CHATTANOOGA---Senior offensive lineman McClendon Curtis and junior edge Jay Person took top Chattanooga Mocs billing as the Southern Conference announced its postseason honors Tuesday for the 2022 campaign.
 
Both continue the Mocs dominance on both sides of the ball.

• Curtis is the fifth Jacobs Blocking Award winner in the last nine years (3 in a row) joining Tennessee Titan Corey Leven (2014, 2015) and New England Patriot first round pick Cole Strange (2020-21, 2021). The Jacobs Blocking Award goes to the top offensive lineman in the league. Mike Nease won it in 1983 and also played in the NFL (Philadelphia Eagles). Curtis is headed to the Reese's Senior Bowl in January to begin his trek to the 2023 NFL Draft.
• Person is the second straight Defensive Player of the Year following teammate Devonnsha Maxwell. He joins Maxwell (2021), Baltimore Raven Isaiah Mack (2018) and defensive ends Keionta Davis (2016) and Davis Tull (2012, 2013, 2014) to win the honor playing on the Mocs front 4.

 
"Both of them are very deserving," Coach Rusty Wright began. "They both elevated their games and played at a high level. It shows what kind of players they are, and what they do during the course of a game. It's to see people recognize them that way."
 
The Mocs boasted six first team and four second team All-SoCon honorees along with three on the All-Freshman team. Curtis, Person, running back Ailym Ford, defensive tackle Devonnsha Maxwell, linebacker Ty Boeck and cornerback Kameron Brown were all consensus first team selections by the league's coaches as well as media bloc. Defensive end Ben Brewton was the lone consensus second team performer after first team honors in 2021.
 
Joining Brewton on the coaches second team was defensive tackle Marlon Taylor. The media added a pair of sophomores in offensive lineman Reid Williams and slot safety Reuben Lowery III. All-Freshman picks included safety Josh Battle, offensive lineman Bryce Goodner along with wide receivers Sam Phillips and Javin Whatley.
 
"It's a good year for those guys," Wright added. "They were our better players, solid and I think it shows. Their durability to make it through a season and be recognized that way. They all had good years and really excited for all of them."
 
There were two more bits of major news with the finalists for the Stats Perform Walter Payton and Buck Buchanan Awards. The Payton goes to the national offensive player of the year with the Buchanan as its counterpart on the defensive side of the ball. The Mocs are prominent in the final 30 on both sides of the ball. Absolutely no surprise seeing Ford (Payton) and Person (Buchanan) listed among the nation's elite.
 

The man is tuff. Some say, too tuff. 🚂@limfordisabeast named as a 2022 Walter Payton Award finalist!

🔗 https://t.co/8WeJKmpkDA#GoMocs pic.twitter.com/RqYsz0dqQx

— Chattanooga Football (@GoMocsFB) November 22, 2022

 

SCARY off the edge 👀@jasonperson78 has been named a Buck Buchanan Award finalist!

🔗 https://t.co/gihOynwWA1#GoMocs pic.twitter.com/Y1ct1DvlbP

— Chattanooga Football (@GoMocsFB) November 22, 2022

 
2022 All-SoCon Team – Coaches
Defensive Player of the Year: Jay Person, Chattanooga
Jacobs Blocking Award: McClendon Curtis, Chattanooga
Offensive Player of the Year: Michael Hiers, Samford
Freshman of the Year: Desmond Reid, Western Carolina
Coach of the Year: Chris Hatcher, Samford
 
Offense

Pos	First Team	Second Team
QB	Michael Hiers, Samford	Fred Payton, Mercer
RB	Ailym Ford, Chattanooga	Dominic Roberto, Furman
RB	Jacob Saylors, ETSU	Desmond Reid, Western Carolina
OL	McClendon Curtis, Chattanooga	Tereis Drayton, The Citadel
OL	Joe Schreiber, ETSU	John Thomas, Mercer
OL	Jacob Johanning, Furman	Jabari Brooks, Samford
OL	Anderson Tomlin, Furman	Gavin Orr, Samford
OL	Pearson Toomey, Furman	Tyler Smith, Western Carolina
TE	Ryan Miller, Furman	Drake Starks, Mercer
WR	Devron Harper, Mercer	Chandler Smith, Samford
WR	Ty James, Mercer	Kendall Watson, Samford

 
Defense

Pos	First Team	Second Team
DL	Jay Person, Chattanooga	Marlon Taylor, Chattanooga
DL	Devonnsha Maxwell, Chattanooga	Ben Brewton, Chattanooga
DL	Cameron Coleman, Furman	K.J. Milner, Western Carolina
DL	Michael Mason, Wofford	Solomon Zubairu, Mercer
LB	Ty Boeck, Chattanooga	Hasan Black, The Citadel
LB	Chandler Martin, ETSU	Isaac Dowling, Mercer
LB	Stone Snyder, VMI	Nathan East, Samford
DB	Kameron Brown, Chattanooga	Lance Wise, Mercer
DB	Alijah Huzzie, ETSU	Hakeem Johnson, Samford
DB	Alex Oliver, VMI	Travis Blackshear, Furman
DB	Hugh Ryan, Furman	Andreas Keaton, Western Carolina

