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Draft Scout College Football Player News: Akron

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11/26/23 - Jermarian Jackson, rSo/2027, Akron + More +

2023 BIG SOUTH-OVC CO-DEFENSIVE FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR: Jermarian Jackson, DB, R-Fr., Robert Morris,...Jackson played in 11 games for Robert Morris, making 40 tackles (33 solo), 1.5 tackles for loss, five pass breakups and forced a fumble. The cornerback had a season-high six tackles in a victory over Charleston Southern and added five stops three other times (vs. Howard, Tennessee Tech and Eastern Illinois). His played helped Robert Morris to its first Conference win since 2021 and first road victory since 2019, and the Colonials finished with four more victories than a season ago. - Big South-OVC Football Association

rSo/2027

CB Jermarian Jackson, Akron
News Source: Big South-OVC Football Association
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12/22/22 - Terray Jones, rSr/2024, Akron + More +

2022 ALL-OHIO VALLEY CONFERENCE FIRST TEAM: DT - Terray Jones, Tennessee State,...After being named to the Second Team Defense a season ago, senior DT Terray Jones wraps up his Tiger career with First Team Honors. The Florida native wreaked havoc on offensive linemen all season long alongside teammate Terrell Allen. Jones finished with a career-high 37 tackles on the season (12 solo and 25 assists). He tallied four sacks, 6.5 tackles for loss, forced one fumble, and had three quarterback hurries. Jones finished with a season-high eight tackles against Murray State, while he recorded seven tackles, 2.0 for loss, and one sack against Lane College. - Tennessee State Football

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DT Terray Jones, Akron
News Source: Tennessee State Football
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12/16/22 - Bubba Arslanian, rSr/2024, Akron + More +

2022 ALL-MID-AMERICAN CONFERENCE FIRST TEAM: Linebacker - Bubba Arslanian, Akron,...A team captain, Arslanian earned all-conference accolades for the second time, as he was tabbed a First-Team All-MAC honoree after turning in a dominant season as one of the premier linebackers in both the MAC as well as the NCAA in 2022, leading the defensive efforts for the Zips. Becoming the fifth Akron linebacker to earn first-team league recognition, he is rated fifth in the NCAA in total tackles per contest (8.36), seventh in total tackles (376), eighth in assisted tackles (194) and 18th in solo tackles (182) and solo tackles per tilt (4.04).

Additionally, he ranks 15th among active career leaders in the NCAA across all divisions in total tackles (376) and in assisted tackles (194), 36th in solo tackles (182) and 57th in total tackles per game (8.36). In MAC play, Arslanian ranks second in the league in assisted tackles (44), third in tackles per game (10.7) and fifth in overall tackles (75), while adding 31 solo tackles. Arslanian has had 10 or more total tackles in 24 of the last 33 games he has played in overall. Arslanian surpassed the 300-tackle plateau for his career against Bowling Green on Oct. 1, 2022. - Akron Football

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OLB Bubba Arslanian, Akron
News Source: Akron Football
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12/16/22 - Shocky Jacques-Louis, rSr/2023, Akron + More +

2022 ALL-MID-AMERICAN CONFERENCE THIRD TEAM: Wide Receiver - Shocky Jacques-Louis, Akron,...Jacques-Louis, a team captain, is the 12th Zips' WR to pull in All-MAC accolades, joining first-team selections Jabari Arthur (2005) and Adams, second-team honorees Lavel Bailey (2000), Matt Cherry (2003), Domenik Hixon (2005), David Harvey (2006) and JoJo Natson (2016), as well as third-team recipients Deryn Bowser (2008), Andre Jones (2008), Jalil Carter (2009) and Marquelo Suel (2012). Jacques-Louis has pulled in a team-best 69 catches this season for 837 yards, including a pair of touchdowns. Averaging 12.1 yards per reception, he has surpassed the 100-yard receiving plateau in four games on the campaign, including a season-high 152 yards at Ohio on Oct. 8, while registering 103 yards on the strength of nine catches at Tennessee on Sept. 17.

