William & Mary football’s Dedmon, Durant earn preseason All-CAA honors

William & Mary senior wide receiver DeVonte Dedmon and senior left tackle Chris Durant garnered preseason all-conference honors at the 2017 Colonial Athletic Association Media Day at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, Md., on Tuesday.

Additionally, the CAA’s preseason poll was announced at the event, as the Tribe was picked to finish seventh. Both the preseason all-conference team and preseason poll were selected based on a vote by the CAA’s 12 head coaches and media relations personnel.

One of the nation’s most electric playmakers as both a wide receiver and a return specialist, Dedmon enters his senior season as an All-America candidate at both positions. A two-time All-CAA selection at wideout and former CAA Special Teams Player of the Year (2015), Dedmon ranked among the league’s top 10 in five statistical categories last fall despite being limited for much of the season by injury. Highlighting his performances in 2016 was an eight-catch, 176-yard effort with a touchdown in the win at Hampton. Additionally, he posted a career-high 229 all-purpose yards against Elon, which included a career-long 77-yard touchdown catch.

Among the most productive wide receivers in school history, the Williamsburg, Va., native’s career totals include 110 catches for 1,421 yards and 14 touchdowns. Additionally, he ranks ninth in school history in career all-purpose yards (3,093) and seventh in kickoff return yards (1,263).

Having established himself as one of the country’s elite offensive linemen, Durant enters his fourth season as the Tribe’s starting left tackle. A two-time all-conference standout, the Oak Hill, Va., native is a big, strong, athletic lineman who combines toughness and an aggressive style with good feet and mobility. In addition to logging 30 career starts, he has not missed a start during each of the last two seasons (23 consecutive starts).

Ticket information, as well as complete schedule information, is available at TribeAthletics.com.

2017 Preseason Predicted Order of Finish (First Place Votes)

1. James Madison (21)
2. Richmond (3)
3. Villanova
4. New Hampshire
5. Delaware
6. UAlbany
7. William & Mary
8. Stony Brook
9. Maine
10. Towson
11. Elon
12. Rhode Island

First-place votes in parentheses 

2017 CAA Football Preseason Offensive Players of the Year
QB – Bryan Schor – James Madison

2017 CAA Football Preseason Defensive Player of the Year
S – Rob Rolle – Villanova

2017 CAA Football Preseason All-Conference Team – Offense
QB – Bryan Schor (James Madison)
RB – Stacey Bedell (Stony Brook)
RB – Elijah Ibitokun-Hanks (UAlbany)
RB – Deontez Thompson (Richmond)
FB – Anthony Manzo-Lewis (UAlbany)
WR – DeVonte Dedmon (William & Mary)
WR – Neil O’Connor (New Hampshire)
WR – Micah Wright (Maine)
TE – Jonathan Kloosterman (James Madison)
OL – Chris Durant (William & Mary)
OL – Jamil Demby (Maine)
OL – Brody Kern (Delaware)
OL – Timon Parris (Stony Brook)
OL – Aaron Stinnie (James Madison)

2017 CAA Football Preseason All-Conference Team – Defense
DL – Andrew Ankrah (James Madison)
DL – Malachi Hoskins (UAlbany)
DL – Bilal Nichols (Delaware)
DL – Brandon Waller (Richmond)
LB – Charles Bell (Delaware)
LB – Shayne Lawless (Stony Brook)
LB – Sterling Sheffield (Maine)
LB – Ed Shockley (Villanova)
S – Raven Green (James Madison)
S – Rob Rolle (Villanova)
CB – Najee Goode (Maine)
CB – Prince Smith, Jr. (New Hampshire)

2017 CAA Football Preseason All-Conference Team – Special Teams
RET – Shane Simpson (Towson)
PK – Griffin Trau (Richmond)
P – John Hinchen (Villanova)
SPEC – Robert Carter (James Madison)