Wingate’s Jaylen Himes, Livingstone’s Kenyon Garner and Lenoir-Rhyne’s Tye Roberson headline the 2025 NC Football News Division II All-North Carolina honors, recognizing the top individual performers across the state this season.
A high-flying freshman receiver, a feared edge rusher and an explosive kick-returner earned Offensive, Defensive and Special Teams Player of the Year respectively after standout seasons that helped define Division II football in North Carolina.
In addition to the Players of the Year, 24 players have been named to the 2025 First-Team All-North Carolina D2 Team, with dozens more earning D2 Honor Roll recognition for their impact during the season.
This page serves as the official 2025 NC Football News D2 awards record, combining Player of the Year selections, First-Team All-State honors and the D2 Honor Roll in one place.
2025 NC Football News D2 Awards – At a Glance
🏆 Offensive Player of the Year: Jaylen Himes (Wingate)
🛡️ Defensive Player of the Year: Kenyon Garner (Livingstone)
🏟️ Special Teams Player of the Year: Tye Roberson (Lenoir-Rhyne)
🥇 First-Team All–North Carolina: 24 players
⭐ Honor Roll: Multiple programs represented
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🏆 D2 Offensive Player of the Year
Wingate WR Jaylen Himes | Freshman
Wingate has been known for its stout defenses in recent years, but Jaylen Himes gave the Bulldogs an explosive offensive presence in 2025. The freshman wide receiver from Statesville (Providence Day) led the South Atlantic Conference in receiving yards (1,194) and yards per catch (18.0), while ranking second in total receptions (66).
Himes led all North Carolina college football players in receiving yards and finished the season with 11 touchdowns, including two scores in Wingate’s Division II playoff game against Benedict.
Down the stretch, Himes was nearly unstoppable. He recorded four straight 100-yard receiving games to close the regular season and found the end zone in six of his final seven contests. His breakout freshman campaign placed him 10th in SAC history for single-season receiving yards.
Himes’ production was matched by a long list of postseason honors, including AFCA First-Team All-American, Associated Press Second-Team All-American, D2CCA All-Super Region 2, SAC Offensive Freshman of the Year and First-Team All-Conference recognition.
🛡️ D2 Defensive Player of the Year
Livingstone DE Kenyon Garner | Sophomore
Kenyon Garner lived in opposing backfields all season, keeping quarterbacks uncomfortable from the opening snap. The sophomore defensive end from Okeechobee, Florida (James S. Rickards HS) delivered one of the most dominant defensive seasons in Division II football in 2025.
Garner led the nation in tackles-for-loss (28) and finished second nationally in sacks (15.0), including 24 solo TFLs. His impact went far beyond the box score. Garner recorded a safety, blocked a kick, forced two fumbles and recovered three others, consistently changing games with disruption and pressure.
The postseason accolades followed. Garner was named the CIAA Defensive Player of the Year, then earned Don Hansen Football Committee National Defensive Player of the Year honors. He was also voted First-Team All-American by both the AFCA and Associated Press.
In addition, BOXTOROW named Garner to its HBCU All-America Team, which recognizes top players across Division II and FCS programs.
🏟️ D2 Special Teams Player of the Year
Lenoir-Rhyne RB Tye Roberson | Senior
Tye Roberson made his biggest impact for Lenoir-Rhyne in the return game, turning kickoffs into momentum-changing plays on multiple occasions. After serving as a reserve running back in 2023 and 2024, the senior from Laurens, South Carolina (Laurens HS) emerged as one of the most dangerous kickoff returners in Division II football.
Roberson returned three kickoffs for touchdowns, covering long distances on each score — 98 yards against Anderson, 95 yards against Catawba and 87 yards at Mars Hill. He averaged 41.9 yards per kickoff return, repeatedly giving the Bears favorable field position and forcing opponents to rethink their kickoff coverage.
Despite the damage he caused, teams continued to kick to Roberson late in the season. Two of his three return touchdowns came in November, including one in the regular-season finale against Mars Hill.
Roberson’s breakout year earned him First-Team All-Conference and D2CCA All-Region honors, followed by First-Team All-America recognition from the Associated Press, D2CCA and Don Hansen Football Committee.
