This season’s midweek MACtion should be spectacular once again as the Preseason All-MAC Team is loaded with talent. The MAC returns a crop of 1,000-yard rushers and some dominant receivers on offense, while the linebacking corps nominated here could start at any Power Five school across college football. Presented in conjunction with our release of our College Football All-Americans, we at PFN debut our 2022 preseason All-MAC Team, as voted on by our team of national analysts and NFL draft evaluators.
PFN’s 2022 All-MAC Team
It’s important to note that these teams may look a bit different than the All-Conference teams listed by each individual conference. Our teams mirror our All-Americans, taking into consideration not only what a player has accomplished to date but looking forward to what we expect to see based on the growth of the athlete’s career.
Offense | First team
QB: Dequan Finn, Toledo
RB: Lew Nichols III, Central Michigan
RB: Sean Tyler, Western Michigan
WR: Dante Cephas, Kent State
WR: Trayvon Rudolph, Northern Illinois
WR: Hassan Beydoun, Eastern Michigan
TE: Christian Sims, Bowling Green
FLEX: Marquez Cooper, Kent State
OT: Marques Cox, Northern Illinois
G: Dylan Deatherage, Western Michigan
C: Ethan Crowe, Ball State
G: Sidy Sow, Eastern Michigan
OT: Brian Dooley, Eastern Michigan
Defense | First team
EDGE: Desjuan Johnson, Toledo
DT: Daymond Williams, Buffalo
DT: Judge Culpepper, Toledo
EDGE: Karl Brooks, Bowling Green
LB: Darren Anders, Bowling Green
LB: James Patterson, Buffalo
LB: Jeslord Boateng, Akron
CB: Davon Ferguson, Bowling Green
CB: Charles Amankwaa, Akron
CB: Amechi Uzodinma II, Ball State
S: Tariq Drake, Ohio
S: Dean Clark, Kent State
FLEX: Jamal Hines, Toledo
Specialists | First team
PK: John Richardson, Northern Illinois
P: Luke Elzinga, Central Michigan
KR: Trayvon Rudolph, Northern Illinois
PR: Devin Maddox, Toledo
LS: Steve Bird, Eastern Michigan
If you blinked last season, you missed Dequan Finn’s dramatic surge to the top of the MAC QB rankings. Finn returns to give Toledo a chance to win any conference game on their schedule. Lew Nichols and Sean Tyler are back at their respective schools after toppling the 1,000-yard plateau with ease last year. Bowling Green’s Darren Anders was named a PFN First-Team All-American, while his cornerback teammate Davon Ferguson earned an Honorable Mention nod. The Falcons should once again be stingy on defense in 2022.
Offense | Second team
QB: Brett Gabbert, Miami
RB: Harrison Waylee, Northern Illinois
RB: La’Darius Jefferson, Western Michigan
WR: Jayshon Jackson, Ball State
WR: Yo’Heinz Tyler, Ball State
WR: Corey Crooms, Western Michigan
TE: Jack Coldiron, Miami
FLEX: Mac Hippenhammer, Miami
OT: Jeremiah Banks-Wall, Bowling Green
G: Logan Zschernitz, Northern Illinois
C: Rusty Feth, Miami
G: Tyden Ferris, Central Michigan
OT: Nolan Potter, Northern Illinois
Defense | Second team
EDGE: Max Michel, Buffalo
DT: Braden Fiske, Western Michigan
DT: Zach Morton, Akron
EDGE: Thomas Incoom, Central Michigan
LB: Tariq Speights, Eastern Michigan
LB: Matthew Salopek, Miami
LB: Corvin Moment, Western Michigan
CB: Jason Rucker-Furlow, Miami
CB: Donte Kent, Central Michigan
CB: Montre Miller, Kent State
S: Jacquez Warren, Miami
S: Nico Bolden, Kent State
FLEX: Bubba Arslanian, Akron
Specialists | Second team
PK: Andrew Glass, Kent State
P: Jonah Wieland, Ohio
KR: Sean Tyler, Western Michigan
PR: Jhaylin Embry, Bowling Green
LS: Franklin Lama, Central Michigan
The strength of the MAC isn’t just indicated by the first team as the second team offers some elite players. Eastern Michigan’s Tariq Speights is a tackling machine who brings down any ball carrier. Miami’s Mac Hippenhammer, a former Penn State transfer, is quite literally a dual-threat as his documented baseball success only pales in comparison to his ability on the football field.
Offense | Honorable mention
QB:
Daniel Richardson, Central Michigan
Rocky Lombardi, Northern Illinois
RB:
Carson Steele, Ball State
Samson Evans, Eastern Michigan
Jonzell Norrils, Akron
Ron Cook Jr., Buffalo
WR:
Dylan Drummond, Eastern Michigan
Quian Williams, Buffalo
Dallas Dixon, Central Michigan
Devin Maddox, Toledo
Cole Tucker, Northern Illinois
Tyrone Broden, Bowling Green
TE:
Kris Leach, Kent State
Joel Wilson, Central Michigan
FLEX:
Jalen Walker, Miami
DJ Irons, Akron
OT:
Zach Whaley, Kent State
Mitchell Berg, Toledo
Cabe Wallace, Buffalo
Sam Vaughn, Miami
G:
Ryan Beckman, Akron
Caleb Shaffer, Miami
J.J. Lippe, Northern Illinois
Jalen Grant, Bowling Green
C:
Jamezz Kimbrough, Central Michigan
Jakari Robinson, Bowling Green
Defense | Honorable mention
EDGE:
Andre Carter, Western Michigan
C.J. Bazile, Buffalo
Jose Ramirez, Eastern Michigan
Adin Huntington, Kent State
DT:
Rodney Mathews, Ohio
George Wolo, Buffalo
Austin Ertl, Miami
CJ West, Kent State
LB:
Brock Horne, Bowling Green
Justin Whiteside, Central Michigan
Cannon Blauser, Ohio
Nick Rattin, Northern Illinois
Zaire Barnes, Western Michigan
Clayton Coll, Ball State
CB:
Ronald Jackson Jr., Akron
Deshawn Jones Jr., Bowling Green
Quinyon Mitchell, Toledo
Nic Jones, Ball State
Jordan Gandy, Northern Illinois
Dorian Jackson, Western Michigan
S:
Marcus Fuqua, Buffalo
Jacquez Warren, Miami
Jaylen Kelly-Powell, Akron
Maxen Hook, Toledo
FLEX:
Alvin Floyd, Ohio
Kempton Shine, Eastern Michigan
Specialists | Honorable mention
PK:
Marshall Meeder, Central Michigan
Graham Nicholson, Miami
P:
Nick Mihalic, Western Michigan
Jackson Butler, Buffalo
KR:
Ron Cook Jr., Buffalo
Ja’Shaun Poke, Kent State
PR:
Jalen Walker, Miami
Hassan Beydoun, Eastern Michigan
LS:
Kyle Bauman, Akron
Evan Davis, Buffalo
For other Pro Football Network’s All-Conference Teams, view each conference here: ACC | B1G | Big 12 | Pac-12 | SEC | Independents | AAC | C-USA | MWC | Sun Belt