SoCon names football players of the week

SPARTANBURG, S.C. – On Monday, the Southern Conference Football Players of the Week presented by Southern Recognition were awarded for all games played so far this season. The Citadel wide receiver Javonte Graves-Billips was named the Offensive Player of the Week, Wofford defensive back CJ Coombes was named the Defensive Player of the Week and Bulldogs defensive back Bradlee Jones was named the Special Teams Player of the Week. The awards are selected by the league office.
 
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK Javonte Graves-Billips, Gr., WR, The Citadel, Mobile, Ala.
Graves-Billips scored two touchdowns in the Bulldogs’ 40-13 win at Samford on Saturday. The native of Mobile, Alabama, registered a career-best 139 receiving yards on six catches in the contest. The graduate student’s first touchdown was a 43-yard score in the second quarter, and the second came from 13 yards out in the fourth quarter. Graves-Billips is currently fourth in the SoCon in receiving yards.

Other nominees: Markell Quick (Chattanooga) and Collin Shannon (VMI)
 
 
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: CJ Coombes, So., DB, Wofford, Bellefonte, Del.
Coombes had five tackles, including an assisted tackle for loss, and a 72-yard interception returned for a touchdown in the Terriers’ 14-10 setback against Richmond. The sophomore’s pick-six, which was the 10th-longest in school history, was the first interception returned for a touchdown for Wofford since 2018. The Bellefonte, Delaware, native is currently tied for fourth in the SoCon in tackles this season with 17.

 
Other nominees: Tyrik McDaniel (The Citadel), Billy Lewis (Furman), Jaden Mosley (Samford) and Isaiah Grevious (VMI)
 
 
SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Bradlee Jones, Jr., DB, The Citadel, Greenwood, S.C.
Jones returned a fake field goal 59 yards for a touchdown in the fourth quarter of The Citadel’s win on Saturday. Samford attempted a fake with the score sitting at 20-6 but threw an unsuccessful lateral, which was dropped and scooped up by the junior for a score. The product of Greenwood, South Carolina, also had seven tackles, including one for a loss, and a pass breakup in the contest. Jones currently leads the league in solo tackles this season with 12.

 
Other nominees: Nate Brackett (ETSU), Jake Garner (Samford), Jaden Nelson (Chattanooga) and Kouri Crump (VMI)
 
2025 SoCon Football Players of the Week
Offensive
Sept. 1             Devontae Houston, Gr., RB, ETSU
Sept. 8             Javonte Graves-Billips, Gr., WR, The Citadel
 
Defensive
Sept. 1             Taylen Blaylock, Gr., DB, Furman

Sept. 8             CJ Coombes, So., DB, Wofford
 
Special teams
Sept. 1             Ian Williams, Gr., PK, Furman

Sept. 8             Bradlee Jones, Jr., DB, The Citadel