PITTSBURG, Kan. --- Tusculum College tight end Jarrell NeSmith has been named to the 2009 Don Hansen's Football Gazette Division II All-America Third Team announced officials Monday. NeSmith returns to the Football Gazette All-America Team, after earning First Team recognition last season.
NeSmith, a 6-2, 225-pound tight end from Russellville, Ala., has closed out one of the most decorated football careers in Tusculum history, both on and off the field. NeSmith graduated from Tusculum in December as a Pre-Medicine major with a 3.87 cumulative grade point average. He is a member of the Tusculum President's List, Dean's List, Charles Oliver Gray List, South Atlantic Conference Commissioner's Honor Roll and the TC Athletic Director's Honor Roll.
On the field, NeSmith was a two-time All-SAC First Team selection, including this year where he led the league in receiving yards per game, averaging 67.8 yards per contest. He posted 56 catches for 678 yards (5th in TC history) and three touchdowns. His 5.6 catches per game average finished tied for the 43rd best in the nation. He was also named to the Daktronics NCAA Division II All-Super Region 2 First Team for a second straight year and was selected to the Associated Press Little All-America Team.
He earned All-America honors in 2008 from three organizations as he posted 67 receptions for 635 yards and seven touchdowns and was also an All-Conference and All-Region selection.
NeSmith was a two-time ESPN the Magazine Academic All-American®, including this year where he was a First Team selection. He becomes only the fourth Tusculum student-athlete to garner First Team recognition and also becomes only the second Pioneer to be a two-time Academic All-American®. He was named to the Academic All-America® Second Team last year.
NeSmith was named the SAC Scholar Athlete for Football as NeSmith becomes the first three-time recipient of the award in conference history. It also marked the fifth straight year that a Tusculum player has earned SAC Scholar Athlete Football honors and seventh in the last eight seasons.
NeSmith wrapped up his career with 158 receptions (3rd in TC history) for 1,670 yards (4th in TC history), both school records for a tight end.
This past December, he was named to the National Football Foundation Scholar Athlete Team and was one of only 16 national finalists for the William V. Campbell Trophy, one of college football's most sought after and competitive awards, recognizing an individual as the absolute best in the country for his combined academic success, football performance and exemplary community leadership. NeSmith was the only NCAA Division II player amongst the honorees that included Campbell Trophy winner Tim Tebow of Florida and fellow Heisman Trophy candidate Colt McCoy of Texas.
NeSmith was selected as the 2008-09 recipient SAC Presidents Award, becoming only the second football player in the history of the award to earn the conference's most prestigious honor. He was also a Southeast Region representative for the 2008-09 Division II Commissioner's Scholar Athlete Award and was a national semifinalist for the American Football Coaches Association's Good Works Team.
This marks the 22nd year Don Hansen's Football Gazette, a recognized authority on small college football, has selected an NCAA Division II All-America team. The national publication selected All-Region teams with the first team and second-team All-Region players from each of the four geographic regions (Super Region One - former Northeast; Super Region Two - former Southeast; Super Region Three - former Northwest; Super Region Four - former Southwest) comprising the national ballot, which was voted upon by a select national panel.
A total of 157 players earned some form of Football Gazette All-America honors. Players from 83 of the 150 football-playing schools in Division II earned Football Gazette All-America accolades. National Champion Northwest Missouri State and national quarterfinalist West Liberty State led the way by placing seven players apiece on All-America squad, while national semifinalist California (Pa.) had six honorees.
Tusculum College, located in Greeneville, Tenn., is affiliated with the Presbyterian Church, USA and is a NCAA Division II member of the South Atlantic Conference which is comprised of nine colleges and universities in Tennessee, North Carolina and South Carolina.
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