NATCHITOCHES – Defensive lineman Deon Simon, cornerback Imoan Claiborne and cornerback Fred Thomas headlined eight picks for the Demons when the Southland Conference unveiled its preseason all-conference football team Wednesday.
 
Simon, Claiborne and Thomas were all named first team selections to the league's defensive team, and defensive end JeMarcus Marshall, defensive back Adam Jones and punt returner Ed Eagan were voted second team. Offensive lineman Austin Douglas and all-purpose back Daniel Taylor were picked on the offense's second team.
 
Simon (6-4, 315) is a senior native of Baton Rouge (Glen Oaks HS), and has 67 career tackles and 6.5 career sacks as a Demon. The three-year letterman started all 12 games in 2013, and recorded 42 tackles with seven for loss.
 
Claiborne is a 5-11, 187 senior from Alexandria (Alexandria Senior HS). He was added to the 2014 College Football Performance Awards Watch List as one of the top 38 defensive backs at the Division I FCS level in June.
 
He was not thrown at often last season, but made 37 tackles, snagged two interceptions and broke up four passes. He ran back one pickoff 48 yards for a touchdown to get the Demons on the scoreboard early in a season-ending 40-27 win over rival Stephen F. Austin.
 
Thomas (5-10, 160), a senior from Covent (Lutcher HS), has 70 career tackles in two seasons as a Demon.  Last season, he led the team with three interceptions and seven pass breakups. 
 
He had a pivotal interception against Central Arkansas that helped lock up a 31-28 win over the Bears.
 
The College Sports Journal named Marshall, a 6-3, 245 sophomore from Monroe, as a first-team Freshman All-American after the 2013 season.   He had 25 tackles and 8.5 sacks, the team's leader.
 
He broke through with a season high five tackles, 3.5 for loss, against Langston.
 
Jones (6-2, 196) is a sophomore from Katy, Texas, and finished second on the team in total tackles (73) and assisted tackles (34).  He led the Demon in tackles for loss with 14 for a loss of 38 yards.
 
Eagan, a 5-10, 181 junior out of New Orleans (Holy Cross HS), was the Demon's second-leading receiver and top return specialist from 2013. He returned 13 punts for 124 yards, and 34 kickoffs for 798 yards.  Both his kickoff returns and return yardage were Northwestern State records.
 
Douglas, who was named as the 2014 Joe Delaney Bowl Most Valuable Player, is a 6-1, 304 Batesville, Miss., native. He appeared in every game in 2013, and started 10.
 
He finished with 80 percent grades against Nicholls (58 snaps) and Lamar (71 snaps).
 
Daniel Taylor (5-7, 160) is a native of Covent (Lutcher HS), and has 144 career rushes and receptions, ad has found the end zone every 13 times he's touched the ball. Last season he was second on the team in rushing with 395 yards, and fourth on the team in all-purpose yards 523.
 
Returning student-athletes who earned all-conference honors at the conclusion of the 2013 season (Claiborne) were automatically named to the preseason teams. Head coaches from the 11 schools that play football in the Southland Conference voted for the remaining 38 positions, which included five on the first-team offense, four on the first-team defense, 14 positions on the second-team offense and 15 on the second-team defense. Coaches could not vote for their own players.
 
The conference's two preseason polls – coaches and sports information directors – will be announced July 23 at media day.
 
Preseason camp begins Aug. 2 for the Demons, who will stage their first practice on Aug. 5.  Fall Sports Media Days is Aug. 6.
 
The regular season begins Thursday, Aug. 28 against Missouri State in Turpin Stadium.
 
