2026 Athlon Sports Preseason All-MAC Teams revealed
Athlon Sports reveals their early look at the best players in the MAC as we prepare for an intriguing 2026 season.
We're officially in July, which means before we know it, our Saturdays will once again be packed with football. This also means it's time to begin thinking about the preseason all-conference teams.
Arguably, the Mid-American Conference can stand alongside the Big Ten and the SEC in terms of its parity. The talent continues to improve every season, and the league's depth mirrors those of the larger conferences as well. It's truly anyone's game.
This season, the conference will see a change in membership for the second-straight year, as Northern Illinois departs for the Mountain West and Sacramento State joins as a football-only member.
Steven Lassan of Athlon Sports released the magazine's All-MAC teams for the 2026 season. Miami finished with the most selections with 19, Western Michigan was next with 17, and Toledo had 15.
Here are their 2026 Preseason All-MAC teams:
First-Team Offense
| Position | Player | Program |
|---|---|---|
| QB | Broc Lowry | Western Michigan |
| RB | Jordan Gant | Akron |
| RB | Jalen Buckley | Western Michigan |
| RB/WR | Rodney Nelson | Miami |
| WR | Marcel Williams | Akron |
| WR | Langston Lewis | Central Michigan |
| WR | Nick Devereaux | Eastern Michigan |
| WR | Adjatay Dabbs | Toledo |
| TE | Joshua Lang | Eastern Michigan |
| C | Nicholas Gallegos | Eastern Michigan |
| OL | Eric Smith | Miami |
| OL | Evan Malcore | Miami |
| OL | Stephen Gales | Toledo |
| OL | Chad Schuster | Western Michigan |
| OL | Hunter Whitenack | Western Michigan |
First-Team Defense
| Position | Player | Program |
|---|---|---|
| DL | Andrew Zock | Toledo |
| DL | Bai Jobe | Miami |
| DL | Scoop Gardner Jr. | Western Michigan |
| DL | Carter Evans | Eastern Michigan |
| LB | CJ Young | Miami |
| LB | Tyler Martin | UMass |
| LB | Blayne Myrick | Miami |
| LB | Dorian Pringle | Bowling Green |
| CB | Jarvarius Sims | Western Michigan |
| CB | Josh Franklin | Western Michigan |
| CB | Mychal Yharbrough | Miami |
| S | Bryce Llewellyn | Eastern Michigan |
| S | DJ Walker | Ohio |
First-Team Specialists
| Position | Player | Program |
|---|---|---|
| PK | Reice Griffith | Toledo |
| PUNT | Pierse Stainton | Miami |
| KR | Da'Realyst Clark | Kent State |
| PR | Bryson Hammer | Toledo |
Second-Team Offense
| Position | Player | Program |
|---|---|---|
| QB | Dru DeShields | Kent State |
| RB | Austyn Dendy | Bowling Green |
| RB | CJ Miller | Toledo |
| RB/WR | Jamar Curtis | Sacramento State |
| WR | Keith Reynolds | Miami |
| WR | Jasaiah Gathings | Buffalo |
| WR | Rico Bond | Toledo |
| WR | Wayne Harris | Kent State |
| TE | Terik Mulder | Kent State |
| C | Kris Manu | Miami |
| OL | Colin Lyons | Akron |
| OL | Dustyn Morell | Kent State |
| OL | Alex Heininger | Buffalo |
| OL | Jacob Russell | Central Michigan |
| OL | Eric Smith | Miami |
Second-Team Defense
| Position | Player | Program |
|---|---|---|
| DL | Xavier Williams | Sacramento State |
| DL | Korver Demma | Central Michigan |
| DL | Roosevelt Andrews III | Miami |
| DL | Myles Bradley | Bowling Green |
| DL | Cyrus Durham | Akron |
| LB | Barry Manning | Eastern Michigan |
| LB | Malcolm McCain | Miami |
| LB | Rocco Nicholl | Kent State |
| LB | Michael Molnar | Ohio |
| CB | JoJo Johnson | Bowling Green |
| CB | Kaleb Martin | Miami |
| CB | Jaion Jackson | Central Michigan |
| S | Kal-el Pascal | Bowling Green |
| S | Miles Greer | Buffalo |
| S | Micah Davis | Western Michigan |
Second-Team Specialists
| Position | Player | Program |
|---|---|---|
| PK | Rudy Kessinger | Eastern Michigan |
| PUNT | Ryan Millmore | Western Michigan |
| KR | Keith Reynolds | Miami |
| PR | Wayne Harris | Kent State |
Third-Team Offense
| Position | Player | Program |
|---|---|---|
| QB | Noah Kim | Eastern Michigan |
| RB | Duncan Brune | Ohio |
| RB | Vaughn Blue | Central Michigan |
| RB | Braydon Bennett | Eastern Michigan |
| WR | Baylin Brooks | Western Michigan |
| WR | Joseph Griffin Jr. | UMass |
| WR | Kyan Mason | Akron |
| WR | Matthew Coleman | Sacramento State |
| TE | Jacob Newell | Toledo |
| OL | Gavin Dabo | Western Michigan |
