YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – A total of 15 Eastern Michigan University football student-athletes were named Preseason All-MAC by Athlon Sports, the magazine announced this week. The total is tied for third-most in the MAC, and it is the most honorees for EMU since the magazine began releasing the list in 2014.
Defensive lineman Peyton Price (Lafayette, Ind./Jefferson), punter Mitchell Tomasek (Columbus, Ohio/Worthington Kilbourne), and defensive back Quentavius Scandrett (Hampton, Ga./Lovejoy) garnered the Eagles’ first team selections, while defensive lineman Justin Jefferson (Chicago, Ill./Brother Rice), linebacker JT Killen (Lake Wylie, S.C./Charlotte Christian School/Coastal Carolina), and wide receiver/return specialist Oran Singleton (Clewiston, Fla./Clewiston/Akron/Hutchinson CC) added second team accolades. Kicker Jesús Gómez (Puebla, Mexico/Prepa Tec Puebla), wide receiver JB Mitchell III (Alabaster, Ala./Thompson), offensive lineman Mickey Rewolinski (Caledonia, Wis./Union Grove), and defensive back Daiquan White (Fairburn, Ga./Creekside) added third team accolades, as running back Delbert Mimms III (Indianapolis, Ind./Ben Davis/NC State), offensive lineman Broderick Roman (Lansing, Mich./Okemos), defensive back Joshua Scott (Antioch, Calif./Deer Valley/City College of San Francisco), quarterback Cole Snyder (Lakewood, N.Y./Southwestern/Rutgers/Buffalo), and defensive lineman Joey Zelinsky (Cressona, Pa./Blue Mountain/Hudson Valley CC) picked up fourth team honors.
Athlon’s selections are based on how players will perform in 2024. Career statistics and awards matter in the evaluation, but choosing players for the 2024 all-conference team is largely based on predicting and projecting the best for the upcoming year. Also, team strength does not play a role in selections. According to the magazine, these are the best individual players at each position in the league for 2024.
In 2023, Price had an impressive season, appearing in all 13 games and starting in 12. He was honored with the 0 jersey for the Minnesota game on Sept. 9. Price set career highs with 47 tackles (12 solo, 35 assisted), 4.5 tackles for loss (TFL) totaling 29 yards, and 4.0 sacks for 28 yards. He also contributed seven quarterback hurries and recovered one fumble. Consistently impactful, Price recorded at least one tackle in each game and notched a TFL in six games. Highlights included six tackles and one sack against Howard on Sept. 1, and season-high seven tackles in both the Kent State game on Oct. 14—where he also forced a fumble—and the Western Michigan game, Oct. 28.
A standout punter entering the 2024 season, Tomasek has solidified his place among the best in Eastern Michigan’s history. Boasting a career average of 45.0 yards per punt, he holds the top spot in EMU history, with a total of 5,219 yards ranking him 11th overall. In 2023, Tomasek was named First Team All-MAC for the second consecutive year and claimed the EMU Special Teams MVP Award. His remarkable season included punting 67 times for 3,060 yards, averaging an impressive 45.7 yards per punt, the second-best in program history. Notably, nearly one third of his punts exceeded 50 yards, with 24 landing inside the 20-yard line. Tomasek’s prowess on the field earned him recognition as the MAC Special Teams Player of the Week three times, and he was one of just three players nationally to record two punts over 70 yards in 2023.
Scandrett had a standout season last year, playing in all 13 games and starting in 12. Notably, he was honored with the number 0 jersey for the Buffalo game, Nov. 21. Scandrett amassed 59 tackles, with 31 being solo efforts, and intercepted two passes, one each against UMass, Sept. 9, for 22 yards and Central Michigan, Sept. 30. Additionally, he contributed a pass breakup in the 68 Venture Bowl game against South Alabama.
Demonstrating his disruptive presence on the field, Jefferson tied for the team lead with 7.5 TFLs and secured third place with 3.5 sacks. Notable highlights include a standout performance against Akron, where he notched a career-high 2.0 TFLs. Throughout the season, he consistently made an impact, tallying at least 0.5 TFLs in eight games and 0.5 sacks in four contests, showcasing his versatility and reliability. Jefferson’s defensive prowess was further evidenced by his 32 total tackles, including 14 solo, along with two pass breakups and 11 quarterback hurries. His ability to force turnovers was also notable, with two fumble recoveries, one forced fumble, and an impressive ranking of 19th in the NCAA FBS for fumble recoveries. Jefferson’s contributions earned him recognition, culminating in the honor of wearing the prestigious 0 jersey for the 68 Ventures Bowl.
Killen, a standout transfer linebacker from Coastal Carolina, had an impressive collegiate career at CCU, playing in 55 games and amassing 198 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, and an interception. A finance graduate in August 2023, Killen was highly decorated in his final season, earning spots on multiple preseason All-Sun Belt teams and the Lombardi Award Watch List. In 2023, he recorded 68 tackles, including 15 in a game against Army West Point, and contributed to the Chanticleers’ victory in the Hawai’i Bowl.
