Eastern’s Kupp makes his fourth FCS All-America team

Eastern Washington receiver Cooper Kupp has been selected to The Associated Press FCS All-America team for the fourth straight season, making the first team with fellow Walter Payton Award finalist Jeremiah Briscoe of Sam Houston State.

The AP FCS All-America team was released Thursday.

Kupp is believed to be the first player to be a four-time first-team selection in FCS, which was previously known as Division I-AA. The AP began naming a I-AA All-America team in 1982 and its records go back to 1988.

Kupp is the most prolific receiver in the history of Division I football. He holds career records for receptions (418), receiving yards (6,284) and touchdown catches (71). This season he has 107 catches for 1,520 yards and 15 touchdowns for Eastern Washington, which hosts Youngstown State in an FCS playoff semifinal Saturday.

Kupp won the Walter Payton Award last season as the top player in FCS and he could become the second two-time winner when it is handed out Jan. 6.

Five-time defending national champion North Dakota State placed offensive linemen Zach Johnson and Landon Lechler on the first team. The Bison face James Madison on Friday night.

Briscoe has passed for 57 touchdowns and 4,602 yards. He is joined in the backfield by FCS leading rusher Chase Edmonds of Fordham and Tarik Cohen of North Carolina AT&T State.

Kupp’s quarterback, Gage Gubrud, a sophomore who leads the nation in total offense (412.7 yards per game), was selected to the second team. He is also a finalist for the Payton Award.

The defense is led by Northern Iowa defensive lineman Karter Schult, who leads the nation with 17 sacks, and Missouri State linebacker Dylan Cole, who leads the country in tackles at 12.9 per game.

Defensive lineman P.J. Hall gives Sam Houston State two players on the first team to match North Dakota State.

FIRST TEAM

OFFENSE

Quarterback — Jeremiah Briscoe, junior, 6-foot-3, 209 pounds, Sam Houston State.

Running backs — Chase Edmonds, junior, 5-9, 205, Fordham; Tarik Cohen, senior, 5-6, 170, North Carolina A&T State.

Linemen — Julie’n Davenport, senior, 6-7, 315, Bucknell; Jessamen Dunker, senior, 6-5, 290, Tennessee State; Zach Johnson, senior, 6-4, 331, North Dakota State; Landon Lechler, senior, 6-7, 298, North Dakota State; Mitchell Kirsch, 6-6, 300, senior, James Madison.

Tight end — Dallas Goedert, junior, 6-4, 250, South Dakota State.

Wide receivers — Cooper Kupp, senior, 6-2, 215, Eastern Washington; Karel Hamilton, senior, 6-1, 205, Samford.

All-purpose player — Detrez Newsome, junior, 5-10, 210, Western Carolina.

Kicker — Griffin Trau, sophomore, 5-8, 180, Richmond.

DEFENSE

Linemen — P.J. Hall, junior, 6-1, 280, Sam Houston State; Karter Schult, senior, 6-4, 269, Northern Iowa; Tanoh Kpassagnon, senior, 6-7, 290, Villanova; Darius Jackson, junior, 6-3, 237, Jacksonville State

Linebackers — Dylan Cole, senior, 6-1, 240, Missouri State; Alex Scearce, senior, 6-3, 220, Coastal Carolina; Darius Leonard, junior, 6-3, 220, South Carolina State.

Defensive backs — Donald Payne, senior, 6-0, 223, Stetson; Cole Reyes, junior, 6-2, 215, North Dakota; Lorenzo Jerome, senior, 6-0, 195, Saint Francis (Pa.); Dee Delaney, junior, 6-1, 193, The Citadel.

Punter — Miles Bergner, senior, 6-0, 225, South Dakota.

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SECOND TEAM

OFFENSE

Quarterback — Gage Gubrud, sophomore, Eastern Washington.

Running backs — Khalid Abdullah, senior, James Madison; Jonah Hodges, senior, San Diego.

Linemen — Corey Levin, senior, Chattanooga; Erik Austell, senior, Charleston Southern; Brandon Parker, junior, North Carolina A&T State; Casey Dunn, senior, Jacksonville State; Nick Demes, senior, Penn.

Tight end — Eric Saubert, senior, Drake.

Wide receivers — Brian Brown, senior, Richmond; Kamron Lewis, sophomore, St. Francis (Pa.).

All-purpose player — Rashard Davis, senior, James Madison.

Kicker — Lane Clark, sophomore, Tennessee State.

DEFENSE

Linemen — Donovan McCray, senior, Grambling State; Keionta Davis, senior, Chattanooga; Anthony Ellis, junior, Charleston Southern; Derek Rivers, senior, Youngstown State.

Linebackers — Christian Kuntz, senior, Duquesne; Folarin Orimolade , senior, Dartmouth; Brett Taylor, junior, Western Illinois

Defensive backs — Mike Basile, junior, Monmouth; Casey DeAndrade, senior, New Hampshire; Deion Harris, junior, North Dakota; LeRoy Alexander, senior, Youngstown State.

Punter — Jake Ryder, senior, Towson.

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THIRD TEAM

OFFENSE

Quarterback — Devlin Hodges, sophomore, Samford.

Running backs — Lenard Tillery, senior, Southern; Lorenzo Long, senior, Wofford.

Linemen — Taylor Gadbois, senior, Southeastern Louisiana; Anton Wahrby, senior, Wofford; Mark Spelman, senior, Illinois State; Jerry Ugokwe, senior, William & Mary; Max Rich, senior, Harvard.

Tight end — Andrew Vollert, junior, Weber State.

Wide receivers — Jake Wieneke, junior, South Dakota State; Troy Pelletier, junior, Lehigh.

All-purpose player — Jody Webb, senior, Youngstown State.

Kicker — Erik Medina, senior, Texas Southern.

DEFENSE

Linemen — Pat Afriyie, junior, Colgate; Samson Ebukam, senior, Eastern Washington; Greg Menard, junior, North Dakota State; Winston Craig, senior, Richmond.

Linebackers — Garrett Dolan, junior, Houston Baptist; Darien Anderson, senior, Alcorn State; Chad Geter, senior, Gardner-Webb.

Defensive backs — Nick Gesualdi, junior, Cornell; Danny Johnson, junior, Southern; Xavier Coleman, senior, Portland State; Jaylen Hill, senior, Jacksonville State.

Punter — Tate Lewis, senior, Southern Utah.

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More AP college football: www.collegefootball.ap.org