MONMOUTH’S JADEN SHIRDEN AND NORTH DAKOTA STATE’S COLE WISNIEWSKI HIGHLIGHT THE 2023 AFCA FCS COACHES’ ALL-AMERICA TEAMS
December 20, 2023
Monmouth (N.J.) running back Jaden Shirden and North Dakota State defensive back Cole Wisniewski headline the 2023 FCS Coaches’ All-America Team announced today by the American Football Coaches Association. The AFCA has selected an All-America team since 1945 and currently selects teams in all five of its divisions. What makes these teams so special is that they are the only ones chosen exclusively by the men who know the players the best — the coaches themselves.
Shirden earned his second straight AFCA All-America honor by leading the nation in rushing at the end of the regular season with 1,478 yards. It was the second straight season Shirden accomplished the feat, which earned him his second straight CAA Offensive Player of the Year honors. Wisniewski led the FCS with a school and Missouri Valley Football Conference-tying eight interceptions in 2023. He also recorded a team-high 92 tackles and five pass breakups.
First Team-Offense
Pos Name Ht. Wt. Cl. School Coach Hometown (High School)
QB Max Brosmer 6-2 221 Jr. New Hampshire Rick Santos Roswell, Ga. (Centennial)
RB *Jaden Shirden 5-9 195 Jr. Monmouth (N.J.) Kevin Callahan West Haven, Conn. (St. Joseph’s)
RB Isaiah Davis 6-1 220 Sr. South Dakota St. Jimmy Rogers Joplin, Mo. (Joplin)
WR Dymere Miller 6-0 180 Sr. Monmouth (N.J.) Kevin Callahan Coatesville, Pa. (Coatesville)
WR Ty James 6-2 200 Sr. Mercer Drew Cronic Conyers, Ga. (Greater Atlanta Christian School)
TE Cam Grandy 6-5 260 Sr. Illinois St. Brock Spack Benson, Ill. (Fieldcrest)
OL Garret Greenfield 6-7 320 Sr. South Dakota St. Jimmy Rogers Rock Valley, Iowa (Rock Valley)
OL Marcus Wehr 6-4 292 Jr. Montana St. Brent Vigen Billings, Mont. (Central)
OL Charles Grant 6-4 280 Jr. William & Mary Mike London Portsmouth, Va. (Churchland)
OL Jalen Sundell 6-5 300 Sr. North Dakota St. Matt Entz Maryville, Mo. (Maryville)
OL *Jacob Johanning 6-3 290 R-Sr. Furman Clay Hendrix Simpsonville, S.C. (St. Joseph’s)
First Team-Defense
Pos Name Ht. Wt. Cl. School Coach Hometown (High School)
DL Alex Gubner 6-3 284 R-Sr. Montana Bobby Hauck West Hills, Calif. (Chaminade Prep)
DL Terrell Allen 6-0 275 Gr. Tennessee St. Eddie George North Little Rock, Ark. (North Little Rock)
DL Anton Juncaj 6-3 273 Sr. UAlbany Greg Gattuso Port Jervis, N.Y. (Minisink)
DL *Jay Person 6-2 233 Sr. Chattanooga Rusty Wright Cleveland, Tenn. (Bradley Central)
LB Tristan Wheeler 6-2 228 R-Sr. Richmond Russ Huesman Bethlehem, Pa. (Freedom)
LB Micah Davey 6-2 239 R-So. McNeese Gary Goff Baton Rouge, La. (University Lab)
LB Brock Mogensen 6-2 235 Sr. South Dakota Bob Nielson Farmington, Minn. (Farmington)
DB Cole Wisniewski 6-4 217 Sr. North Dakota St. Matt Entz Sparta, Wis. (Sparta)
DB Myles Harden 6-0 200 Jr. South Dakota Bob Nielson Miami Gardens, Fla. (Miramar)
DB PJ Jules 6-1 209 Sr. Southern Illinois Nick Hill Orlando, Fla. (Jones)
DB Sheldon Arnold, II 6-1 191 Jr. ETSU George Quarles Loganville, Ga. (Loganville)
First Team-Special Teams
Pos Name Ht. Wt. Cl. School Coach Hometown (High School)
P Aidan Laros 6-2 210 R-So. UT Martin Jason Simpson Cape Town, South Africa (Northwood)
PK Kyle Ramsey 6-2 190 So. ACU Keith Patterson Missouri City, Tex. (Ridgepoint)
AP *Dylan Laube 5-10 208 Sr. New Hampshire Rick Santos Westhampton, N.Y. (Beach)
LS Hunter Brozio 6-1 233 Sr. North Dakota St. Matt Entz Lakeland, Fla. (Lake Gibson)
Second Team-Offense
Pos Name Ht. Wt. Cl. School Coach Hometown (High School)
QB Mark Gronowski 6-3 225 Jr. South Dakota St. Jimmy Rogers Naperville, Ill. (Neuqua Valley)
RB Jamar Curtis 5-8 164 So. Lafayette John Troxell Waldorf, Md. (St. John’s College H.S.)
