KANSAS CITY - Carson-Newman defensive back Desmond Fairell (Miami, Fla.), offensive lineman Phillip McDowell (Boiling Springs, S.C.) and linebacker Rondrow Peebles (Knoxville, Tenn.) have been named to D2Football.com's All-America teams.
Fairell made the first team defense while Peebles and McDowell were tabbed with honorable mention status for the defense and offensive, respectively. This is the fourth All-America team that Fairell has made. He's made the first team for the AFCA and D2CCA and the second team from the associated press. Should he be named an All-American by Don Hansen's Football Gazette, he'll become Carson-Newman's ninth all-time consensus All-American.
Andy Hibbett ('14), Kevin Day ('12), Steve Mellon ('95), Mike Clowney ('96), former Washington Redskin and Houston Texan Cedric Killings ('99), Clay Clevenger ('00), Michael Rigdon ('01) and Reggie Perkins ('03) are the other Eagles landing on five All-American teams.
Peebles lands on his third team after garnering first team honors from the Associated Press and second team accolades from the D2CCA. It's McDowell's second piece of postseason recognition after a second team honor from the AFCA.
Peebles is Carson-Newman's first All-American linebacker since Jaycob Coleman garnred the honor in 2013.
Peebles earned a pair of SAC Defensive Player of the Week awards this year. He was Carson-Newman's leading tackler with 93 stops.
Peebles also had 18.0 tackles for loss and 9.0 sacks. He tallied a game-changing interception against Limestone. Peebles was named national player of the week following his 12-tackle, 3.5-tackle for loss, 1.5-sack performance on opening night against West Florida. The 12 tackles are one of four double-digit tackle efforts on the year. He had 11 stops against Catawba, Newberry and Limestone.
Peebles tied Temoris Coats for the third most TFL in a single season in program history with 18. His nine sacks are the most by a Carson-Newman linebacker in a single season.
Fairell has put his name in the record books on Carson-Newman's all-time interceptions list. Fairell finished his Carson-Newman career with 19 career picks, that's the third most all-time.
The seven interceptions Fairell has this year are tied for the third most for a single-season in school history. Fairell led the South Atlantic Conference in interceptions, he is eighth nationally.
Fairell has also broken up 11 passes this year and is ninth nationally in passes defensed.
He helmed a secondary that picked off 22 passes this season, the fifth most in a single season in school history.
McDowell, recognized last year with All-America honors from Don Hansen's Football Gazette, becomes Carson-Newman's first two-time All-American since offensive lineman Michael Tribue was recognized in 2009 and 2010.
McDowell has helped clear the way for an offense that ranks fifth in the country in rushing with 292.7 yards per game, 25th in scoring in 36.8 points per game and 39th in total offense at 417.3 yards per game.
McDowell extended his school-record for knockdowns by an offensive lineman with another 44 knockdowns this year. He has a whopping 101 for his career, more than double Robby Ignagni, the previous record holder.
Additionally, McDowell cleared the way for a 1,000-yard rusher in his final three seasons in and orange and blue jersey. Through his blocking, he helped Antonio Wimbush (Kingland, Ga.) become the program's third 4,000-yard rusher.
This marks the third straight year McDowell represented Carson-Newman on the All-SAC first team.
D2Football.com Individual Award Winners
Offensive POY
Defensive POY
Coach of the Year
Jaleel McLaughlin
Austin Edwards
Pete Shinnick
Notre Dame
Ferris State
West Florida
QB
Roland Rivers III
6-3, 230, Sr.
Slippery Rock
RB
Jaleel McLaughlin
5-9, 175, So.
Notre Dame
RB
Daniel McCants
5-8, 175, Sr.
Tarleton State
WR
Craig Rucker
5-7, 175, Sr.
Mars Hill
WR
Zimari Manning
6-2, 200, Sr.
Tarleton State
TE
Zach Davidson
6-7, 245, Jr.
Central Missouri
OL
Brandon Kemp
6-7, 310, Sr.
Valdosta State
OL
Kyle Hinton
6-3, 310, Sr.
Washburn
OL
Grant Stewart
6-2, 305, Sr.
Colorado Mines
OL
Tyler Allison
6-3, 315, Sr.
Ferris State
OL
Even Heim
6-4, 305, Sr.
Minnesota State
DL
Austin Edwards
6-5, 280, Sr.
Ferris State
DL
Chris Garrett
6-4, 230, Jr.
Concordia-St. Paul
DL
Jaquan Artis
6-2, 245, Sr.
Lenoir-Rhyne
DL
Chauncy Haney
6-5, 245, Sr.
North Greenville
LB
Dominic Cizauskas
6-2, 255, Sr.
Glenville State
LB
Leon Eggleston
5-11, 224, Sr.
Wayne State (Mich.)
LB
Chris Hoad
6-0, 228, Sr.
UT-Permian Basin
DB
Kyle Duggar
6-2, 220, Sr.
Lenoir-Rhyne
DB
Prince Robinson
6-0, 190, Sr.
Tarleton State
DB
6-0, 185, Sr.
Carson-Newman
DB
Junior Faulk
6-1, 200, Jr.
Delta State
K
Dante Brown
5-10, 185, Sr.
Fort Hays
P
Isaac Parks
6-0, 210, Jr.
UNC-Pembroke
AP
Matt Cole
5-10, 200, Sr.
McKendree
QB
Rogan Wells
6-3, 210, Jr.
Valdosta State
RB
Nate Gunn
6-2, 220, Sr.
