North Carolina’s seven FCS college football programs enter the 2026 season with returning stars, emerging standouts and plenty of new faces ready to make their mark.
NC Football News has selected its 2026 FCS Preseason All-State team, recognizing the top players entering the season from Campbell, Davidson, Elon, Gardner-Webb, North Carolina A&T, North Carolina Central and Western Carolina.
The team is headlined by three preseason MVP selections: Gardner-Webb running back Carson Gresock on offense, Elon linebacker Brodie Carroll on defense and North Carolina A&T return specialist Elijah Kennedy on special teams.
These selections also provide our starting point for a season-long awards race that will include weekly honors before culminating with NC Football News’ postseason FCS awards, our FCS All-State team and one North Carolina Small-College Football Player of the Year.
🏆 2026 NC Football News FCS Preseason MVPs
Offensive MVP: Carson Gresock, Gardner-Webb
One of the top returning rushers in the state, Gresock was Lindy’s Sports’ pick for Ohio Valley Conference Offensive Player of the Year and a second-team All-FCS selection. Gresock finished last season with 798 yards on the ground and a team-best 14 touchdowns while averaging 6.7 yards per carry.
He enters 2026 also on the Walter Payton Award watch list.
Defensive MVP: Brodie Carroll, Elon
One of only five North Carolina defenders to record more than 100 tackles last season, Carroll begins 2026 with multiple preseason All-America and All-CAA honors.
He’s also on the Buck Buchanan Award watch list after recording 104 tackles and 9.5 tackles for loss last season.
Special Teams MVP: Elijah Kennedy, North Carolina A&T
One of the state’s most dynamic playmakers, Kennedy was NC Football News’ FCS Special Teams Player of the Year following the 2025 season and enters 2026 as a preseason All-American.
Kennedy returned both a punt and kickoff for touchdowns against Campbell last season and led the nation with 979 combined return yards.
⭐ 2026 NC Football News FCS Preseason All-State Team
First-Team Offense
- QB – Kamden Sixkiller, Campbell
- RB – Carson Gresock, Gardner-Webb
- RB – Jimmyll Williams, Elon
- WR – Chance Peterson, North Carolina Central
- WR – A.J. Colombo, Western Carolina
- WR – Jayvonne Dillard, North Carolina A&T
- TE – Rodney Lesane, North Carolina Central
- OL – Tim Hogan, Elon
- OL – A.C. McMoore, North Carolina Central
- OL – Andrew Dorsey, North Carolina A&T
- OL – Zach Watson, Western Carolina
- OL – Steven Hamby, Western Carolina
First-Team Defense
- DL – Dillon Pardue, Elon
- DL – A.J. Mebane, Gardner-Webb
- DL – Zarion Walters, North Carolina Central
- DL – Trey Weems, Gardner-Webb
- LB – Brodie Carroll, Elon
- LB – Isaiah Lawson, North Carolina Central
- LB – Cahari Haynes, Gardner-Webb
- LB – DaVonyae Pettis, Campbell
- DB – Ken Moore Jr., Western Carolina
- DB – Hudson Altenburg, Davidson
- DB – Josiah Harris, Gardner-Webb
- DB – Tony Hart III, Elon
First-Team Special Teams
- K – Luke Barnes, Elon
- P – Brandon Bowman, Campbell
- PR – Elijah Kennedy, North Carolina A&T
- RS – Mehki Wall, North Carolina Central
- LS – Nash Pippin, Davidson
📋 Honorable Mention Picks
- QB Cole Pennington (Gardner-Webb)
- QB Josh Jones (North Carolina Central)
- QB Brady Stober (Elon)
- FB/HB Dylan Magazu (Elon)
- WR Landyn Backey (Elon)
- WR Jalile Bost (Gardner-Webb)
- WR Andrew Frazier (Davidson)
- WR Jyron Waiters (Campbell)
- WR Michael Rossin (Western Carolina)
- TE Collin Carroll (Gardner-Webb)
- OL Will Fitzpatrick (Gardner-Webb)
- C Holly Saint-Melus (North Carolina Central)
- OL Taron Williams (North Carolina Central)
- OL Victor Goree (North Carolina Central)
- OL Kameron Durant (Campbell)
- OL Jabari Edwards (Gardner-Webb)
- OL Aaron Sanez (Western Carolina)
- LB Tre Yanez (Gardner-Webb)
- LB Robert Lamar (Davidson)
- LB Kalen Villanueva (Campbell)
- LB Cole Dutkovich (Gardner-Webb)
- LB Ryan McKinnis (Western Carolina)
- DB Jakarri Martin (North Carolina Central)
- DB Steven Davis II (North Carolina A&T)
- DB Jamarion Ravenell (Gardner-Webb)
- K Kaleb Robison (Campbell)
- K Andrew Bontekoe (Gardner-Webb)
- P Aidan Bonde (Gardner-Webb)
- PR Barry Tate (Campbell)
- LS Jacob Mull (Gardner-Webb)
🏆 The Road to the 2026 FCS Awards
The preseason team is only the starting point.
NC Football News will track the state’s top small-college football performers throughout the season with weekly Offensive, Defensive and Special Teams Player of the Week honors.
Following the season, we’ll select our 2026 FCS Offensive, Defensive and Special Teams Players of the Year along with our postseason FCS All-State team. Players across the FCS, Division II and Division III levels also will be considered for the North Carolina Small-College Player of the Year, honoring the player who best defines the 2026 season.
➡️ Follow the complete 2026 North Carolina College Football Awards race, including weekly winners, award criteria and postseason honors.
🏈 Follow North Carolina FCS Football All Season
Small-College Saturdays is the NC Football News newsletter devoted to the players, teams and stories shaping North Carolina’s FCS, Division II and Division III football seasons.
From quarterback battles and breakout players to game-week storylines, rankings, awards and observations from around the state, we’ll help you follow North Carolina small-college football all season long.
Subscribe to Small-College Saturdays and get our latest coverage delivered directly to your inbox.
