SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Five Southern Conference football student-athletes earned spots on the Associated Press FCS All-America teams released Tuesday and presented by Regions Bank. Wofford offensive lineman Blake Jeresaty and The Citadel linebacker Willie Eubanks III were first-team selections.

VMI running back Alex Ramsey, Furman kicker Grayson Atkins and ETSU defensive back Artevius Smith were second-team picks.

Wofford’s Jeresaty was the SoCon’s Jacobs Blocking Award winner and part of an offensive line that protected SoCon Offensive Player of the Year quarterback Joe Newman by ranking first in FCS in sacks allowed with just four on the season (0.33 per game). Jeresaty also helped pave the way for Wofford’s SoCon-leading rushing offense, which averaged 305.8 yards per game and ranks third in the FCS. Jeresaty helped Wofford post 413.2 yards of total offense per game, also tops in the SoCon, and rank fifth in the FCS in time of possession (33:48).

Eubanks, the SoCon Defensive Player of the Year, becomes the 25th Bulldog to earn All-America recognition from the AP. A STATS FCS Buck Buchanan Award finalist, Eubanks finished the year with 112 tackles, 63 solo, 11.5 tackles for loss, 4.0 sacks, three forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, one interception and 11 quarterback hurries. He became the first Bulldog to eclipse 100 tackles since Kailik Williams in 2016 and his tackle total is the highest since Travis Stephens had 144 and Denny Haywood had 134 in 2000. Eubanks recorded double-digit tackles in six of the 12 games this season, including three of the last four games.

VMI’s Ramsey, a redshirt junior from Salem, Virginia, led the Southern Conference in rushing with 1,322 yards, which stands as the fourth-best single-season rushing total by a Keydet in program history. Ramsey also set a new VMI single-season record with 22 rushing touchdowns and compiled 1,657 total offense yards, which is the sixth-best in program history. Ramsey was named as a finalist for the STATS FCS Walter Payton Award, which honors the top offensive player in FCS.

Furman’s Atkins earned second-team honors for the second straight season. A junior, Atkins converted 13-of-15 field goal attempts and 48-of-50 PATs this fall to finish with 87 points. He converted all six field-goal attempts under 40 yards and went 7-for-9 from 40-plus yards, including a career-long 59-yard try in FCS first round playoff action against Austin Peay. The Inman, South Carolina, product entered the season riding a streak of 11 consecutive made field goals and proceeded to extend it to a Furman-record 18 straight — his final make coming from a school-record-tying 55 yards in a 28-7 win over Western Carolina on Oct. 26. Atkins’ streak of 18 straight made field goals came from an average distance of 39.2 yards and featured perfect 10-for-10 work from 40-plus yards, including 5-for-5 from 50-plus yards.

ETSU’s Smith, a Buck Buchanan Award finalist, finished with a team-best 89 tackles (62 solo) and pulled down a career-best and SoCon-leading five interceptions. The Alabama native also forced two fumbles on the season, the only two forced fumbles in his career. Smith ranked 11th in the SoCon in tackles per game (7.4) and fourth in the league in passes defender per game (0.83). The redshirt senior defensive back recorded a career-best 11 tackles three times this season, including the season opener at Appalachian State and a pair of conference games against Samford and Western Carolina. Smith put together a string of three consecutive games with an interception, beginning with the game-clinching snag in ETSU’s 20-14 win over FCS playoff participant Austin Peay. Smith forced at least one turnover in six of the 12 games played and led the Bucs in tackles in seven of the 12 games.

For the AP's full release, click here.

Associated Press FCS All-America Team (SoCon selections)
First team offense
OL – Blake Jeresaty, Jr., Wofford

First team defense
LB – Willie Eubanks III, Jr., The Citadel

Second team offense
RB – Alex Ramsey, R-Jr., VMI
K – Grayson Atkins, Jr., Furman

Second team defense
DB – Artevius Smith, R-Sr., ETSU