Meet the Times-Union's 2023 All-FBS team: The First Coast's best in college football

Three conference honorees. A 1,000-2,000 season. That's just the beginning.

Maybe 2023 was the First Coast's year of the quarterback in college football.

The just-completed college season was a banner year for quarterbacks as the Times-Union releases its annual First Coast All-FBS team, highlighting top Jacksonville-area performers across the Football Bowl Subdivision.

The list includes multiple all-conference selections as well as a national champion in former Bartram Trail linebacker Micah Pollard, who saw part-time action in Michigan's run to a College Football Playoff triumph.

The star position this year: quarterback.

Leading the way was former Mandarin Mr. Football winner Carson Beck, who threw for nearly 4,000 yards on a Bulldogs team that fell short of a third consecutive national title but did win the Orange Bowl with a 13-1 record.

Meanwhile, Boston College's Thomas Castellanos (Ware County) passed for 2,248 yards and ran for 1,113, South Alabama's Carter Bradley (Providence) was an honorable mention All-Sun Belt pick and Western Kentucky's Austin Reed (St. Augustine) was honorable mention Conference USA.

Navy's Tai Lavatai, Wake Forest's Santino Marucci and Nebraska's Jeff Sims also saw starting duty in an active year for area signal-callers.

In all, 157 players from the area appeared on FBS rosters in 2023, a drop of more than 15 percent from last year's 188. That decrease reflects multiple factors: transfers to FCS and Division II, an unusually large NFL Draft class in the spring and particularly the expiration of many athletes' eligibility in the aftermath of the COVID-19 bonus year.

The SEC moved to the top of the list for most Jacksonville-area players on its roster with 31, displacing the American Athletic Conference after the latest round of realignment. Next were the ACC (24), American Athletic (19), Conference USA (19), Big Ten (17) and Big 12 (13).

Sandalwood led with 12 players on FBS rosters this year, followed by Bartram Trail, Bolles and Trinity Christian (10 each), followed by Camden County (seven), Lee/Riverside, Mandarin and Oakleaf (six each).

OFFENSE

QB Carson Beck

Jr., Georgia, Mandarin

Second-team All-SEC passer completed 302 of 417 attempts for 3,941 yards, 24 TD and 6 INT in 14 games.

RB Myles Montgomery

So.*, Cincinnati, Fletcher

Rushed 66 times for 428 yards, 3 TD in 12 games; transferring to UCF for 2024.

RB Jaquez Moore

Jr., Duke, Suwannee

Rushed 116 times for 674 yards and 6 TD in 13 games.

WR Pat Bryant

Jr., Illinois, Atlantic Coast

Led Illini with seven receiving TDs; caught 43 passes for 560 yards.

WR Kris Mitchell

Jr.*, FIU, Mandarin

Second-team C-USA receiver set FIU records with 1,118 receiving yards on 64 catches for 7 TD; announced transfer to Notre Dame.

TE Josiah Johnson

Sr.*, Oklahoma St., Bolles

Converted QB caught 22 passes for 166 yards and a TD in 12 games.

OL Jalen Rivers

So.*, Miami, Oakleaf

Played in 12 games at starting left tackle; second-team All-ACC.

OL Brendan Black

Fr., Iowa St., Bolles

Freshman worked way into O-line, playing 10 games; first Cyclone lineman to start as true freshman since 2008.

OL Joshua Braun

Jr.*, Arkansas, Suwannee

Florida transfer started all 12 games at guard; second-team All-SEC.

OL Bradley Ashmore

Sr., Vanderbilt, Fletcher

Started all 12 games at right tackle or right guard; declared in December for NFL Draft.

OL Austin Barber

So.*, Florida, Trinity Christian

Starting left tackle played in nine games in season interrupted by arm injury.

ATH Thomas Castellanos

So., Boston College, Ware County

Dual threat rushed for 1,113 yards and 13 TD, completed 189 of 330 passes for 2,248 yards with 15 TD and 14 INT.

K Chase Gabriel

Jr., FIU, Glynn Academy

Played in 11 games, converting 9 of 12 field goals with a long of 50.

DEFENSE

DL Deante McCray

Fr.*, W. Kentucky, Sandalwood

Appeared in 12 games with 42 tackles, a sack, a fumble recovery and a forced fumble.

DL Kendy Charles

Sr., Liberty, Orange Park

Overcame injury to make 26 tackles, three sacks and a fumble recovery in eight games; planning to enter transfer portal.

DL Jordan Strachan

Gr., S. Carolina, Camden County

Pass rusher tallied 20 tackles, four sacks, two forced fumbles in 12 games.

LB Caden Fordham

So.*, N.C. State, Bolles

Made 53 tackles, four for loss, while winning full-time role in 13 games.

LB Jerome Jolly Jr.

So., Liberty, Mandarin

Tallied 55 tackles, two interceptions, two forced fumbles and a sack in 13 games.

LB Larry Worth

So., Jacksonville St., Baldwin

Played in all 13 games with 63 tackles, four sacks, an interception, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.

DB Dontae Balfour

So., Charlotte, Bradford

UNC transfer led Charlotte with 11 pass breakups, plus 54 tackles, two forced fumbles and a pick in 11 games; third-team All-AAC.

DB Jaylin Simpson

Sr., Auburn, Frederica Academy

Playmaker in Tigers' secondary picked off team-high four passes, plus a fumble recovery and 36 tackles in 13 games; first-team All-SEC.

DB Shyheim Brown

So.*, Florida St., Columbia

Recorded 53 tackles, two sacks, an interception and a fumble recovery in 14 games; third-team All-ACC.

DB Tre'Vez Johnson

Jr., Missouri, Bartram Trail

Florida transfer made 43 tackles in 13 games as secondary starter for 11-win Tigers on road to top-10 finish.

DB Kenny Logan Jr.

Sr., Kansas, Menendez

Led Jayhawks with 86 tackles, six for loss, plus an interception, forced fumble and five pass breakups in 12 games; second-team All-Big 12.

ATH Luke Pirris

So., Navy, Ponte Vedra

Led Navy with 10 tackles for loss in 12 games; finished with 62 tackles, 4 1/2 sacks, three fumble recoveries, three pass breakups, a forced fumble and a safety.

P Evan Crenshaw

So., Coastal Carolina, Nease

Punted 37 times for a 41.5-yard average.

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: All-FBS: Jacksonville area's top players in 2023 college football