RB Desmond Reid 5-8 170 So. Western Carolina Kerwin Bell Miami Gardens, Fla. (Miramar)
WR *Hayden Hatten 6-2 205 R-Jr. Idaho Jason Eck Scottsdale, Ariz. (Saguaro)
WR Sam Schnee 5-10 195 R-Sr. Northern Iowa Mark Farley Dubuque, Iowa (Senior)
TE Tyler Neville 6-4 235 Sr. Harvard Tim Murphy Williamsburg, Va. (Lafayette H.S.)
OL *Mason McCormick 6-5 315 Sr. South Dakota St. Jimmy Rogers Sioux Falls, S.D. (Roosevelt)
OL Gavin Olson 6-4 305 Sr. UT Martin Jason Simpson Memphis, Tenn. (Harding Academy)
OL Tyler Smith 6-8 310 R-Sr. Western Carolina Kerwin Bell Laurinburg, N.C. (Scotland County)
OL Luke Newman 6-4 310 Sr. Holy Cross Bob Chesney Bloomfield Hills, Mich. (Brother Rice)
OL Josiah Ezirim 6-6 320 Sr. Eastern Kentucky Walt Wells Hilliard, Ohio (Davidson)
Second Team-Defense
Pos Name Ht. Wt. Cl. School Coach Hometown (High School)
DL Brendan Webb 6-4 260 Sr. South Dakota Bob Nielson Buhler, Kan. (Buhler)
DL Thor Griffith 6-2 320 Sr. Harvard Tim Murphy Portsmouth, N.H. (Portsmouth)
DL Steven Parker 6-4 265 Jr. UIW Clint Killough Dallas, Tex. (South Oak Cliff)
DL Joey Slackman 6-4 300 Sr. Penn Ray Priore Commack, N.Y. (Commack)
LB Billy Shaeffer 6-3 232 Sr. Lafayette John Troxell Warrington, Pa. (Archbishop Wood)
LB Jacob Dobbs 6-0 237 Sr. Holy Cross Bob Chesney Macomb, Mich. (De La Salle Collegiate)
LB Jalyx Hunt 6-4 248 Sr. HCU Braxton Harris DeBary, Fla. (University)
DB Lance Wise Jr. 5-9 195 Sr. Mercer Drew Cronic Marietta, Ga. (Hillgrove)
DB Travis Blackshear 5-11 185 Gr. Furman Clay Hendrix Savannah, Ga. (Benedictine Military School)
DB Cameron Broussard 6-3 200 Jr. Sacramento St. Andy Thompson Folsom, Calif. (Folsom)
DB Caleb Curtain 6-1 191 R-So. Elon Tony Trisciani Greensboro, N.C. (Grimsley)
Second Team-Special Teams
Pos Name Ht. Wt. Cl. School Coach Hometown (High School)
P Brendan Hall 6-9 232 Jr. Montana St. Brent Vigen Springtown, Tex. (Springtown)
PK Matthew Cook 5-11 199 Sr. Northern Iowa Mark Farley Cedar Falls, Iowa (Cedar Falls)
AP Devron Harper 5-9 170 Sr. Mercer Drew Cronic Conyers, Ga. (Heritage)
*-2022 AFCA All-American
Team Background: The five teams now chosen for each AFCA division evolved from a single 11-player squad. From 1945 until 1967, only one team was chosen. From 1967 through 1971, two teams, University Division and College Division, were selected. In 1972, the College Division was split into College I and College II. In 1979, the University Division was split into two teams — Division I-A and Division I-AA. In 1996, the College I and College II teams were renamed Division II and Division III, respectively. In 2006, the Division I-A and Division I-AA teams were renamed Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) and Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), respectively. In 2006, the AFCA started selecting an NAIA-only team.
