NATCHITOCHES – Record-breaking Northwestern State senior receiver and return specialist Ed Eagan, an All-American as a junior as an all-purpose player, picked up another preseason All-America honor Thursday from the country's leading FCS news service.
 
Eagan was a second-team selection as an all-purpose player on the STATS FCS Preseason All-America Team announced by the Sports Network and FCS Senior Editor Craig Haley.
 
The 5-10, 193-pound Eagan broke five school records and tied another for receiving and return production in 2014, and contributed to 24 other team and individual records established last season. The New Orleans-Holy Cross product was second nationally in all-purpose yards per game (181).
 
He was a second-team selection last December on the Associated Press FCS All-America Team. If he can repeat postseason honors, he would become the first two-time All-American at NSU since linebacker Derek Rose in 2010-11 and the 10^th to win All-America honors in multiple seasons.
 
Eagan set school receiving records with 73 catches last fall, 19 more than the old mark, and 238 yards against McNeese, tying the single-game receptions record of 13 at Abilene Christian. He broke the Demons' career and season kickoff return yardage marks while posting 1,045 yards this season and 2,125 in his career.
 
His 908 receiving yards, including six touchdowns, and 73 catches came in an offense with a 56-44 percent run-pass ratio. His all-purpose yardage of 2,169 yards was posted on 94 fewer touches than the only player who had a better per-game average, first-team AP All-American Johnta' Hebert, a running back and return specialist from Prairie View.
 
Eagan ranked 17^th in FCS with a 10.0 punt return average, including an 80-yard TD at Stephen F. Austin, and he was 36^th in the country with a 23.2 kickoff return average. His 6.1 receptions per game were 24^th nationally.
 
Eagan was voted first-team All-Southland at receiver, punt returner and as an all-purpose player, becoming the first Demon to earn three first-team all-conference honors in the same year.
 
Eagan is already in an elite group of 44 Demons all-time to win All-America honors. Offensive guard Walter Ledet was the Demons' first All-American, in 1938, while safety Al Dodd became the first two-time All-American in 1965-66. Linebacker Gary Reasons, a College Football Hall of Fame inductee, is the only Demon to win All-America in three seasons (1981-83).
 
Eagan played cornerback and returned kickoffs as a true freshman in 2012 before being shifted to receiver after Thomas became head coach for the 2013 season.
 
His 908 receiving yards in 2014 missed the single-season school record by 36 yards. His 2,169 all-purpose yards were second all-time, bettered only by the 2,277 from running back and kickoff returner Clarence Matthews in 1995.
 
He has 119 career receptions and is only eight away from breaking the career mark set by Derrick Doyle from 2002-06. Eagan ranks fifth in career all-purpose yards at NSU (3,861) with the record 5,025 by receiver/returner Toby Zeigler from 2002-05.
 
He was among nine Southland Conference players on the list. A total of 100 players from FCS programs nationally were named, representing 63 schools from all 13 FCS conferences.
 
Sam Houston offensive lineman Donald Jackson III, UCA defensive lineman Jonathan Woodard, and Southeastern defensive back Harlan Miller earned first team honors from the Southland.
 
Along with Eagan, second team selections from the Southland included McNeese defensive back Brent Spikes, SLU kick returner Xavier Roberson, and two Sam Houston players, defensive lineman P.J. Hall and punter Lachlan Edwards.
 
Earning third team honors was SFA offensive lineman Byron Williams.
 
 
STATS FCS PRESEASON ALL-AMERICA TEAM
FIRST TEAM OFFENSE
John Robertson, QB, Villanova
Marshaun Coprich, RB, Illinois State
Chase Edmonds, RB, Fordham
Dy'Shawn Mobley, RB, Eastern Kentucky
Seth Fisher, FB, Richmond
Cooper Kupp, WR, Eastern Washington
Darrin Peterson, WR, Liberty
Jake Wieneke, WR, South Dakota State
Josh Cook, TE, Idaho State
Jonathan Burgess, OL, Liberty
JP Flynn, OL, Montana State
Joe Haeg, OL, North Dakota State
Donald Jackson III, OL, Sam Houston State
Corey Levin, OL, Chattanooga
Johnta Hebert, AP, Prairie View A&M
John Lunsford, PK, Liberty
Pokey Harris, KR, Murray State
 
