Football | 7/21/2022 11:00:00 AM

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Mississippi Valley State University football program was well-represented when the 2022 Preseason All-SWAC Teams were revealed on Thursday morning at SWAC Football Media Day as a quartet of Delta Devils made the cut.
 
Running back Caleb Johnson and defensive lineman Ronnie Thomas were both bumped up from the All-SWAC Second Team at the conclusion of the 2021 regular season while defensive lineman Jalen Bell plus defensive back Caleb Brunson received second team honors.
 
This will be Johnson and Brunson's third career All-SWAC selection, Thomas' second, and the first such recognition for Bell.
 
Johnson, a redshirt junior from Memphis, Tennessee and HBCU Sports Preseason First Teamer, is currently 14th among all active FCS players in career rushes per game (14.50), was a HERO Sports FCS Sophomore All-American, All-SWAC and Phil Steele Second Teamer on top of a C Spire Trophy finalist in 2021. The conference's leading rusher from a year ago went for 1,004 yards on the ground to become the first Valley back to surpass 1,000 in a season since 1999 while ranking 18th in the nation for yards per game (91.3) and 47th regarding rushing touchdowns (8).
 
Thomas, a senior from Clinton, Mississippi and HBCU Sports Preseason First Teamer, was an All-SWAC Second Teamer and Phil Steele All-SWAC Third Teamer who led the Devil defense in sacks (6.5) plus sack yardage (43). He appeared in all 11 games with 22 tackles, eight tackles for loss, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery.
 
Bell, a junior from Detroit, Michigan and HBCU Sports Preseason Second Teamer, was selected to the Phil Steele All-SWAC Third Team and currently slots 49th among active FCS student-athletes for career tackles for loss per game (0.84). He leads all returning defenders with 9.5 tackles for loss and two quarterback hurries from a year ago in which he took down 39 ball carriers and sacked four quarterbacks.
 
Brunson, a senior from Laurel, Mississippi, is a former All-SWAC First Team selection in the Spring of 2021, Preseason All-SWAC First Team honoree last fall, and Preseason Black College Football Player of the Year Award Watch List member returns to the spotlight after a stellar campaign in which he starred on the defensive end of the field. He is one of only two returning Devils that had multiple picks (2) and pass breakups (3), joining fellow DB Kenneth Martin, and he also was able to secure 28 total tackles with 17 being of the solo variety (60.7%).
 
Valley State had more student-athletes selected than Alcorn (3), Bethune-Cookman (3), Alabama A&M (3), and Alabama State (2) on top of tying the representation of Grambling State (4), Prairie View A&M (4), and Texas Southern (4).
 
Despite being a trendy dark horse pick out of the SWAC East among HBCU fan forums and being viewed as a program on the rise, MVSU will have to prove the doubters wrong once again as it tallied just 35 points in the preseason poll for a projected last place finish in the loaded league.
 
To view the full article with every selection and individual award winner, click here.
 
Follow the Delta Devils and Devilettes on Facebook (Mississippi Valley State Athletics), Twitter (@MVSUDevilSports) and Instagram (@MVSUDevilSports).