From 1965-81, a 22-player (11 offensive, 11 defensive) team was chosen. In 1982, a punter and placekicker were added to the team. A return specialist was added in 1997, giving us the current 25-player team. The return specialist position was replaced by an all-purpose player in 2006. The AFCA added a second team in 2016.
The Award: Members of the AFCA Coaches’ All-America First Team will receive a plaque commemorating their selection to the team, while members of the Second Team will receive a certificate.
For more information about the AFCA, visit www.AFCA.com. For more interesting articles, check out The Insider and subscribe to our weekly email.
If you are interested in more in-depth articles and videos, please become an AFCA member. You can find out more information about membership and specific member benefits on the AFCA Membership Overview page. If you are ready to join, please fill out the AFCA Membership Application.
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Monmouth (N.J.) running back Jaden Shirden and North Dakota State defensive back Cole Wisniewski headline the 2023 FCS Coaches’ All-America Team announced today by the American Football Coaches Association. The AFCA has selected an All-America team since 1945 and currently selects teams in all five of its divisions. What makes these teams so special is that they are the only ones chosen exclusively by the men who know the players the best — the coaches themselves.
Shirden earned his second straight AFCA All-America honor by leading the nation in rushing at the end of the regular season with 1,478 yards. It was the second straight season Shirden accomplished the feat, which earned him his second straight CAA Offensive Player of the Year honors. Wisniewski led the FCS with a school and Missouri Valley Football Conference-tying eight interceptions in 2023. He also recorded a team-high 92 tackles and five pass breakups.
| First Team-Offense | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pos | Name | Ht. | Wt. | Cl. | School | Coach | Hometown (High School) |
| QB | Max Brosmer | 6-2 | 221 | Jr. | New Hampshire | Rick Santos | Roswell, Ga. (Centennial) |
| RB | *Jaden Shirden | 5-9 | 195 | Jr. | Monmouth (N.J.) | Kevin Callahan | West Haven, Conn. (St. Joseph’s) |
| RB | Isaiah Davis | 6-1 | 220 | Sr. | South Dakota St. | Jimmy Rogers | Joplin, Mo. (Joplin) |
| WR | Dymere Miller | 6-0 | 180 | Sr. | Monmouth (N.J.) | Kevin Callahan | Coatesville, Pa. (Coatesville) |
| WR | Ty James | 6-2 | 200 | Sr. | Mercer | Drew Cronic | Conyers, Ga. (Greater Atlanta Christian School) |
| TE | Cam Grandy | 6-5 | 260 | Sr. | Illinois St. | Brock Spack | Benson, Ill. (Fieldcrest) |
| OL | Garret Greenfield | 6-7 | 320 | Sr. | South Dakota St. | Jimmy Rogers | Rock Valley, Iowa (Rock Valley) |
| OL | Marcus Wehr | 6-4 | 292 | Jr. | Montana St. | Brent Vigen | Billings, Mont. (Central) |
| OL | Charles Grant | 6-4 | 280 | Jr. | William & Mary | Mike London | Portsmouth, Va. (Churchland) |
| OL | Jalen Sundell | 6-5 | 300 | Sr. | North Dakota St. | Matt Entz | Maryville, Mo. (Maryville) |
| OL | *Jacob Johanning | 6-3 | 290 | R-Sr. | Furman | Clay Hendrix | Simpsonville, S.C. (St. Joseph’s) |