🥇 2025 D2 All–North Carolina Football Team
First-Team Offense
QB – Kelvin Durham (Johnson C. Smith): First-Team All-CIAA signal caller threw for 2,937 yards and 26 touchdowns
RB – Xavier Pugh (Wingate): Harlon Hill nominee rushed for 1,008 yards and 21 TDs.
RB – Jackson Parrish (Barton): Bullish all-conference runner enjoyed three 200-yard games and tallied 1,095 yards and 10 TDs for the season.
WR – Jaylen Himes (Wingate): Our Offensive Player of the Year led all North Carolina college football players with 1,194 receiving yards.
WR – DeAndre Proctor (Johnson C. Smith): First-team HBCU All-American led the CIAA in receiving yards (1,007) with 10 TDs;
TE – Caleb Lominac (Mars Hill): First-team all-conference performer gave Lions a sneaky weapon in the passing game (17 catches, 248 yards, 2 TDs).
OL – Avery Swinton (Catawba): First-team All-American and Gene Upshaw Award finalist paved the way for SAC’s most prolific offense.
OL – Jamari Mason (Johnson C. Smith): CIAA’s Lineman of the Year led Golden Bulls to their first conference title since 1969.
OL – Hunter Turner (UNC Pembroke): Conference Carolinas Co-Offensive Lineman of the Year helped the Braves average 34.3 points and 464.4 yards per game.
OL – Will Hart (Wingate): AFCA and AP All-American helped the Bulldogs enjoy a 3,000-yard passer, 1,000-yard rusher and 1,000-yard receiver this season.
OL – Porfirio Acosta (Wingate): Multi-year starter on the Bulldogs’ line landed on the SAC All-Conference first team and made All-Super Region 2.
PK – Caleb Bonesteel (Wingate): Multi-year standout made 16 field goals and finished with a North Carolina best 99 kicker points.
First-Team Defense
DL – Kenyon Garner (Livingstone): Our Defensive Player of the Year had at least two tackles-for-loss in seven different games, including 5.5 at Fayetteville State and 4.0 against Charleston, Bowie State and Virginia-Lynchburg.
DL – Isi Etute (UNC Pembroke): Conference Carolinas Co-Defensive Player of the Year led the league with 15.5 tackles for loss and forced three fumbles.
DL – Elihu Lipscomb (Wingate): Newcomer to the Bulldogs defensive front earned SAC Defensive Freshman of the Year after recording 9.5 tackles-for-loss and seven sacks.
DL – Mandjou Berte (Wingate): Ferocious presence on the defensive edge recorded 12.5 tackles-for-loss, 5.0 sacks and 49 total tackles in first season as a regular starter.
LB – Keno Jones (Barton): Conference Carolinas Co-Defensive Player of the Year led the league with 114 tackles (57 solo stops).
LB – Ryan Green (Wingate): First-team all-conference linebacker finished with 82 tackles and 5.0 tackles for loss.
LB – Evan Simons (Catawba): Two-time SAC Defensive Player of the Week ranked among the league leaders in tackles (63), tackles-for-loss (13.0) and sacks (6.0).
DB – Desmond Greene (Lenoir-Rhyne): Don Hansen All-American picked off five passes, including two in a win over Valdosta State.
DB – Savionne Rogers (Barton): All-Super Region 2 selection ranked second on the team in tackles (96) and broke up four passes.
DB – Donovan Woods (UNC Pembroke): Fayetteville State transfer collected first-team all-conference honors after picking off four passes, breaking up eight more.
DB Keyshawn Monk (Fayetteville State): First-team all-conference selection intercepted three passes, broke up five more and compiled 46 tackles.
P – Stewart Simmons (Lenoir-Rhyne): Three-year starter at punter averaged a career-best 41.9 yards-per-kick in 2025, with nine kicks of 50+ and none blocked.