Jacques-Louis is ranked 16th in the NCAA (FBS) in receptions per game (6.3), 28th in receptions (69) and 45th in receiving yards per contest (76.1). He leads the MAC in receptions per game (6.3), while ranking third in receiving yards (837) and fourth in receiving yards per tilt (76.1). Through Akron's first seven league games, Jacques-Louis has pulled in a conference-best 48 catches for a league-leading 6.9 receptions per game on the strength of 77.1 yards per outing. - Akron Football

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WR Shocky Jacques-Louis, Akron
News Source: Akron Football
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12/16/22 - Anthony Whigan, rSr/2023, Akron + More +

2022 ALL-MID-AMERICAN CONFERENCE THIRD TEAM: Offensive Lineman - Anthony Whigan, Akron,...Whigan has started each of the 10 games he has appeared in for the Zips on the offensive line this season en route to ranking as the sixth Akron offensive lineman to collect all-conference honors. He joins Konrad Dean (2001-1st), Chris Kemme (2008-1st, 2007-2nd, 2006-2nd), Dan Wessman (1998-2nd, 1999-2nd), Corey Woods (2009-3rd) and Jarrod Pughsley (2013-3rd). - Akron Football

rSr/2023

OG Anthony Whigan, Akron
News Source: Akron Football
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12/16/22 - DJ Irons, rSr/2024, Akron + More +

2022 ALL-MID-AMERICAN CONFERENCE THIRD TEAM: Quarterback - DJ Irons, Akron,...Irons, a team captain, became only the third Akron QB to earn All-MAC accolades with his selection to the all-league third team this fall. He joins James Washington and Charlie Frye, who garnered second-team all-conference honors in 2000 and 2005, respectively. Irons has started each of the 10 games he has appeared in for the Zips this season en route to throwing for 2,606 yards on the strength of a .668 completion percentage and 14 touchdowns, including 10 through the air.

Irons' 2,606 passing yards ranks as the eighth-best single-season effort in program history, while his 260.6 passing average stands as the fourth-best single-season mark. He has completed 25 or more passes in six of 10 games he has appeared, including a string of four straight for the Zips. He has completed 60 percent or more of his passes in seven of Akron's 11 games this season. Irons is rated eighth in the NCAA in completions per game (25.30), 19th in completion percentage (.668), 28th in passing yards per game (260.6) and 50th in passing yards (2,606), while ranking second in the MAC in completion percentage, passing yards and total offense (291.9) and sixth in overall passing (129.5). Additionally, Irons connected on a school-record 43 completions against Ohio on Oct. 8 finishing the game 43-of-54 for a career-high 418 yards passing. His 43 completions stand as the second-best single-game high for Division I this season and best the previous school-record mark of 37 set by Dalton Williams in 2012. - Akron Football

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QB DJ Irons, Akron
News Source: Akron Football
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12/16/22 - Alex Adams, Sr/2025, Akron + More +

2022 ALL-MID-AMERICAN CONFERENCE FIRST TEAM: Wide Receiver - Alex Adams, Akron,...Adams became the second Zip to garner First-Team All-MAC laurels at wide receiver in program history, and first since Jabari Arthur in 2007, earning all-conference accolades for the initial time. Adams led all eligible players at the position this season collecting a conference-best 726 yards in league play en route to averaging a MAC-leading 103.7 yards per game. In league-only games, he ranks third in the league in touchdowns (7) and catches (44), while rating fourth in yards per catch (16.5).

Overall, he leads the MAC in receiving yards per contest (83.8), while ranking second in receiving yards (838), third in receptions per tilt (5.6), fifth in touchdowns (8), sixth in yards per catch (14.9) and seventh in receptions (56). Adams pulled in a reception in all 10 games he has appeared in for Akron this fall, including registering a career-high 10 catches for 115 yards versus Miami on Oct. 29. He has found the end zone eight times, including scoring a pair of touchdowns against Bowling Green (Oct. 1) and Northern Illinois (Nov. 26), while garnering a career-high 200 yards on nine catches versus Kent State (Oct. 22). - Akron Football

Sr/2025

WR Alex Adams, Akron
News Source: Akron Football
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11/28/22 - Cory Smigel, rSr/2024, Akron + More +

NOV 28 MAC EAST DIVISION SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Cory Smigel, Akron, Kicker, R-Junior, North Royalton, Ohio,...Akron redshirt junior K Cory Smigel played a key role in the Zips registering their first road victory over Northern Illinois since 1996 connecting on three field goals, while going a perfect 5-for-5 in PAT's. The triumph also marked Akron's first over the Huskies since an overtime triumph in the 2005 MAC title game. He opened the scoring for the Zips hitting a 33-yard FG in the second quarter before closing the half delivering a pair of PAT's and a 31-yd FG to give Akron a 20-6 halftime lead. He added a trio of second-half PAT's before rounding out the Zips' scoring efforts with a 31-yard FG in the fourth quarter. On the season, he has connected on seven FG's and 15 PAT's. - MAC Football