| First Team-Defense | |||||||
| Pos | Name | Ht. | Wt. | Cl. | School | Coach | Hometown (High School) |
| DL | Alex Gubner | 6-3 | 284 | R-Sr. | Montana | Bobby Hauck | West Hills, Calif. (Chaminade Prep) |
| DL | Terrell Allen | 6-0 | 275 | Gr. | Tennessee St. | Eddie George | North Little Rock, Ark. (North Little Rock) |
| DL | Anton Juncaj | 6-3 | 273 | Sr. | UAlbany | Greg Gattuso | Port Jervis, N.Y. (Minisink) |
| DL | *Jay Person | 6-2 | 233 | Sr. | Chattanooga | Rusty Wright | Cleveland, Tenn. (Bradley Central) |
| LB | Tristan Wheeler | 6-2 | 228 | R-Sr. | Richmond | Russ Huesman | Bethlehem, Pa. (Freedom) |
| LB | Micah Davey | 6-2 | 239 | R-So. | McNeese | Gary Goff | Baton Rouge, La. (University Lab) |
| LB | Brock Mogensen | 6-2 | 235 | Sr. | South Dakota | Bob Nielson | Farmington, Minn. (Farmington) |
| DB | Cole Wisniewski | 6-4 | 217 | Sr. | North Dakota St. | Matt Entz | Sparta, Wis. (Sparta) |
| DB | Myles Harden | 6-0 | 200 | Jr. | South Dakota | Bob Nielson | Miami Gardens, Fla. (Miramar) |
| DB | PJ Jules | 6-1 | 209 | Sr. | Southern Illinois | Nick Hill | Orlando, Fla. (Jones) |
| DB | Sheldon Arnold, II | 6-1 | 191 | Jr. | ETSU | George Quarles | Loganville, Ga. (Loganville) |
| First Team-Special Teams | |||||||
| Pos | Name | Ht. | Wt. | Cl. | School | Coach | Hometown (High School) |
| P | Aidan Laros | 6-2 | 210 | R-So. | UT Martin | Jason Simpson | Cape Town, South Africa (Northwood) |
| PK | Kyle Ramsey | 6-2 | 190 | So. | ACU | Keith Patterson | Missouri City, Tex. (Ridgepoint) |
| AP | *Dylan Laube | 5-10 | 208 | Sr. | New Hampshire | Rick Santos | Westhampton, N.Y. (Beach) |
| LS | Hunter Brozio | 6-1 | 233 | Sr. | North Dakota St. | Matt Entz | Lakeland, Fla. (Lake Gibson) |
| Second Team-Offense | |||||||
| Pos | Name | Ht. | Wt. | Cl. | School | Coach | Hometown (High School) |
| QB | Mark Gronowski | 6-3 | 225 | Jr. | South Dakota St. | Jimmy Rogers | Naperville, Ill. (Neuqua Valley) |
| RB | Jamar Curtis | 5-8 | 164 | So. | Lafayette | John Troxell | Waldorf, Md. (St. John’s College H.S.) |
| RB | Desmond Reid | 5-8 | 170 | So. | Western Carolina | Kerwin Bell | Miami Gardens, Fla. (Miramar) |
| WR | *Hayden Hatten | 6-2 | 205 | R-Jr. | Idaho | Jason Eck | Scottsdale, Ariz. (Saguaro) |
| WR | Sam Schnee | 5-10 | 195 | R-Sr. | Northern Iowa | Mark Farley | Dubuque, Iowa (Senior) |
| TE | Tyler Neville | 6-4 | 235 | Sr. | Harvard | Tim Murphy | Williamsburg, Va. (Lafayette H.S.) |
| OL | *Mason McCormick | 6-5 | 315 | Sr. | South Dakota St. | Jimmy Rogers | Sioux Falls, S.D. (Roosevelt) |
| OL | Gavin Olson | 6-4 | 305 | Sr. | UT Martin | Jason Simpson | Memphis, Tenn. (Harding Academy) |
| OL | Tyler Smith | 6-8 | 310 | R-Sr. | Western Carolina | Kerwin Bell | Laurinburg, N.C. (Scotland County) |
| OL | Luke Newman | 6-4 | 310 | Sr. | Holy Cross | Bob Chesney | Bloomfield Hills, Mich. (Brother Rice) |
| OL | Josiah Ezirim | 6-6 | 320 | Sr. | Eastern Kentucky | Walt Wells | Hilliard, Ohio (Davidson) |
| Second Team-Defense | |||||||
| Pos | Name | Ht. | Wt. | Cl. | School | Coach | Hometown (High School) |