 
Special Teams

Pos	First Team	Second Team
PK	Tyler Keltner, ETSU	Colby Kintner, The Citadel
P	Jack Culbreath, VMI	Bradley Porcellato, Samford
LS	Robert Soderholm, VMI	Steele Judy, Cit/Kevin Thompson, WCU
Ret	Devron Harper, Mercer	Wayne Anderson, Furman

 
All-Freshman

Offense	Defense	Special Teams
Sam Phillips, Chatt.	Josh Battle, Chatt.	Trace Kelly, ETSU
Javin Whatley, Chatt.	Alex Mitchell, Chatt.	A.J. Colombo, WCU
Bryce Goodner, Chatt.	Davion Hood, ETSU	Bridger Jones, Wofford
Tyzen Wilkerson, Mercer	Geoffrey Speight, VMI
Neyland Walker, WCU	Samaurie Dukes, WCU
Dylan Djete, Wofford	Hayward McQueen, WCU
Kyle Parsons, Wofford	Jalen Marshall, Wofford

 
2022 All-SoCon Team – Media Vote
Defensive Player of the Year: Jay Person, Chattanooga
Offensive Player of the Year: Michael Hiers, Samford
Freshman of the Year: Desmond Reid, Western Carolina
Coach of the Year: Chris Hatcher, Samford
 
Offense

Pos	First Team	Second Team
QB	Michael Hiers, Samford	Fred Payton, Mercer
RB	Ailym Ford, Chattanooga	Dominic Roberto, Furman
RB	Jacob Saylors, ETSU	Jaylen Thomas, Samford
OL	McClendon Curtis, Chattanooga	Reid Williams, Chattanooga
OL	Gavin Orr, Samford	Pearson Toomey, Furman
OL	Jacob Johanning, Furman	Jabari Brooks, Samford
OL	Anderson Tomlin, Furman	Joe Schreiber, ETSU
OL	John Thomas, Mercer	Riley Adcock, Mercer/Tereis Drayton, Citadel
TE	Ryan Miller, Furman	Drake Starks, Mercer
WR	Devron Harper, Mercer	Ty James, Mercer
WR	Chandler Smith, Samford	Kendall Watson, Samford

 
Defense

Pos	First Team	Second Team
DL	Jay Person, Chattanooga	Ben Brewton, Chattanooga
DL	Devonnsha Maxwell, Chattanooga	Chris Hill/ Solomon Zubairu, Mercer
DL	K.J. Milner, Western Carolina	Cameron Coleman, Furman
DL	Michael Mason, Wofford	Seth Simmer, Samford
LB	Ty Boeck, Chattanooga	Hasan Black, The Citadel
LB	Chandler Martin, ETSU	Stone Snyder, VMI
LB	Isaac Dowling, Mercer	Braden Gilby, Furman
DB	Kameron Brown, Chattanooga	Reuben Lowery III, Chattanooga
DB	Alijah Huzzie, ETSU	Lance Wise/T.J. Moore, Mercer
DB	Alex Oliver, VMI	Dominick Poole, Citadel
DB	Hugh Ryan, Furman	Isaiah Richardson, Samford

 
Special Teams

Pos	First Team	Second Team
PK	Tyler Keltner, ETSU	Richard McCollum, Western Carolina
P	Trey Turk, Mercer	Jack Culbreath, VMI
LS	Robert Soderholm, VMI	Steele Judy, Citadel
Ret	Devron Harper, Mercer	Wayne Anderson, Furman

 
Honorees by Position (15 Mocs selected-POTY italicized)
Running Back (1): Ailym Ford (All-SoCon 1st team)
Wide Receiver (2): Sam Phillips (All-Freshman), Javin Whatley (All-Freshman)
Offensive Line (3): McClendon Curtis (All-SoCon 1st), Reid Williams (All-SoCon 2nd), Bryce Goodner (All-Freshman)
Defensive Line/Edge (4): Jay Person (All-SoCon 1st), Devonnsha Maxwell (All-SoCon 1st), Ben Brewton (All-SoCon 2nd), Marlon Taylor (All-SoCon 2nd)
Linebacker (2): Ty Boeck (All-SoCon 1st), Alex Mitchell (All-Freshman)
Defensive Back (3): Kameron Brown (All-SoCon 1st), Reuben Lowery III (All-SoCon 2nd), Josh Battle (All-Freshman)
 
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