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K Cory Smigel, Akron
News Source: MAC Football
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11/26/22 - Jeff Undercuffler Jr., rSr/2024, Akron + More +

Jeff Undercuffler threw for 312 yards and three touchdowns, leading Akron to a 44-12 victory over Northern Illinois on Saturday in the season finale for both teams. Akron picked up its first Mid-American Conference win of the season, helped in large part by a 20-point second quarter. Trailing 6-0 through one quarter, the Zips got rolling with Undercuffler touchdown passes of 15 yards to Daniel George and 4 yards to Alex Adams. Cory Smigel had two field goals and the Zips led 20-6 at halftime. In the third quarter, Adams hauled in a pass that may have been intended for a different receiver and raced mostly untouched to the end zone on a 61-yard play.

In the fourth quarter, Clyde Price had an 8-yard TD run and Tyson Durant returned an interception 76 yards for Akron's final touchdown. Undercuffler completed 21 of 32 passes with the three touchdowns and he was intercepted once. Cam Wiley added 128 yards rushing and Adams had 150 receiving yards for the Zips (2-9, 1-6). NIU's Nevan Cremascoli was 14-of-30 passing for 144 yards and was intercepted twice. John Richardson kicked four field goals for Northern Illinois (3-9, 2-6), all four after the Huskies had reached the red zone. Smigel kicked three field goals for Akron, also from short range. - Akron/AP College Football

rSr/2024

QB Jeff Undercuffler Jr., Akron
News Source: Akron/AP College Football
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11/25/22 - Ben Finley, rJr/2026, Akron + More +

Ben Finley threw for 271 yards and two touchdowns in his first career start, and North Carolina State held on to beat Drake Maye and No. 17 North Carolina 30-27 on Friday when Noah Burnette duck-hooked a 35-yard field goal try in the second overtime. Maye connected with Antoine Green from 4 yards out on the final play of regulation to tie the game at 24-all, but N.C. State (8-4, 4-4 Atlantic Coast Conference) kept the ACC Coastal Division champion Tar Heels (9-3, 6-2) out of the end zone in the first overtime. Burnette - who also missed from 27 yards in the fourth quarter - made a 26-yarder in the first OT and the Wolfpack tied it on Christopher Dunn's 31-yarder. Dunn was good from 21 yards in the second overtime and N.C. State, which never trailed, held on to hand North Carolina its second straight loss.

Devin Carter had six receptions for 130 yards and a touchdown for the Wolfpack, who snapped a two-game skid and pulled out a thrilling victory over their in-state rival for the second straight year. Carter caught Finley's back-shoulder pass just outside the end zone and backed in for a 26-yard touchdown with 3:54 remaining in regulation for the Wolfpack's first points of the second half. Finley became N.C. State's fourth starting quarterback in a seven-game span. He completed 27 of 40 passes for 271 yards. The Tar Heels and freshman sensation Maye closed the regular season with dispiriting one-score losses to Georgia Tech and the Wolfpack ahead of the ACC title game clash with No. 8 Clemson next Saturday. Maye finished 29 of 49 for 233 yards, one interception and the tying TD toss on fourth-and-goal to Green, which followed an apparent touchdown catch by John Copenhaver that was overturned on a replay review. - North Carolina State/AP College Football

rJr/2026

QB Ben Finley, Akron
News Source: North Carolina State/AP College Football
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09/01/22 - Cam Wiley, rJr/2025, Akron + More +

Cam Wiley had a 1-yard touchdown run in overtime and Akron held off FCS-member St. Francis (Pa.) 30-23 on Thursday night in the debut of head coach Joe Moorhead. Wiley scored on the first possession of overtime in the season opener for both teams. Justin Sliwoski then drove the Red Flash to the Akron 6, including a 16-yard pass to Dawson Snyder on fourth-and-10. But Tyson Durant picked off a Sliwoski pass to end it. It was Akron’s first season-opening win since 2018 against Morgan State. Moorhead spent the last two seasons as offensive coordinator at Oregon and was an assistant at Akron from 2004-08.