| OL | Tristan Cook | Ball State |
| OL | Joshua Anderson | Eastern Michigan |
| OL | CJ Dawson II | Ohio |
| OL | Jacob Booth | Central Michigan |
| OL | Jonathan Harder | Toledo |
Third-Team Defense
| Position | Player | Program |
|---|---|---|
| DL | Eriq George | Bowling Green |
| DL | Mikah Coleman | Miami |
| DL | Thomas Aden | Kent State |
| DL | Nehemiah Dukes | Ohio |
| DL | Joshua Nobles | UMass |
| DL | Ronald Hull | Akron |
| LB | Charlie Christopher | Ohio |
| LB | Julian Fox | Toledo |
| LB | Timmy Hinspeter | UMass |
| LB | Sanders Ellis | Bowling Green |
| CB | Kobi Blackwell | Buffalo |
| CB | Willizhuan Yates | Ball State |
| CB | Kaleb Hutchinson | Toledo |
| DB | Sa'Veon Brown | Buffalo |
| S | Derrick Jackson III | Kent State |
| S | Zeraun Daniel | UMass |
| S | Quentavius Scandrett | Ball State |
Third-Team Specialists
| Position | Player | Program |
|---|---|---|
| PK | Palmer Domschke | Western Michigan |
| PUNT | Joseph Castle | Akron |
| KR | TJ Horton | Ball State |
| PR | Lynel Billups-Williams | Miami |
Fourth-Team Offense
| Position | Player | Program |
|---|---|---|
| QB | Reese Poffenbarger | Akron |
| RB | Terrance Shelton Jr. | Buffalo |
| RB | Brock Townsend | Central Michigan |
| WR | Donovan Hamilton | Ball State |
| WR | Harold Mack | Eastern Michigan |
| WR | T.Y. Harding | UMass |
| WR | Maleek Huggins | Miami |
| TE | Jordan Williams | Sacramento State |
| TE | Max Dowling | UMass |
| OL | Jeremy Schleicher | Western Michigan |
| OL | Allen Jones Jr. | Akron |
| OL | Chris Hood | Ball State |
| OL | James Thomas Jr. | Bowling Green |
| OL | Martin Koivisto | Central Michigan |
| OL | Ahmad Carwise | Toledo |
| OL | Aitor Urionabarrenechea | UMass |
Fourth-Team Defense
| Position | Player | Program |
|---|---|---|
| DL | Zach Johnson | Toledo |
| DL | Quavion Bird | Central Michigan |
| DL | Dakari Frazier | Western Michigan |
| DL | Cornell Evans | Buffalo |
| DL | Jefferson Adam | Eastern Michigan |
| LB | Jack Fries | Ohio |
| LB | Derek Houston | Sacramento State |
| LB | Stevie Bracey | Buffalo |
| LB | Xavier White | Central Michigan |
| LB | Domanick Moon | Western Michigan |
| LB | Langston Long | Toledo |
| CB | Caleb Coley | Eastern Michigan |
| CB | Amariyun Knighten | Miami |
| DB | Eli Thompson | Ohio |
| S | Donovan Watkins | Toledo |
| S | Jason Marshall | Eastern Michigan |
| S | Kendall Bournes | UMass |
Fourth-Team Specialists
| Position | Player | Program |
|---|---|---|
| PK | Grant Meadors | Sacramento State |
| PUNT | Declan Duley | Central Michigan |
| KR | Kordell Gouldsby | Western Michigan |
| PR | Kordell Goulsby | Western Michigan |
- Sacramento State loses two primary offensive contributors from last season to the transfer portal (QB Cardell Williams and WR Ernest Campbell) and another to the NFL (HB Rodney Hammond Jr.), but still managed six overall selections ahead of their MAC debuts, including two second-teamers in HB Jamar Curtis and DL Xavier Williams.
- Eastern Michigan's Harold Mack could be one of the most underrated players on this list on the fourth team. Despite limited snaps in 2025, Mack highlighted with a huge game against Miami last season. In an increased role this season, he could be a 1st or 2nd teamer by the end of the season.
- Western Michigan's Broc Lowry has a chance to become one of the most dynamic quarterbacks in the country this season as a redshirt junior. (1,803 passing yards, 9 TD's, 3 INTs, 963 rushing yards, and 14 TDs last season)
- Incoming Miami transfer Rodney Nelson being on this list was a great move. He rushed for over 2,600 yards in two seasons combined at Monmouth and was the CAA Offensive Player of the Year in 2025.
- CJ Young (first team) switches MAC schools from Kent State to Miami, which has a history of graduating linebackers to the NFL level. After finishing on the second-team at the end of last season, he should be a lock for the first-team in 2026. Posted 89 tackles and 3.5 sacks last season for the Flashes.
- In terms of pocket passers, Kent State's Dru DeShields is by far the best in the conference. He had one of the best freshman seasons in recent MAC history at QB in 2025. With another year, he could be a guy to watch surpass 3,000 passing yards and 20-plus TD's.