2014 Preseason All-Southland Conference Football Teams

First-Team Offense
Pos.	Name	University	Ht.	Wt.	Cl.	Hometown
QB	Bryan Bennett	Southeastern La.	6-3	205	Sr.	Granada Hills, Calif.
RB	Gus Johnson	Stephen F. Austin	5-10	224	Sr.	Gilmer, Texas
RB	Rasheed Harrell	Southeastern La.	5-10	195	Jr.	Miami, Fla.
TE/HB	Zach Hetrick	McNeese State	6-3	246	So.	Baton Rouge, La.
WR	Reggie Begelton	Lamar	6-2	200	Jr.	Beaumont, Texas
WR	Dezmin Lewis	Central Arkansas	6-4	212	Sr.	Mesquite, Texas
WR	Tyler Boyd	Stephen F. Austin	5-10	185	Sr.	Daingerfield, Texas
OL	Antoine Everett	McNeese State	6-3	325	Sr.	Richmond, Texas
OL	Donald Jackson	Sam Houston State	6-2	270	Jr.	Kilgore, Texas
OL	Cole Caruthers	Central Arkansas	6-4	292	Sr.	Sugar Land, Texas
OL	Jonathan Braddock	Southeastern La.	6-4	285	Sr.	Ripley, Miss.
OL	Quentin Marsh	McNeese State	6-3	310	Jr.	Dickinson, Texas
AP	Xavier Roberson	Southeastern La.	5-9	170	Jr.	Atlanta, Ga.
PK	Luc Swimberghe	Sam Houston State	6-0	185	So.	Tyler, Texas
First-Team Defense
Pos.	Name	University	Ht.	Wt.	Cl.	Hometown
DL	Jonathan Woodard	Central Arkansas	6-6	271	Jr.	Brentwood, Tenn.
DL	Everett Ellefsen	McNeese State	6-3	233	Sr.	Madisonville, La.
DL	Jacob Newman	Southeastern La.	6-2	275	Sr.	Visalia, Calif.
DL	Deon Simon	Northwestern State	6-4	315	Sr.	Baton Rouge, La.
LB	Isiah Corbett	Southeastern La.	6-3	250	Sr.	Belle Glade, Fla.
LB	Bo Brown	McNeese State	6-1	232	Jr.	Katy, Texas
LB	Drew Misita	Southeastern La.	6-1	245	Sr.	Amite, La.
DB	Harlan Miller	Southeastern La.	6-0	180	Jr.	Kentwood, La.
DB	Imoan Claiborne	Northwestern State	5-11	187	Sr.	Alexandria, La.
DB	Mike Wade	Sam Houston State	5-11	195	Sr.	Arp, Texas
DB	Aaron Sam	McNeese State	5-9	182	Sr.	Lake Charles, La.
DB	Fred Thomas	Northwestern State	5-10	168	Sr.	Lutcher, La.
P	Jean Breaux	McNeese State	5-10	170	Jr.	Scott, La.
KR	Xavier Roberson	Southeastern La.	5-9	180	Jr.	Atlanta, Ga.
PR	Kevin Johnson	Lamar	6-0	210	Sr.	Houston, Texas
Second-Team Offense
Pos.	Name	University	Ht.	Wt.	Cl.	Hometown
QB	Caleb Berry	Lamar	6-2	195	Sr.	Needville, Texas
RB	Kelvin Bennett	McNeese State	5-11	170	Jr.	Bleakwood, Texas
RB	Keshawn Hill	Sam Houston State	5-10	205	Sr.	Klein, Texas
TE/HB	Shane Young	Sam Houston State	6-4	253	Sr.	Lago Vista, Texas
WR	Jeff Smiley	Southeastern La.	5-9	175	Jr.	Flower Mound, Texas
WR	Damien Watts	Central Arkansas	5-10	197	Sr.	Texarkana, Texas
WR	Ernest Celestie	McNeese State	5-11	190	Sr.	Lake Charles, La.
OL	C.J. Simon	Central Arkansas	6-3	296	Sr.	Kingwood, Texas
OL	Byron Williams	Stephen F. Austin	6-4	302	Jr.	Dickinson, Texas
OL	Austin Douglas	Northwestern State	6-1	320	Sr.	Batesville, Miss.
OL	Justin Brock	Lamar	6-5	300	Jr.	Beaumont, Texas
OL	Joe Graves	Southeastern La.	6-3	320	Jr.	Covington, La.
AP	Daniel Taylor	Northwestern State	5-10	160	Jr.	Convent, La.
PK	Eddie Camara	Central Arkansas	5-9	168	Sr.	Cedar Hill, Texas
Second-Team Defense
Pos.	Name	University	Ht.	Wt.	Cl.	Hometown
DL	T.J. Randall	Central Arkansas	6-3	291	Sr.	Lee's Summit, Mo.
DL	A.J. Bowen	Southeastern La.	6-2	320	Jr.	Olive Branch, Miss.
DL	JeMarcus Marshall	Northwestern State	6-3	241	So.	Monroe, La.
DL	Gary Lorance	Sam Houston State	6-0	290	Sr.	New Boston, Texas
LB	Justin Church	Southeastern La.	6-4	235	Sr.	Mandeville, La.
LB	Davin Bovie	Nicholls	5-11	180	Sr.	Waggaman, La.
LB	Kaleb Muse	Southeastern La.	6-0	255	Sr.	Ponchatoula, La.
DB	Gabe Hamner	McNeese State	6-0	190	Jr.	Sealy, Texas
DB	Dillon Winfrey	Central Arkansas	5-8	174	Jr.	Bryant, Ark.
DB	Tyler Stoddard	Southeastern La.	6-2	210	Sr.	Westlake, La.
DB	Adam Jones	Northwestern State	6-2	197	So.	Katy, Texas
DB	Byron Cobb	Nicholls	5-10	175	Sr.	St. Francisville, La.
P	Nick Bruno	Stephen F. Austin	5-11	197	Jr.	Rowlett, Texas
KR	Jatavious Wilson	Central Arkansas	5-9	171	So.	Bastrop, La.
PR	Ed Eagan	Northwestern State	5-10	181	Jr.	New Orleans, La.