2026 Phil Steele Preseason All-MAC Teams revealed
The preeminent name in football prognostication gives his picks for the best in the MAC after summer camps.
The second week of June is here, and that means the arrival of the preseason all-conference teams from the various magazines of note.
The most anticipated of these is the Phil Steele Magazine, as Steele covers all of the now-138 teams at the highest level of college football to create his projections and predictions, while also tracing the last seven years of performance to help fans track overall program trends.
The MAC is no different, and Steele lists four strings of "teams" for consideration, using the two running back/three receiver/separate OL assignment set-up on offense, and the two ends/two tackles/four linebacker/separate defensive back assignment set-up on defense, with special teams separated into their own category. (This is a notable difference from how the MAC typically lays their teams out, which most notably chooses four receivers and splits special teams between offense and defense.)
The Miami RedHawks nabbed the most total nominations (14), while tying with the Western Michigan Broncos for players nominated (13) to any all-MAC team.
Both Miami and Western also tied for first-team MAC selections, with each placing six players on the roster. Kent State finished third with four players selected, while Eastern Michigan and Toledo each had three players selected.
Every team collected at least five nominations, including league debutante Sacramento State. Of the 13 current MAC programs, three did not get a single first-team nomination (Ball State, Central Michigan, Sacramento State), while eight teams had at least one player on each of the four rosters.
Ball State and Sac State were the only two teams to not list a single player on the first or second team rosters.
The full list of all-MAC teams is below, presented in order of string (first, second, etc.), with an individualized team list following the fourth-string.
First Team
Offense
| Position | Name | Team |
|---|---|---|
| QB | Broc Lowry | Western Michigan |
| HB | Jordan Gant | Akron |
| HB | Jalen Buckley | Western Michigan |
| WR | Nick Devereaux | Eastern Michigan |
| WR | Marcel Williams | Akron |
| WR | Jasaiah Gathings | Buffalo |
| TE | Joshua Long | Eastern Michigan |
| OT | Evan Malcore | Miami |
| OT | Chad Schuster | Western Michigan |
| OG | Hunter Whitenack | Western Michigan |
| OG | Gavin Dabo | Western Michigan |
| OC | Kris Manu | Miami |
Defense
| Position | Name | Team |
|---|---|---|
| DE | Carter Evans | Eastern Michigan |
| DE | Andrew Zock | Toledo |
| DT | Thomas Aden | Kent State |
| DT | Eriq George | Bowling Green |
| LB | Tyler Martin | UMass |
| LB | Malcolm McCain | Miami |
| LB | Blayne Myrick | Miami |
| LB | CJ Young | Miami |
| CB | Jarvarius Sims | Western Michigan |
| CB | JoJo Johnson | Bowling Green |
| SAF | DJ Walker | Ohio |
| SAF | Bryce Llewellyn | Eastern Michigan |
Special Teams
| Position | Name | Team |
|---|---|---|
| PK | Riece Griffith | Toledo |
| PUNT | Pierse Stainton | Miami |
| RET | Da'Realyst Clark | Kent State |
| RET | Wayne Harris | Kent State |
| LS | Gus Goodell | Kent State |
Second Team
Offense
| Position | Name | Team |
|---|---|---|
| QB | Dru DeShields | Kent State |
| HB | Duncan Brune | Ohio |
| HB | Rodney Nelson | Miami |
| WR | Langston Lewis | Central Michigan |
| WR | Wayne Harris* | Kent State |
| WR | Adjatay Dabbs | Toledo |
