Montana Grizzlies Samori Toure and Jace Lewis added more preseason accolades on Friday, landing on the FCS all-America first team announced by Phil Steele and draftscout.com.
It's just the latest honor for Lewis, a Townsend native who was also named the Big Sky Conference preseason defensive player of the year last week. Lewis earned the same nod from Steele on Monday as he was one of six players from Montana to earn preseason all-America recognition and one of 13 to be named to the preseason all-conference team.
Along with Lewis and Toure, returner Malik Flowers and long snapper Matthew O'Donoghue also received first-team all-America honors from Steele and draftscout.com. Safety Robby Hauck was a third-team choice, and offensive tackle Conlan Beaver was a fourth-team selection.
Montana State offensive lineman Lewis Kidd, who was a third-team selection, was the only Bobcat on the all-American teams compiled by Steele and draftscout.com.
The preseason all-Big Sky selections, according to Steele and draftscout.com, included Grizzlies Toure, Beaver, Lewis, Hauck, Flowers and receiver Samuel Akem on the first team; O'Donoghue and offensive lineman Dylan Cook on the second team; and running back Marcus Knight, offensive lineman Moses Mallory, defensive lineman Alex Gubner, linebacker Patrick O'Connell and defensive back Gavin Robertson on the third team.
The Bobcats were represented by Kidd, defensive lineman Chase Benson and linebacker Amandre Williams on the all-Big Sky first team; running back Isaiah Ifanse and offensive lineman Taylor Tuiasosopo on the second team; and fullback R.J. Fitzgerald, linebackers Callahan O'Reilly and Daniel Hardy, defensive back Tyrel Thomas and returner Coy Steel on the third team.
The publication named North Dakota State quarterback Trey Lance the FCS preseason offensive player of the year, Northern Iowa defensive end Elerson G. Smith the FCS preseason defensive player of the year and North Dakota State offensive tackle Dillon Radunz the FCS preseason offensive lineman of the year.
Weber State running back Josh Davis was named the Big Sky Conference's preseason offensive player of the year.
