North Carolina A&T linebacker Joshua Iseah turned in one of the best defensive performances in the nation this past weekend, earning NC Football News Defensive Player of the Week honors. The junior from Charlotte was also recognized as the CAA Defensive Player of the Week after leading the Aggies in a narrow 24-21 loss at Tennessee State.
Iseah racked up a team-high 10 tackles, including a career-best 3.0 tackles for loss — the fourth-most by any FCS player in Week 1. His biggest play came in the second quarter when he made a diving interception that set up an A&T touchdown and gave the Aggies their first lead of the night.
Behind Iseah, the Aggies’ defense set the tone early, holding Tennessee State to -5 rushing yards in the first half and just 252 total yards for the game. While A&T’s bid to force overtime fell short after a blocked field goal in the closing seconds, the effort was a positive sign for a program that went 1-11 in 2024 under former coach Vincent Brown. New head coach Shawn Gibbs and his staff saw their defense flash plenty of promise in the opener.
About Joshua Iseah
- Position: Linebacker
- Class: Junior
- Height/Weight: 6-2, 238 lbs
- Hometown: Charlotte, N.C. (Independence HS)
- Career at A&T: 24 games, 100 tackles, 7 tackles for loss, 2 sacks. Freshman All-American in 2023.
- High School: Third-team All-State and All-Conference at Independence. Posted 125 tackles, 17 TFLs, 3.5 sacks, 2 interceptions as a senior; selected to the Queen City Senior Bowl.
Iseah’s disruptive presence and knack for making plays in key moments highlight why A&T fans are excited about the program’s future.
NC Football News will spotlight the Defensive Player of the Week throughout the season, recognizing standout performances from across the state. We’ll crown a Defensive Player of the Year at season’s end.
Honorable Mention – Defensive Performances Across North Carolina
- Jamari Young, LB, Gardner-Webb – OVC/Big South Defensive Player of the Week with 11 tackles, a sack and a forced fumble in a 52-45 comeback win at No. 18 Western Carolina.
- Isaiah Fulton, DB, Chowan – Conference Carolinas Defensive Player of the Week after notching an interception, a pass breakup, 4 tackles, and 0.5 TFL in a win over Elizabeth City State
- Hayward McQueen Jr., LB, Western Carolina – Posted 15 tackles in the Catamounts’ battle with Gardner-Webb.
- Danny Felix, LB, Shaw – Collected 14 tackles in a tough loss to Albany State.
- Kenyon Garner, DL, Livingstone – Tallied four tackles for loss, tied for most in the state this week.
- Evan Simons, DL, Catawba – Matched the state-best mark with four tackles for loss.
👉 Check out the NC Football News Awards Hub to see past winners and honorees in all categories. Give us your feedback on our weekly awards – what we got right, who we missed – on our NC Football News’ X/Twitter channel