⭐ D2 Honor Roll
These players garnered some level of all-conference recognition or posted noteworthy stats/performances in 2025
Offense
QB Preston Brown (Catawba)
QB Elijah Holmes (Wingate)
QB Tre Robinson (UNC Pembroke)
QB Daylin Lee (Winston-Salem State)
QB JR Martin (Mars Hill)
QB Alexander Marsh (Shaw)
RB Bobby Smith (Johnson C. Smith)
RB Jon Gullette (Mars Hill)
RB Kevin Lalin (Catawba)
RB Bennett Galloway (Catawba)
RB Javen Parker (Livingstone)
RB JaQuan Kelly (Winston-Salem State)
WR Que Kennedy (UNC Pembroke)
WR Charlie Guinade (Mars Hill)
WR Jaquan Albright (UNC Pembroke)
WR Isaiah Jacobs (Barton)
WR Brian Lane (Johnson C. Smith)
WR Songa Yates (Lenoir-Rhyne)
WR Bo Pryor (Catawba)
WR Jakobe Lane (Chowan)
WR Malik Brown (UNC Pembroke)
WR Malique Frazier (Chowan)
WR Isaiah Perry (Johnson C. Smith)
WR Unique Kelly (Fayetteville State)
OL Benjamin Hicks (Johnson C. Smith)
OL Toriono Combs (Elizabeth City State)
OL Dallas Foard (Catawba)
OL Jalen Brooks (Catawba)
OL Ryan Whetzel (Lenoir-Rhyne)
OL Rubens Joseph (Lenoir-Rhyne)
OL Jalen Brown (Barton)
OL Amari Chance (UNC Pembroke)
OL Dylan Pruitt (UNC Pembroke)
OL Robbie Delgado (Barton)
OL Robert Early (Johnson C. Smith)
OL Jalen Thompson (Fayetteville State)
OL Braydn Kesselring (Fayetteville State)
OL Anton Chavis (Elizabeth City State)
TE Kahlil Ashley-Diarrah (Fayetteville State)
TE Jalen Brown (Catawba)
TE Dezmond Randolph (Chowan)
Defense
DL Sakarri Morrison (Mars Hill)
DL Bailey Carraway (Barton)
DL Shawn Robinson (Fayetteville State)
DL Cadricus Stanley (Johnson C. Smith)
DL Jonathan Cross (Wingate)
DL Malachi Howell (Chowan)
DL Jamall Browning (Chowan)
DL Laden Ford (UNC Pembroke)
DL Sir-Sean Ingram (Elizabeth City State)
DL CJ Brown (Winston-Salem State)
DL Jalen Alexander (Johnson C. Smith)
DL Christopher Gordon (Fayetteville State)
LB Jadin Baptist (UNC Pembroke)
LB Chris Calhoun (Elizabeth City State)
LB Vincent Hill (Johnson C. Smith)
LB Matthew Leach (Fayetteville State)
LB Steven Reid (Mars Hill)
LB Jaquan Edwards (Mars Hill)
LB Darryl Harris (Chowan)
LB Jamieson Alston (Winston-Salem State)
LB Jatavien Taylor (Fayetteville State)
LB Manuel Montout (Elizabeth City State)
LB Michael Job (Shaw)
LB Darry Felix (Shaw)
DB Brandon Perry (Wingate)
DB Jaevon Branch (Elizabeth City State)
DB Daryl Taybron (Johnson C. Smith)
DB Nigel Gay (Catawba)
DB James Ussery (Lenoir-Rhyne)
DB Marquis Raspberry (UNC Pembroke)
DB Darrell Scott (UNC Pembroke)
DB Justin Foreman (UNC Pembroke)
DB Isaiah Fulton (Chowan)
DB Evan Powell (Winston-Salem State)
DB Reginald Troutman (Fayetteville State)
DB Amari Best (Fayetteville State)
DB Malachi Adkins (Livingstone)
DB Joshua Jackson (Livingstone)
DB Elijah Wilson (Johnson C. Smith)
Special Teams
LS Everett McLaughlin (Wingate)
PK Jack Baylo (Chowan)
PK Lukasz Smolen (Johnson C. Smith)
PK John Hernandez-Vargas (Fayetteville State)
RS Antwone Godley (Chowan)
RS Isaiah Perry (Johnson C. Smith)
RS Khavarie Hightower (Barton)
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