FIRST TEAM DEFENSE
James Cowser, DL, Southern Utah
Javon Hargrave, DL, South Carolina State
O.J. Mau, DL, Gardner-Webb
Jonathan Woodard, DL, Central Arkansas
Don Cherry, LB, Villanova
Luke Rhodes, LB, William & Mary
Darnell Sankey, LB, Sacramento State
Connor Underwood, LB, Indiana State
Casey DeAndrade, DB, New Hampshire
Jermaine Hough, DB, Jacksonville State
Harlan Miller, DB, Southeastern Louisiana
Donald Payne, DB, Stetson
Ben LeCompte, P, North Dakota State
Kameron Canaday, LS, Portland State
Antonio Hamilton, PR, South Carolina State
 
SECOND TEAM OFFENSE
Jacob Huesman, QB, Chattanooga
Vad Lee, QB, James Madison
Khairi Dickson, RB, Saint Francis
Connor Kacsor, RB, Dayton
Darius Victor, RB, Towson
Andrew Bonnet, FB, North Dakota State
Chris King, WR, Duquesne
Lance Lenoir, WR,Western Illinois
Madison Mangum, WR, Idaho State
Jordan Payne, TE, Alcorn State
Robert Booker, OL, Missouri State
Bruce Johnson, OL, Maine
Zack Johnson, OL, North Dakota State
Garrick Mayweather, OL, Fordham
Aaron Neary, OL, Eastern Washington
Ed Eagan, AP, Northwestern State
Chandler Curtis, AP, Mercer
Michael Schmadeke, PK, Northern Iowa
Xavier Roberson, KR, Southeastern Louisiana
 
SECOND TEAM DEFENSE
P.J. Hall, DL, Sam Houston State
Victor Ochi, DL, Stony Brook
Devaunte Sigler, DL, Jacksonville State
Chima Uzowihe, DL, Liberty
Kourtney Berry, LB, Alabama State
Deon King, LB, Norfolk State
Pat Meehan, LB, Illinois State
Christophe Mulumba, LB, Maine
James Bradberry, DB, Samford
DeAndre Houston-Carson, DB, William & Mary
Tim Kilfoy, DB, Northern Iowa
Brent Spikes, DB, McNeese State
Lachian Edwards, P, Sam Houston State
Josh Appel, LS, Indiana State
Ladarius Vanlier, PR, Tennessee Tech
 
THIRD TEAM OFFENSE
Dakota Prukop, QB, Montana State
Tre Roberson, QB, Illinois State
Xavier Finney, RB, Idaho State
De'Angelo Henderson, RB, Coastal Carolina
Herb Walker Jr., RB, Morgan State
Nick Butier, FB, Northern Arizona
Seth DeValve, WR, Princeton
Paul McRoberts, WR, SE Missouri State
William Morris, WR, Davidson
Duncan Fletcher, TE, Furman
Clay DeBord, OL, Eastern Washington
Brett Eyckmans, OL, Eastern Kentucky
Andrew Jones, OL, William & Mary
Cole Toner, OL, Harvard
Byron Williams, OL, Stephen F. Austin
Tarik Cohen, AP, North Carolian A&T
Ryan McCrum, PK, SE Missouri State
Devin Brown, KR, Coastal Carolina
 
THIRD TEAM DEFENSE
Trevor Bates, DL, Maine
Teddy Corwin, DL, Illinois State
Al Page, DL, Wagner
Derek Rivers, DL, Youngstown State
Akil Anderson, LB, New Hampshire
Kamu Grugier-Hill, LB, Eastern Washington
Cory Magwood, LB, Furman
James Rentz, LB, Sacred Heart
Kendrick Van Ackeren, LB, Montana
Miles Killebrew, DB, Southern Utah
Marcus Alford, DB, Northern Arizona
Matt Smalley, DB, Lafayette
Lucas Webb, DB, Chattanooga
Chris Fraser, P, Cornell
James Fisher, LS, North Dakota State
Michael Jones, PR, North Carolina Central