Minnesota State
RB
Cole Chancey
5-10, 195, Jr.
Harding
WR
Shane Zylstra
6-5, 215, Sr.
Minnesota State
WR
L'Liott Curry
6-2, 210, Sr.
Henderson State
TE
Erik Henneman
6-3, 235, Sr.
Lindenwood
OL
Adonis Sealey
6-2, 283, Sr.
Valdosta State
OL
Amon Simon
6-5, 275, Jr.
Texas A&M-Commerce
OL
Jake Lacina
6-4, 300, Sr.
Augustana
OL
Jason Poe
6-2, 250, Jr.
Lenoir-Rhyne
OL
Jimmy Burchett
6-4, 310, Jr.
Notre Dame
DL
Demetrice Lofton
6-4, 245, So.
Morehouse
DL
Heath Williams
6-2, 310, Sr.
Saginaw Valley
DL
Jackson Wibbels
6-1, 243, Sr.
CSU-Pueblo
DL
B.J. Jefferson
6-1, 245, Sr.
Tarleton State
LB
Drew Seers
6-1, 227, Jr.
Lindenwood
LB
Vada King
6-1, 225, Sr.
Delta State
LB
Brad Zaffram
6-1, 230, Sr.
Slippery Rock
DB
Lamont McPhatter II
5-11, 200, Sr.
Cal U
DB
Nick Ciccio
6-0, 190, So.
Colorado Mesa
DB
Michael Junker
5-10, 180, Sr.
Bemidji State
DB
Jarey Elder
5-11, 195, Sr.
West Chester
K
Jordan Walters
6-2, 200, Sr.
East Stroudsburg
P
JoseLuis Moreno
6-0, 180, Sr.
Minot State
AP
Trey Vaval
6-0, 165, Fr.
Missouri Western
QB
Brook Bolles
6-3, 205, Sr.
Central Missouri
QB
Cade Brister
6-0, 200, So.
Lindenwood
QB
Ben Holmes
6-0, 200, Sr.
Tarleton State
QB
Collin DiGalbo
6-0, 210, Sr.
Kutztown
QB
Quinton Maxwell
6-3, 229, Sr.
IUP
QB
Austin Reed
6-1, 210, Fr.
West Florida
RB
Deshaun Washington
5-10, 215, So.
Chowan
RB
JaQuan Hardy
5-10, 225, Jr.
Tiffin
RB
Justin Felder
5-8, 175, So.
Stonehill
RB
Michael Roots
5-10, 200, Jr.
Central Washington
WR
Tariq Bitson
6-2, 200, Jr.
Adams State
WR
Daniel Davis
5-11, 175, Sr.
Southwest Minnesota
WR
Mike Strachan
6-5, 225, Jr.
Charleston
WR
Shae Wyatt
6-0, 190, So.
Central Missouri
WR
Allie Freeman
5-9, 160, Sr.
Ouachita Baptist
WR
Henry Litwin
6-1, 195, Jr.
Slippery Rock
TE
Marqus Andrews
6-3, 245, Sr.
Northwest Missouri
TE
David Balint III
6-3, 225, So.
Shippensburg
TE
Qua Boyd
6-5, 245, Sr.
West Alabama
OL
Chris Larsen
6-4, 315, Sr.
Slippery Rock
OL
6-5, 315, Sr.
Carson-Newman
OL
Quentin Hall
6-6, 300, Sr.
Assumption
OL
Tanner Owen
6-5, 290, Jr.
Northwest Missouri
OL
Andrew Strickland
6-4, 290, Sr.
Wingate
OL
Joseph Gonzales
6-6, 315, Sr.
Western Oregon
OL
Samuel Antoine
6-4, 310, Sr.
West Florida
OL
Cori Gooseberry
6-3, 240, Sr.
Ouachita Baptist
DL
Joshua Pryor
6-4, 280, So.
Bowie State
DL
Alani Pututau
6-2, 235, Jr.
Adams State
DL
Antonio Washington
6-1, 274, Jr.
Southern Arkansas
DL
Ch'aim Smith
6-4, 255, Sr.
West Chester
DL
Sha'haun Williams
6-3, 260, Sr.
Notre Dame
DL
Spencer Phillips
6-3, 270, Sr.
Northwest Missouri
DL
Chad Kuhn
6-3, 240, Jr.
Slippery Rock
DL
Auzoyah Alufohai
6-4, 320, Sr.
West Georgia
LB
James Maxie
6-1, 230, Sr.
CSU-Pueblo
LB
6-2, 240, Jr.
Carson-Newman
LB
Maurice Wright Jr.
6-2, 242, Sr.
Northwestern Oklahoma
LB
Korie Rogers
6-2, 236, Sr.
West Georgia
LB
Isaiah Nkansah
6-2, 225, Sr.
Grand Valley
LB
Damon Lloyd
6-2, 228, Sr.
IUP
DB
Demetri Morsell
5-11, 170, So.
Bowie State
DB
Christopher Jefferson
5-10, 185, So.
Findlay
DB
Mercardo Anderson
5-10, 195, Sr.
Henderson State
DB
Daryus Skinner
5-11, 175, Sr.
Winston-Salem
DB
James Ceasar
5-10, 195, Sr.
Ferris State
K
Jefferson Souza
6-1, 185, Jr.
Virginia Union
P
Zach Gaines
6-1, 218, Sr.
West Alabama
AP
Dominique Ramsey
5-9, 190, Jr.
Texas A&M-Commerce
AP
Tobias Harris
5-9 180, So.
West Texas
