NATCHITOCHES – The Northwestern State football team found a bit of balance on the 2023 Preseason All-Southland Conference Football Teams that were released Friday morning.
 
The Demons placed three of their six members on the first team and three on the second team as chosen by league coaches.
 
Two of Northwestern State's first-team selections are on offense – sophomore tight end Travon Jones and senior wide receiver Zach Patterson – while junior safety Kevin Davis Jr. earned first-team honors on defense.
 
A 6-foot-7, 220-pounder from Miami, Florida, Jones earned first-team All-Southland honors after catching 20 passes for 265 yards and a touchdown in his first season in Natchitoches.
 
Patterson was the Southland Conference Newcomer of the Year and a second-team All-Southland pick after catching 83 passes in his debut season. That total placed the 5-11, 180-pound product of Corinth, Mississippi, second in NSU single-season history in receptions. He enters the 2023 season 17 catches shy of 10^th place in Demon career history.
 
Davis Jr., a 6-foot, 190-pound junior from Freeport, Texas, ranked fourth on the Demons with 51 tackles (six for loss) and added his first career interception and a forced fumble during the 2023 season.
 
The Demons' trio of second-team selections all came on offense – running back Scooter Adams, wide receiver Ke'Nard King and offensive lineman D'Andre Richard.
 
Adams, a 5-9, 180-pound senior from Hallettsville, Texas, was third on the team in rushing yards (244) and sixth in receiving yards (220) while providing his customary big-play ability. Adams had a pair of receiving touchdowns that covered at least 80 yards, including an 84-yard scoring grab against Southeast Missouri State that stands as the sixth-longest passing play in school history.
 
A 5-10, 170-pound junior from Houston, King showcased his big-play ability in his first season as a Demon, ranking second on the team with a 15.7 yards per catch average, highlighted by a 59-yard touchdown grab against Southeast Missouri State. He also had a clutch fourth-down catch to keep the game-winning drive alive against Nicholls.
 
Richard, a 6-3, 300-pound junior from Baton Rouge, was part of an offensive line that allowed the Demons to pass for 268.9 yards per game a season ago, the second-highest total in the Southland and the 18^th-best nationally.
 
Davis, Richard and King all earned the first All-Southland honors of their careers.
 
The Demons kick off the 2023 season Sept. 2 at UL Lafayette in a 6:30 p.m. start.

First Team All-Conference Offense

Pos.	Name	School	Class	Hometown
QB	Zachary Clement*	Southeastern Louisiana	Jr.	Broussard, La.
RB	Collin Guggenheim	Nicholls	Jr.	Kenner, La.
RB	Khalan Griffin	Lamar	Jr.	Tyler, Texas
TE/HB	Travon Jones*	Northwestern State	So.	Miami, Fla.
WR	Zach Patterson*	Northwestern State	Sr.	Corinth, Miss.
WR	Karl Reynolds	HCU	Sr.	Humble, Texas
WR	Brandon Porter	UIW	Gr.	Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.
OL	John Allen*	Southeastern Louisiana	Sr.	Jackson, Miss.
OL	Evan Roussel*	Nicholls	Jr.	Lutcher, La.
OL	Jhy Orgeron*	Southeastern Louisiana	Jr.	Galliano, La.
OL	Jalen Bell	Southeastern Louisiana	Sr.	Amory, Miss.
OL	Stanley Mark^	UIW	Gr.	Seguin, Texas
OL	Mark Barthelemy^	Nicholls	Sr.	Opelousas, La.
PK	Garrison Smith*	McNeese	So.	Norwalk, Ohio
P	Austin Dunlap*	Southeastern Louisiana	Sr.	Slidell, La.

First Team All-Conference Defense

Pos.	Name	School	Class	Hometown
DL	Steven Parker*	UIW	Jr.	Dallas, Texas
DL	Perry Ganci*	Nicholls	Sr.	New Orleans, La.
DL	Jalyx Hunt*	HCU	Jr.	DeBary, Fla.
DL	Arlen Willaims*	Southeastern Louisiana	R-Sr.	Boothville, La.
LB	Rodney Dansby*	HCU	Jr.	Houston, Texas
LB	Donte' Daniels*	Southeastern Louisiana	Jr.	Slidell, La.
LB	Eli Ennis*	Nicholls	So.	Ohatchee, Ala.
DB	Jordan Jackson*	Nicholls	Sr.	Prairieville, La.
DB	Devion Hargrove	HCU	Jr.	Houston, Texas
DB	Kevin Davis Jr.	Northwestern State	Jr.	Freeport, Texas
DB	Brandon Richard	UIW	Gr.	San Antonio, Texas
DB	Tyler Morton	Nicholls	Jr.	St. Rose, La.
KR	Jaylon Spears	Nicholls	R-So.	New Orleans, La.
PR	Darius Lewis	Southeastern Louisiana	R-Jr.	New Orleans, La.

Second Team All-Conference Offense

Pos.	Name	School	Class	Hometown
QB	Eli Sawyer	Southeastern Louisiana	R-So.	Vestavia Hills, Ala.
RB	Rodeo Graham, Jr.	Southeastern Louisiana	So.	Baton Rouge, La.
RB	Scooter Adams	Northwestern State	R-Sr.	Hallettsville, Texas
TE/HB	Ivan Drobocky*	Southeastern Louisiana	Jr.	Bowling Green, Ky.
WR	Ke'Nard King	Northwestern State	Jr.	Houston, Texas
WR	Sevonne Rhea	Lamar	So.	Houston, Texas
WR	CJ Hardy	UIW	Gr.	Cypress, Texas
OL	Brockhim Wicks	Southeastern Louisiana	R-Jr.	Plaquemine, La.
OL	Cole Leclair	McNeese	So.	Middleburg, Fla.
OL	Christian Hood	HCU	Sr.	Marshall, Texas
OL	D'Andre Richard	Northwestern State	Jr.	Baton Rouge, La.
OL	Dylan Dauzart	McNeese	Jr.	Alexandria, La.
PK	Riley Callaghan*	Southeastern Louisiana	So.	Ashburn, Va.
P	Kylan Dupre	Nicholls	So.	Geismar, La.

Second Team All-Conference Defense

Pos.	Name	School	Class	Hometown
DL	Marcus Brown	UIW	Jr.	Houston, Texas
DL	Garrett Crawford	Southeastern Louisiana	Sr.	Slidell, La.
DL	Welland Williams	McNeese	R-So.	Reserve, La.
DL	Leon Young	Texas A&M-Commerce	Jr.	Dallas, Texas
LB	Kylin White	Nicholls	R-So.	Boutte, La.
LB	Herman Christophe IV	Southeastern Louisiana	Sr.	Plaquemine, La.
LB	Anthony Britton, Jr.	Southeastern Louisiana	Sr.	Stockbridge, Ga.
DB	Max Epps	Texas A&M-Commerce	Jr.	Spring, Texas
DB	Javon Davis	McNeese	So.	River Ridge, La.
DB	Kristian Pugh	Lamar	So.	Beaumont, Texas
DB	Ramond Stevens	Lamar^	Jr.	New Orleans, La.
DB	Tyrone Leggette	Southeastern Louisiana^	Sr.	New Orleans, La.
DB	Daryion Taylor	Texas A&M-Commerce^	Sr.	Humble, Texas
KR	Sean Krystoff-King	Texas A&M-Commerce	So.	Humble, Texas
PR	Dekaylon Taylor	UIW	So.	Longview, Texas