2014 Cliff Harris Award Finalists Announced

LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas – The Little Rock Touchdown Club and Wright, Lindsey & Jennings LLP announced the finalists for the second annual 2014 CLIFF HARRIS AWARD. The award is presented to the nation’s top small college defensive player representing more than 5,000 defensive players from almost 500 NCAA Division II, Division III and NAIA colleges and universities.

CLIFF HARRIS –

“There are numerous outstanding small college defensive players around the country and I’m glad we get to acknowledge them today as finalists for the 2014 Cliff Harris Award”

The finalist list includes 38 Division II players, 18 Division III players and 14 players from NAIA. An overall winner will be announced on December 24 and honored at the Little Rock Touchdown Club’s annual awards banquet in February 2015. The winner will receive the $3,000 Cliff Harris Award trophy presented by Cliff Harris along with featured speaker NFL Hall of Fame member and former Dallas Cowboy Michael Irvin. In addition to the overall winner, the top vote getters from each division will also be announced. A prestigious group of former college and pro football greats serve on the Cliff Harris Award Committee.

The inaugural winner of the award was Lindenwood University cornerback Pierre Desir who was selected in the 4th round of the NFL draft by the Cleveland Browns. Ten percent of the 2013 Cliff Harris Award finalists made NFL rosters this season.

Division II

PlayerClassificationSchool
Brion RobinsonJunior The Lincoln University of PA
Duvontae CovingtonSeniorWinston-Salem State University
Mike SingletarySrOBU
Nores FradiSeniorWayne State University
Billy EakinsJuniorOhio Dominican University
Justin ZimmerJuniorFerris State University
Jordan HerdmanSophomoreSimon Fraser University
Devin BentonSeniorSouthwestern Oklahoma State University
Devin BentonSeniorSouthwestern Oklahoma State University
Darious LaneSeniorHarding University
Kyle LamotheSeniorOuachita Baptist University
Jamaris BrownSeniorWalsh University
Gary YeomanSeniorSaint Joseph's (IN)
LuckyBaarMcKendree University
Tyler ThorntonSeniorAzusa Pacific University
Tovar SanchezJuniorCentral Washington University
Alex MarkarianSeniorHumboldt State University
Jordan ShawJuniorShorter University
Rory IslandSeniorDelta State University
Mike JamesSophomoreAlderson Broaddus University
Rush SeaverSeniorAngelo State
Trevor PesekR-Sr.Texas A&M-Kingsville
Conner HarrisSophmoreLindenwood
WENLY BELIARD2015WEST VIRGINIA STATE UNIVERSITY
Tyler ConditJuniorUniversity of New Haven
Derrick MannSr.Assumption College
Solomon St. PierreJuniorUniversity of Sioux Falls
Nathan HancockSeniorMinnesota State University, Mankato
Solomon St. PierreJuniorUniversity of Sioux Falls
Josh GordonJuniorMinnesota State Mankato
Al-Hajj ShabazzSeniorWest Chester University (Pa.)
Julian HowsareSeniorClarion University of PA
Bryan ThomsonRedshirt SeniorEast Stroudsburg University
Colin KimballSeniorMercyhurst University
Justin ShirkSeniorBloomsburg University
Marcus MartinR-Fr.Slippery Rock University
George ChristasSeniorLock Haven University
Jared KosterSeniorNew Mexico Highlands University
Kole KadavySr.Colorado School of Mines
Jared KosterSeniorNew Mexico Highlands
Michael GruberSr.Brevard College
Tanner BottsSeniorLenoir-Rhyne University
Michael Gruber 2015Brevard College
Jason TaylorSeniorCatawba College
Nick NapolitanoSeniorWingate University
Caushaud LyonsSeniorTusculum College

Division III

PlayerClassificationSchool
Earl Hines IIISeniorSul Ross State University
Chris TateTateSul Ross State University
Beau BrewerSeniorLouisiana College
Steve AmbsJuniorUrsinus College
Hugh O'BrienSeniorSUNY Maritime College
Ryan AelkerJuniorBluffton University
Taylor ChristensenSophomoreFranklin College
Jacob EdlemanSeniorCentral College
Max NacewiczSeniorSpringfield College
Tyre ColemanSeniorHobart College
Bryan NarcisseSr.Worcester State University
Ryan HoganSr. Trine University
Brandon HarperSeniorWidener University
Frank GaffneySeniorLebanon Valley College
Austin TennesseeSophomoreStevenson University
David TernesSr.Grinnell College
Jake BussaniGrad StudentWesleyan University
Chris TamasiSeniorAmherst College
Tyler JenkinsSeniorRowan University
Jack NelsonSeniorWillamette University
Max MirandeSeniorUniversity of Puget Sound
Roth HealeySeniorEmory & Henry College
Alex KocheffJuniorUniversity of Mount Union
David PorterJuniorJohn Carroll University
Nadim RaddarJr.Bethany College (W. Va.)
Nadim RaddarJRBethany College
Zach BellSeniorMillsaps College
Devon FreemanSeniorCentre College
Nik KellyFreshmanSouthwestern University (TX)
Drake DowlingJuniorTexas Lutheran University
Brandon BolockSr.University of Chicago
Raul LozanoSRIowa Wesleyan
Nate DanielsJRIowa Wesleyan
Zach BrownellSeniorHuntingdon College
Jacob ZilbarSeniorUniversity of Wisconsin-Platteville
Jacob ZilbarSeniorUniversity of Wisconsin - Platteville
Brady GrayvoldSeniorUniversity of Wisconsin-Whitewater

Division III

Keshaun MaloneSeniorBacone College
Sean BlomquistSeniorCarroll College
Zac SchleugerJuniorMorningside College
Greg HegstadSeniorNorthwestern (Iowa)
Phil LatimerSeniorNebraska Wesleyan University
Zac SchluegerJuniorMorningside College
Josh MontgomerySeniorBenedictine College
Billy WendtSRGraceland University
Ty Phillips2014Missouri Valley College
Ty PhillipsSeniorMissouri Valley College
Cameron Grad2015Menlo College
Deron BruceSr.Ottawa University
AndrewStewartKentucky Christian University
Jesse Hogan SRUniversity of St. Francis (IL)
Takari JohnsonSeniorConcordia University
Takari JohnsonSeniorConcordia Univeristy
BrianFishOlivet Nazarene University
Adam SauderJuniorTaylor University
Greg HaywardSeniorSaint Xavier University
Brandon RuemlerSeniorOlivet Nazarene University
Tyler SumptionSeniorPresentation College
Cole PotterSophomoreDakota State University (S.D.)
Loronza SmithSophomoreWarner University
Brandon RossSeniorAve Maria University