| TE | Terik Mulder | Kent State |
| OT | Eric Smith | Miami |
| OT | Stephen Gales | Toledo |
| OG | Dustyn Morell | Kent State |
| OG | Greg Smith | Miami |
| OC | Nicholas Gallegos | Eastern Michigan |
(* = denotes first-team nomination as returner)
Defense
| Position | Name | Team |
|---|---|---|
| DE | Scoop Gardner | Western Michigan |
| DE | Cyrus Durham | Akron |
| DT | Roosevelt Andrews | Miami |
| DT | Nehemiah Dukes | Ohio |
| LB | Rocco Nicholl | Kent State |
| LB | Dorian Pringle | Bowling Green |
| LB | Michael Molnar | Ohio |
| LB | Joshua Franklin | Western Michigan |
| CB | Mychael Yharbrough | Miami |
| CB | Kaleb Hutchinson | Toledo |
| SAF | Kal-el Pascal | Bowling Green |
| SAF | Miles Greer | Buffalo |
Special Teams
| Position | Name | Team |
|---|---|---|
| PK | Rudy Kessinger | Eastern Michigan |
| PUNT | Joseph Castle | Akron |
| RET | Keith Reynolds | Miami |
| RET | Bryson Hammer | Toledo |
| LS | Grant Mills | UMass |
Third Team
Offense
| Position | Name | Team |
|---|---|---|
| QB | Noah Kim | Eastern Michigan |
| HB | Austyn Dendy | Bowling Green |
| HB | Jamar Curtis | Sacramento State |
| WR | Matt Coleman | Sacramento State |
| WR | Baylin Brooks | Western Michigan |
| WR | Keith Reynolds* | Miami |
| TE | Reece Adkins | UMass |
| OT | Jacob Booth | Central Michigan |
| OT | Tristan Cook | Ball State |
| OG | Jacob Russell | Central Michigan |
| OG | Ahmed Canwise | Toledo |
| OC | Jeremy Schleicher | Western Michigan |
(* = denotes second-team nomination as returner)
Defense
| Position | Name | Team |
|---|---|---|
| DE | Joshua Nobles | UMass |
| DE | JJ Douglas | Central Michigan |
| DT | Cornell Evans | Buffalo |
| DT | Makhi Gilbert | Eastern Michigan |
| LB | Timmy Hinspeter | UMass |
| LB | Julian Fox | Toledo |
| LB | Charlie Christopher | Ohio |
| LB | Sa'Veon Brown | Buffalo |
| CB | Jaion Jackson | Central Michigan |
| CB | Kaleb Martin | Miami |
| SAF | Zeraun Diniel | UMass |
| SAF | Joel Cordoba | Kent State |
Special Teams
| Position | Name | Team |
|---|---|---|
| PK | Grant Meadors | Sacramento State |
| PUNT | Ryan Millmore | Western Michigan |
| RET | TJ Horton | Ball State |
| RET | Lynel Billups-Williams | Miami |
| LS | Nick Hemer | Ohio |
Fourth Team
Offense
| Position | Name | Team |
|---|---|---|
| QB | Reese Poofenbarger | Akron |
| HB | Vaughn Blue | Central Michigan |
| HB | CJ Miller | Toledo |
| WR | Joseph Griffin | UMass |
| WR | Donovan Hamilton | Ball State |
| WR | Kyan Mason | Akron |
| TE | Clint Walker | Buffalo |
| OT | Martin Koivisto | Central Michigan |
| OT | Chris Hood | Ball State |
| OG | CJ Dawson | Ohio |
| OG | Seth Anstead | Ohio |
| OC | Ben Midea | Kent State |
Defense
| Position | Name | Team |
|---|---|---|
| DE | Xavier Williams | Sacramento State |
| DE | Korver Denma | Central Michigan |
| DT | Branch Rice | Miami |
| DT | Ahmed Tounkara | Western Michigan |
| LB | Derek Houston | Sacramento State |
| LB | Xavier White | Central Michigan |
| LB | Aamii Branch | Akron |
| LB | Donovan Watkins | Toledo |
| CB | Willizhaun Yates | Ball State |
| CB | Kobi Blackwell | Buffalo |
| SAF | Jason Marshall | Eastern Michigan |
| SAF | Micah Davis | Western Michigan |
Special Teams
| Position | Name | Team |
|---|---|---|
| PK | Matthew Schramm | Akron |
| PUNT | Declan Duley | Central Michigan |
| RET | TJ Magee | UMass |
| RET | Juan Salas | Eastern Michigan |
| LS | Caden Britton | Ball State |
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Nominations by Program in Alphabetical Order