Singleton joined the Eastern Michigan football program as a dynamic transfer with two years of eligibility remaining. In the 2022 season at Hutchinson Community College, Singleton led the team with 31 receptions and seven receiving touchdowns, amassing 419 yards over 11 games and helping the team to an undefeated record until the NJCAA Semifinals. Prior to Hutchinson, he played for Akron in 2021, showcasing his versatility in nine games with 112 receiving yards, 14 rushing yards, and notable special teams contributions, including 89 kick return yards. Singleton’s standout performances, such as his career-high 131 all-purpose yards against Toledo, highlight his playmaking ability and promise as he transitions to EMU.
Gómez had a strong 2023 season, finishing 12-of-16 in field goal attempts, including a 55-yarder at Central Michigan, tying for the 15th-longest in NCAA FBS. He was also reliable on extra points, converting 21-of-24 attempts, and averaged 49.0 yards on three kickoffs. Gómez was second on his team in scoring with 57 points, behind only Samson Evans‘ 74.
In the 2023 season, Mitchell III played in all 12 regular season games, starting 11, and emerged as a key offensive player with 35 receptions for 398 yards, averaging 11.4 yards per catch. He achieved career highs in receptions and yards across four consecutive games, highlighted by a standout performance against Ball State with seven catches for 71 yards and a touchdown. Mitchell also notched a career-best 99 yards against Western Michigan, featuring a 50-yard reception, and concluded the season with another seven-catch, 75-yard game at Buffalo. Throughout the season, he consistently contributed with multiple catches in eight games.
Rewolinski, who graduated from Eastern Michigan in April 2024, was a crucial part of the team’s offensive line during the 2023 season. Starting in all nine games he appeared in, Rewolinski played a pivotal role in the line that paved the way for running back Samson Evans to achieve 12 rushing touchdowns, the second-highest total in the Mid-American Conference (MAC). His performance demonstrated solid protection and run-blocking skills, contributing significantly to the team’s offensive success.
In his freshman season with EMU, White made an immediate impact, appearing in all 13 games and starting in 11. Recognized for his stellar performance, he was named the E-Gridiron Group Defensive Newcomer of the Year and received Honorable Mention Freshman All-American honors from the College Football Network. White’s versatility shone through as he showcased his skills with 19 total tackles, including a career-high three stops against both Central Michigan and Northern Illinois. He also demonstrated his disruptive presence with 12 quarterback hurries and a crucial fumble recovery against Western Michigan.
Mimms transferred to Eastern Michigan from NC State, where he enrolled in the winter semester. Over five seasons with the Wolfpack, he played in 51 games, amassing 442 yards and eight touchdowns on 129 carries, and caught eight passes for 84 yards and a touchdown. Mimms was also active on special teams, recording 17 tackles. In 2023, he appeared in all 13 games, rushing for 282 yards and eight touchdowns, with notable performances including 65 yards and a score against Marshall, and two touchdowns against VMI.
In 2023, Roman played in five games, earning one start at center. His contributions were instrumental in bolstering the team’s running game. Roman’s performance showcased his ability to be a reliable and impactful player in the offensive lineup.
Despite being sidelined by injury for most of 2023, Scott’s contributions in 2022 solidified his reputation as a formidable force in the secondary. In 2022, Scott showcased his prowess as a defensive back, appearing in all 13 games and making a significant impact with 30 total tackles, including three interceptions and 10 pass break-ups. His standout performances included multiple pass break-ups in three games and consecutive interceptions to close out the season.
A transfer quarterback from Buffalo, Snyder made waves upon joining Eastern Michigan in 2024. Having amassed an impressive 5,000 passing yards during his tenure at Buffalo, Snyder emerged as a standout in their quarterback lineage. His prolific arm and field presence earned him recognition as one of only four quarterbacks in UB’s FBS era to achieve such a milestone. In his 2023 season, Snyder showcased his skills by leading the offense with over 2,000 passing yards and 13 touchdowns, including standout performances against Liberty and Fordham.
Zelinsky showcased his prowess on the field during the 2023 season. With 38 tackles, including 16 solo stops, and 6.0 tackles for loss along with 1.5 sacks, he proved to be a relentless force on the defensive front. Notably, Zelinsky consistently disrupted opposing offenses, recording at least 0.5 tackles for loss in six games, including standout performances against Howard, Central Michigan, and Akron. His impact extended beyond statistics, as evidenced by his selection to wear the prestigious number 0 jersey for the season opener against Howard.
EMU Football Places 15 on Preseason all-MAC Team
First-Team Defense
DL Peyton Price
S Quentavius Scandrett
First-Team Specialists
P Mitchell Tomasek
Second-Team Defense
LB JT Killen
LB Justin Jefferson
Second-Team Specialists
PR Oran Singleton
Third-Team Offense
WR JB Mitchell III
OL Mickey Rewolinski
Third-Team Defense
CB Daiquan White
Third-Team Specialists
K Jesús Gómez
Fourth-Team Offense
QB Cole Snyder
RB Delbert Mimms III
OL Broderick Roman
Fourth-Team Defense
DL Joey Zelinsky
CB Joshua Scott