9 UT Martin Football Players Named To Big South-OVC Preseason Players To Watch

BRENTWOOD, Tenn. – Ahead of the 2024 season, Big South-OVC Football Association head coaches from the nine member schools nominated players as Preseason Players to Watch List.

Each team could select one player per offensive position (quarterback running back, wide receiver, tight end, offensive line, all-purpose and place kicker) to be included on the Watch List. Additionally, players were added to the defensive (defensive line, linebacker, defensive back) and special teams units (punter, kick return specialist, long snapper and punt return specialist).

Highlighting the list on offense for the Skyhawks was quarterback Kinkead Dent, running back Narkel LeFlore, wide receiver DeVonte Tanksley and offensive guard Drake Carroll. Defensively was defensive end Charles Perkins, linebacker Jaylon Sharpe and defensive back Oshae Baker. On special teams, long snapper Colton Peoples was recognized while Baker (punt return specialist) and LeFlore (all-purpose and kick return specialist) added to their respective honors.

The Predicted Order of Finish and Preseason Players of the Year will come out on Wednesday.

The upcoming year marks the second of play for the Big South-OVC Football Association. This year’s season will kick on August 24 when Southeast Missouri takes on North Alabama in the FCS Kickoff Classic as part of Week Zero.

Quarterback
Zolten Osborne (So.), Charleston Southern
Pierce Holley (Grad.), Eastern Illinois
Ren Hefley (Grad.), Gardner-Webb
Paxton DeLaurent (Sr.), Southeast Missouri
Draylen Ellis (Grad.), Tennessee State
Dylan Laible (Jr.), Tennessee Tech
Kinkead Dent (Grad), UT Martin
Nate Lamb (Sr.), Western Illinois

Running Back
Autavius Ison (So.), Charleston Southern
MJ Flowers (So.), Eastern Illinois
Carson Gresock (So.), Gardner-Webb
Robert Giaimo (Jr.), Lindenwood
Jordan Gant (R-So.), Tennessee State
Obie Sanni (Jr.), Tennessee Tech
Narkel LeFlore (Sr.), UT Martin
Torrance Famer Jr. (Sr.), Western Illinois

Wide Receiver
Noah Jennings (So.), Charleston Southern
Eli Mirza (Sr.), Eastern Illinois
Jordan Bly (Sr.), Gardner-Webb
Jeff Caldwell (Jr.), Lindenwood
Jalal Dean (Sr.), Tennessee State
Tremel Jones (Jr.), Tennessee Tech
DeVonte Tanksley (Grad.), UT Martin
Demari Davis (Jr.), Western Illinois

Tight End
Landon Sauers (R-Jr.), Charleston Southern
Anthony Manaves (Sr.), Eastern Illinois
Cole Schnieder (Jr.), Gardner-Webb
Danny Joiner (Jr.), Southeast Missouri
Jason Hoath Jr. (So.), Tennessee State
Hunter Barnhart (Sr.), Tennessee Tech
Brandon Lanier (Jr.), Western Illinois

Offensive Line
Ronnie Hayes II (R-Jr.), Charleston Southern
Sebastian Pares (Sr.), Eastern Illinois
CJ Dawson (So.), Gardner-Webb
Ethan Johnson (Jr.), Lindenwood
Zack Gieg (Sr.), Southeast Missouri
Connor Meadows (R-So.), Tennessee State
Logan Weedman (Jr.), Tennessee Tech
Drake Carroll (Grad.), UT Martin
Isaiah Foote (Jr.), Western Illinois

Defensive Line
Joshua Hill (Sr.), Charleston Southern
Joel Barrows (Sr.), Eastern Illinois
Ayden Bell (Sr.), Gardner-Webb
Kobe McClendon (Jr.), Lindenwood
Steven Lewis (Sr.), Southeast Missouri
Eriq George (So.), Tennessee State
Daniel Rickert (Jr.), Tennessee Tech
Charles Perkins (So.), UT Martin
Tre Henry (Sr.), Western Illinois

Linebacker
Tylan Hollis (R-Jr.), Charleston Southern
Elijawah Tolbert (Sr.), Eastern Illinois
Trevor Moffitt (Jr.), Gardner-Webb
Ethan Stuhlsatz (Jr.), Lindenwood
Bryce Norman (Sr.), Southeast Missouri
Ahmad Nelson (Sr.), Tennessee State
Aaron Swafford (Jr.), Tennessee Tech
Jaylon Sharpe (Grad.), UT Martin
Juan DelaCruz (Sr.), Western Illinois

Defensive Back
Trayson Fowler (Grad.), Charleston Southern
Kaleb Lyons (Jr.), Eastern Illinois
Raequan Ousley (Sr.), Gardner-Webb
Joedrick Lewis (Sr.), Southeast Missouri
Jalen McClendon (R-Jr.), Tennessee State
Tim Coutras (Jr.), Tennessee Tech
Oshae Baker (Sr.), UT Martin
Willie Jones (So.), Western Illinois

All-Purpose
Leon Thomas (So.), Charleston Southern
Edward Sayeed (Sr.), Gardner-Webb
Dayron Johnson (Sr.), Tennessee State
Kyron Cumby (Sr.), Tennessee Tech
Narkel LeFlore (Sr.), UT Martin

Placekicker
Jay Billingsley (Jr.), Gardner-Webb
DC Pippin (Jr.), Southeast Missouri
James Lowery (R-Sr.), Tennessee State
Hayden Olsen (Sr.), Tennessee Tech
Christiaan Masucci (Grad.), Western Illinois

Punter
Nick Bigelow (Sr.), Gardner-Webb
Jacob Horvath (So.), Eastern Illinois
Jackson Foster (Sr.), Tennessee State
Spencer Ashby (Sr.), Tennessee Tech
Jared Campbell (Sr.), Western Illinois

Kick Return Specialist
Leon Thomas (So.), Charleston Southern
Mark Aitken (Sr.), Eastern Illinois
Anthony Lowe (Sr.), Gardner-Webb
Dayron Johnson (Sr.), Tennessee State
Tremel Jones (Jr.), Tennessee Tech
Narkel LeFlore (Sr.), UT Martin

Punt Return Specialist
Leon Thomas (So.), Charleston Southern
Jordan Bly (Sr.), Gardner-Webb
Dayron Johnson (Sr.), Tennessee State
Tremel Jones (Jr.), Tennessee Tech
Oshae Baker (Sr.), UT Martin

Long Snapper
Noah Summers (R-So.) Charleston Southern
Jack Valente (Sr.), Eastern Illinois
Jamie Wilson (R-Jr.), Gardner-Webb
Carson Buchanan (Sr.), Tennessee State
Turner McLaughlin (Fr.), Tennessee Tech
Colton Peoples (Jr.), UT Martin