Davis earns MSC Defensive Freshman of the Year honor
Nov. 18—Cumberland linebacker Aaron Davis was named the Mid-South Conference Freshman of the Year and a first team all-conference member, the league announced Thursday.
Teammates Treylon Sheppard, Jalen Brown, Will Sanchez and Derek Taylor each get second team nods.
Davis had a breakout season this season earning the program's third Mid-South Conference Freshman of the Year honor — Nathan Jernigan in 2013 and Quan Johnson in 2011. The Alcoa product led the team in tackles posting 50 on the season and had 7.5 tackles for a loss and 5.5 sacks. Davis led the defense that ranked 13th in opponents rushing yards allowed.
Senior running back Sheppard earned all-conference honors for the fourth time in his career. He finished just shy of 1,000 yards with 967, 18th-most in the NAIA, and eight touchdowns. Sheppard eclipsed 3,000 rushing yards this season and is the only player since the program restarted in 1990 to reach that mark. He averaged 5.4 yards per carry.
Sophomore Sanchez was named second team all-conference as an offensive linenan. Sheppard and the rest of the run game was created by the offensive line unit led by Sanchez. He helped Cumberland finish seventh in the NAIA in rushing yards and sixth in rushing yards per game.
Junior Brown earned second team all-conference for the first time in his career. Brown was a force on the edge for Cumberland leading the team in sacks with 7.5 and ranking him 16th nationally. Brown finished with 38 tackles and 10.6 tackles for a loss.
Redshirt freshman Taylor earned second team honors as a defensive back. Taylor finished second on the team in tackles with 44, trailing only Davis. He had a team-high four interceptions ranking him with the fifth-most in the conference and 22nd-most in the NAIA.
Around the conference, former Phoenix wideout Jaylen Taylor, now a graduate student at Bethel, was named first-team All-MSC.
Mt. Juliet Christian had two alumni named to the team. Lindsey Wilson's Logan Collier is listed as an all-purpose player and return specialist while Blue Raider teammate Darius Hylick is a linebacker. Both are on the first team.