| DL | Brendan Webb | 6-4 | 260 | Sr. | South Dakota | Bob Nielson | Buhler, Kan. (Buhler) |
| DL | Thor Griffith | 6-2 | 320 | Sr. | Harvard | Tim Murphy | Portsmouth, N.H. (Portsmouth) |
| DL | Steven Parker | 6-4 | 265 | Jr. | UIW | Clint Killough | Dallas, Tex. (South Oak Cliff) |
| DL | Joey Slackman | 6-4 | 300 | Sr. | Penn | Ray Priore | Commack, N.Y. (Commack) |
| LB | Billy Shaeffer | 6-3 | 232 | Sr. | Lafayette | John Troxell | Warrington, Pa. (Archbishop Wood) |
| LB | Jacob Dobbs | 6-0 | 237 | Sr. | Holy Cross | Bob Chesney | Macomb, Mich. (De La Salle Collegiate) |
| LB | Jalyx Hunt | 6-4 | 248 | Sr. | HCU | Braxton Harris | DeBary, Fla. (University) |
| DB | Lance Wise Jr. | 5-9 | 195 | Sr. | Mercer | Drew Cronic | Marietta, Ga. (Hillgrove) |
| DB | Travis Blackshear | 5-11 | 185 | Gr. | Furman | Clay Hendrix | Savannah, Ga. (Benedictine Military School) |
| DB | Cameron Broussard | 6-3 | 200 | Jr. | Sacramento St. | Andy Thompson | Folsom, Calif. (Folsom) |
| DB | Caleb Curtain | 6-1 | 191 | R-So. | Elon | Tony Trisciani | Greensboro, N.C. (Grimsley) |
| Second Team-Special Teams | |||||||
| Pos | Name | Ht. | Wt. | Cl. | School | Coach | Hometown (High School) |
| P | Brendan Hall | 6-9 | 232 | Jr. | Montana St. | Brent Vigen | Springtown, Tex. (Springtown) |
| PK | Matthew Cook | 5-11 | 199 | Sr. | Northern Iowa | Mark Farley | Cedar Falls, Iowa (Cedar Falls) |
| AP | Devron Harper | 5-9 | 170 | Sr. | Mercer | Drew Cronic | Conyers, Ga. (Heritage) |
*-2022 AFCA All-American
Team Background: The five teams now chosen for each AFCA division evolved from a single 11-player squad. From 1945 until 1967, only one team was chosen. From 1967 through 1971, two teams, University Division and College Division, were selected. In 1972, the College Division was split into College I and College II. In 1979, the University Division was split into two teams — Division I-A and Division I-AA. In 1996, the College I and College II teams were renamed Division II and Division III, respectively. In 2006, the Division I-A and Division I-AA teams were renamed Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) and Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), respectively. In 2006, the AFCA started selecting an NAIA-only team.
From 1965-81, a 22-player (11 offensive, 11 defensive) team was chosen. In 1982, a punter and placekicker were added to the team. A return specialist was added in 1997, giving us the current 25-player team. The return specialist position was replaced by an all-purpose player in 2006. The AFCA added a second team in 2016.
The Award: Members of the AFCA Coaches’ All-America First Team will receive a plaque commemorating their selection to the team, while members of the Second Team will receive a certificate.
For more information about the AFCA, visit www.AFCA.com. For more interesting articles, check out The Insider and subscribe to our weekly email.
If you are interested in more in-depth articles and videos, please become an AFCA member. You can find out more information about membership and specific member benefits on the AFCA Membership Overview page. If you are ready to join, please fill out the AFCA Membership Application.