Akron (7 total nominations)
- HB Jordan Gant (1T)
- WR Marcel Williams (1T)
- DE Cyrus Durham (2T)
- PUNT Joseph Castle (2T)
- WR Kyan Mason (4T)
- LB Aamii Branch (4T)
- PK Matthew Schramm (4T)
Ball State (6)
- OT Tristan Cook (3T)
- RET TJ Horton (3T)
- WR Donovan Hamilton (4T)
- OT Chris Hood (4T)
- CB Willizhaun Yates (4T)
- LS Caden Britton (4T)
Bowling Green (5)
- DT Eriq George (1T)
- CB JoJo Johnson (1T)
- LB Dorian Pringle (2T)
- SAF Kal-el Pascal (2T)
- HB Austyn Dendy (3T)
Buffalo (6)
- WR Jasiah Gathings (1T)
- SAF Miles Greer (2T)
- DT Cornell Evans (3T)
- LB SaVeon Brown (3T)
- TE Clint Walker (4T)
- CB Kobi Blackwell (4T)
Central Michigan (10)
- WR Langston Lewis (2T)
- OG Jacob Russell (3T)
- OT Jacob Booth (3T)
- DE JJ Douglas (3T)
- CB Jaion Jackson (3T)
- HB Vaughn Blue (4T)
- OT Martin Koivisto (4T)
- DE Korver Denma (4T)
- LB Xavier White (4T)
- PUNT Declan Duley (4T)
Eastern Michigan (10)
- WR Nick Devereaux (1T)
- TE Joshua Long (1T)
- DE Carter Evans (1T)
- SAF Bryce Llewellyn (1T)
- OC Nicholas Gallegos (2T)
- PK Rudy Kessinger (2T)
- QB Noah Kim (3T)
- DT Mahki Gilbert (3T)
- SAF Jason Marshall (4T)
- RET Juan Salas (4T)
Kent State (10 total for 9 players)
- DT Thomas Aden (1T)
- RET Da'Realyst Clark (1T)
- RET/WR Wayne Harris (1T/2T)
- LS Gus Goodell (1T)
- QB Dru DeShields (2T)
- TE Terik Mulder (2T)
- OG Dustyn Morell (2T)
- LB Rocco Nicholl (2T)
- SAF Joel Cordoba (3T)
- OC Ben Midea (4T)
Miami (14 total for 13 players)
- OC Kris Manu (1T)
- OT Evan Malcore (1T)
- LB Malcolm McCain (1T)
- LB Blayne Myrick (1T)
- LB CJ Young (1T)
- PUNT Pierse Stainton (1T)
- HB Rodney Nelson (2T)
- OG Greg Smith (2T)
- OT Eric Smith (2T)
- DT Roosevelt Andrews (2T)
- CB Mychael Yharbrough (2T)
- RET/WR Keith Reynolds (2T/3T)
- CB Kaleb Martin (3T)
- DT Brach Rice (4T)
Ohio (8)
- SAF DJ Walker (1T)
- HB Duncan Brune (2T)
- DT Nehemiah Dukes (2T)
- LB Michael Molnar (2T)
- LB Charlie Christopher (3T)
- LS Nick Hemer (3T)
- OG Seth Anstead (4T)
- OG CJ Dawson (4T)
Sacramento State (5)
- HB Jamar Curtis (3T)
- WR Matt Coleman (3T)
- K Grant Meadors (3T)
- DE Xavier Williams (4T)
- DE Derek Houston (4T)
Toledo (10)
- DE Andrew Zock (1T)
- K Riece Griffith (1T)
- WR Adjatay Dabbs (2T)
- OT Stephen Glass (2T)
- CB Kaleb Hutchinson (2T)
- RET Bryson Hammer (2T)
- OG Ahmed Canwise (3T)
- LB Julian Fox (3T)
- HB CJ Miller (4T)
- LB Donovan Watkins (4T)
UMass (8)
- LB Tyler Martin (1T)
- LS Grant Mills (2T)
- TE Reece Adkins (3T)
- DE Joshua Nobles (3T)
- LB Timmy Hinspeter (3T)
- SAF Zeraun Diniel (3T)
- WR Joseph Griffin (4T)
- RET TJ Magee (4T)
Western Michigan (13)
- QB Broc Lowry (1T)
- HB Jalen Buckley (1T)
- OG Gavin Dabo (1T)
- OG Hunter Whitenack (1T)
- OT Chad Schuester (1T)
- CB Jarvarius Sims (1T)
- DE Scoop Gardner (2T)
- LB Joshua Franklin (2T)
- WR Baylin Brooks (3T)
- OC Jeremy Schleicher (3T)
- PUNT Ryan Millmore (3T)
- DT Ahmed Tounkara (4T)
- SAF Micah Davis (4T)
Postscript:
We are not sponsored by Phil Steele, but we did want to note that we have been featured in his magazine as a "verified fan" account under the name "A MAC Sports Blog." It is a huge accomplishment to be featured alongside some of the best accounts in the college football space despite losing our SB Nation affiliation, and we appreciate the shoutout!
The print edition will be sold nationwide starting late June or early July 2026 at Barnes and Noble or a magazine rack near you, with the digital edition available now at philsteele.com.
