-CAA nods last season (10 catches, 72 yards, 1 TD).
- Jayvonne Dillard (North Carolina A&T): Started nine games in 2024, making 33 catches for 393 yards.
- Luke Bracey (North Carolina Central): Second-team all-MEAC in 2024, first-team preseason all-MEAC coming into this season.
- Malik Knight (Western Carolina): Second-team all-conference in the preseason, could see a larger role with injury to playmaker AJ Colombo.
- Jamarien Dalton (Elon): Redshirt senior wideout saw action in all 11 games a year ago, making 31 catches for 408 yards and two TDs.
- Randall King (Campbell): Caught 30 passes for 413 yards and two touchdowns, earning third-team Freshman All-America status from Phil Steele.
Offensive Line
- Aaron Sanez (Western Carolina): Looks ready to step in as OL starter after missing all of 2024 with injuries.
- Brayden Walker (Elon): Moving to center this season, a position he played for two years in high school.
- Freddie Pelling (Campbell): From Amthill, Bedfordshire, England and a product of NFL Academy, Pelling started all 12 games at left tackle a season ago.
- Korion Sharpe (North Carolina A&T): Four-year starter has played more than 1,600 snaps for the Aggies, earning preseason All-CAA honors as well as preseason HBCU All-American.
- Kyler Herring (Davidson): Steady presence on the front line has started every game for the Wildcats since 2023 opener, earning honorable mention and second-team all-conference recognition in back-to-back years
- Noah McKinney (North Carolina Central): Second-team all-conference pick a season ago snaps the NCCU offense into motion as the team’s primary center.
- Trevon Humphrey (North Carolina Central): First-team all-MEAC returner has garnered national honors in the preseason
- Zach Watson (Western Carolina): All-freshman performer in the SoCon played in all 12 games last season, including three starts; helped power one of the most productive FCS offenses in the nation.
Defensive Player of the Year Watch List
Defensive Line
- Antonio O’Berry (Gardner-Webb): Grad student had 37 tackles, 8.5 TFLs and 7.0 sacks in 2024, along with nine quarterback hurries.
- Caleb Fisher (Western Carolina): Preseason first-team All-Southern Conference defender ready for final season in Cullowhee
- Kahmari Brown (Elon): Freshman All-American by FCS Football Central, Stats Perform and Phil Steele had 33 tackles, 9.0 TFLs and 4.5 sacks in 2024.
- Micah Nelson (Western Carolina): Was a first-team all-SoCon player in 2023 and has compiled 121 career tackles over four seasons in Cullowhee, including 13 TFLs and 5.0 sacks.
Linebackers
- Blue Monroe (Western Carolina): Third-year player saw action in 11 games last season, with two starts – earning 36 tackles and 8 TFLs.
- David Mack II (North Carolina A&T): Started his career as an offensive player and has contributed 78 tackles, 4.5 TFLs and a sack since shifting to linebacker in 2023. Second in tackles last season (51).
- Hayward McQueen Jr. (Western Carolina): Preseason first-team all-SoCon pick had a monster game against Furman in 2024, recording 11 tackles, three TFLs and a QB hurry.
- Jackson Marshall (Gardner-Webb): Quarterback of the Runnin’ Bulldogs defense is back healthy after injuries cut short his 2024 campaign.
- Logan Livermon (Campbell): Redshirt senior amassed 63 tackles, 2.5 tackles-for-loss, two interceptions and a fumble recovery in his first season as a regular contributor.
- Max U’Ren (North Carolina Central): Third-leading tackler a season ago (56 stops, 6.5 TFLs) has earned notice of MEAC coaches, who named him preseason all-conference.
Defensive Backs
- Aaron Harris (North Carolina A&T): On the preseason Aeneas Williams Award watch list, an honor given to the best HBCU defensive back. Harris had 30 tackles last season and five interceptions over his career.
- Brandon Guzman (Campbell): CAA honor roll member and preseason honorable mention all-conference pick finished with 34 tackles and two interceptions in 2024.
- Ishmel Atkins (Elon): Started every game last season and posted career tackling numbers (56 stops, 33 solo hits as well as 6 PBUs). He moves to corner this season.
- Jelani Vassell (North Carolina Central): 32 tackles and seven quarterback hurries last season; preseason all-MEAC to start this season.
- JoJo Pace (Campbell): Second-leading tackler from a year ago (87 tackles, 45 solo hits) also had two interceptions and a fumble recovery.
- Ken Moore Jr. (Western Carolina): A SoCon all-freshman performer in 2023, picked off four passes in 2024, including against NC State.
- Malcolm Reed (North Carolina Central): Ball hawk in the secondary had two interceptions and nine pass break-ups last season; named to preseason FCS All-America teams.
- Samaurie Dukes (Western Carolina): Veteran defender has five career interceptions, earned 55 tackles in 2024 – third on the team.
- Wendell McClain (Gardner-Webb): Picked off three passes, collected 36 tackles from the defensive backfield in 2024.
Special Teams Player of the Year Watch List
- Aaron Harris (North Carolina A&T): Dynamic playmaker returned a kickoff and interception for touchdowns in 2024, earning preseason All-CAA honors as a return specialist.
- Andrew Brown (North Carolina A&T): Primary placekicker and secondary punter for the Aggies in 2024; Hit 12 field goals, including a school record-tying 52-yarder in a win over Winston-Salem State. Needs just six more FGs to tie school leader Cody Jones (42).
- Anthony Lowe (Gardner-Webb): Multi-dimensional talent appeared on OVC/Big South preseason watch list as a receiver, all-purpose player, punt returner and kick returner.
- Jeff Yurk (Elon): Averaged 47.9 yards per punt last season – best in FCS – and earned a multitude of first-team All-America honors.
- Kaleb Robison (North Carolina Central): Eagles’ new placekicker made his only field goal attempt, hit all four PATs and took care of kickoffs during the opener Saturday in Atlanta. Earned a solo tackle for good measure, per NCCU stats.
- Luke Barnes (Elon): Took over as placekicker midway through last season and did not miss an extra point (21-21).
📝 This is only the beginning
Earlier this week, we published our D2 player watch list. Check out the NC D2 players HERE.
Throughout the fall, we’ll spotlight standout performances with weekly awards, keeping the conversation fresh and recognizing players who shine on game day.
In November, we’ll narrow things down to a finalists list, and once the 2025 season is complete, we’ll announce our NC Football News Player of the Year Award winners across all divisions.