DJ Irons threw two touchdown passes and was 23 of 38 for 270 yards passing for the Zips. Irons lofted a 41-yard pass to Shocky Jacques-Louis, who beat two defenders and made a two-handed, over-the-shoulder catch, that gave the Zips a 17-16 lead late in the third quarter. Irons connected with nine receivers that included six completions of 15 yards or more. The Zips stretched their lead to 23-16 with 5:42 left on Wiley's 7-yard touchdown run, but St. Francis blocked the PAT attempt. Sliwoski then tossed a 55-yard pass to Dawson Snyder that sparked a five-play, 81-yard drive, capped by Deondre Scott's 7-yard touchdown run, to tie it 23-23 with 3:30 remaining. Sliwoski was 11-of-17 passing for 162 yards. Damon Horton also had a touchdown run for St. Francis. - Akron Football/AP College Football

rJr/2025

RB Cam Wiley, Akron
News Source: Akron Football/AP College Football
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08/14/22 - Bubba Arslanian, rSr/2024, Akron + More +

2022 PRESEASON ALLSTATE AFCA GOOD WORKS TEAM NOMINEE: Bubba Arslanian, University of Akron,...Started all four games he appeared in for the Zips in 2021...ranked fifth on the team in tackles (43) in spite of injuries ending his seasons after four games...ranks 13th, 39th, 51st and 65th, respectively, among active career leaders in Division I in tackles per game (7.50), solo tackles per contest (3.74), assisted tackles (128) and total tackles (255). - Akron Football

rSr/2024

OLB Bubba Arslanian, Akron
News Source: Akron Football
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08/09/22 - Bubba Arslanian, rSr/2024, Akron + More +

Lack of leadership was part of the problem with the UA defense last season. What shouldn't have been a surprise to anyone is that when mainstay Bubba Arslanian went down after the fourth game of the season, the defense played without direction, allowing 41.5 points per game in the conference schedule. Arslanian can be a tackling machine, but his ultimate value has always been his leadership. It was that way under coach Terry Bowden. It was that way under coach Tom Arth. And it's something, based on conversation, that Moorhead seems to recognize. If Arslanian can provide leadership, it could go a long way toward pointing the unit in the right direction. - Akron Beacon Journal

rSr/2024

OLB Bubba Arslanian, Akron
News Source: Akron Beacon Journal
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08/08/22 - Jake Newell, rSo/2027, Akron + More +

Arizona State tight end Jacob Newell injured his foot in practice and will undergo x-rays to understand its severity, SunDevilSource.com reports. Newell will undergo testing for his left foot after injuring it in practice and the amount of time he will miss is currently unknown. The tight end is about to enter his freshman year and was a three-star recruit out of high school. Newell (6-5/220) previously been committed to Nevada, but flipped to Arizona State. Newell was regarded as the 58th best tight end of the 2022 class per 247Sports' composite rankings, and the fifth best tight end in the state of Oregon. In addition to Arizona State and Nevada, Newell has also received offers from Arizona, Army, Fresno State, Hawaii, Oregon and Boise State. - Sundevilsource.com

rSo/2027

TE Jake Newell, Akron
News Source: Sundevilsource.com
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08/05/22 - DJ Irons, rSr/2024, Akron + More +

University of Akron football coach Joe Moorhead admits that he liked a lot of what he saw during spring practice, mostly because of his what he saw in his team's attitude. The offense may not have much of a problem buying what Moorhead is selling. His focus as a coach has come on that side of the ball and it's led to prolific scoring teams such as Oregon, where the Ducks averaged better than 33 points per game. Past success doesn't lead to future fortune, but there's reason to be hopeful. The Zips offense evolved through the course of last season, being the reason the team came close to pulling out a couple of close games. Still, that was then and players realize that and understand questions surround this year's team.

Here are the three primary ones for the UA offense: Can DJ Irons take the reins of the offense and hold them? Moorhead recruited Irons at another college, so if anyone but him is under center to start the season, it would be earthquake level shocking. Irons, at 6-foot-6, 215 pounds, has the size for the position. He also possesses the arm strength and legs to get out of sticky situations. He's a legitimate dual-threat quarterback. At times last season, he flashed at the position, but in eight appearances, he also took a beating leading to some issues. "I felt like I started not to have fun a little bit last year," he said. "Now, I feel like I'm getting my confidence back and I'm just ready to be on the offensive side of the ball and get in the end zone." - Akron Beacon Journal

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