MaxPreps 2014 Preseason Sophomore Football All-American Team

By Stephen Spiewak Jul 25, 2014, 12:00am

Dylan Moses, Richard Lecounte, Foster Sarell highlight nation's top incoming 10th graders.



Dylan Moses entered high school with a tremendous amount of hype. As a ninth-grader, he delivered.

The running back/linebacker was superb on both sides of the ball for University Lab (Baton Rouge), helping carry the team to the state final and earning MaxPreps National Freshman of the Year honors in the process.

Moses, along with last year's fellow freshman standouts Richard Lecounte and Foster Sarell, highlight the nation's top incoming sophomores.



MaxPreps 2014 Preseason Sophomore All-American Football Team

First Team Offense

WR - Jeff Thomas, 5-11, 170, East St. Louis (Ill.)
De'Andre Swift, St. Joseph's Prep
De'Andre Swift, St. Joseph's Prep
Photo by Ken Inness
Thomas nearly hit the 1,000-yard mark playing for one of the state's top teams.

WR - De'Andre Swift, 5-7, 176, St. Joseph's Prep (Philadelphia)
Swift was perhaps Pennsylvania's most impressive freshman. He made big plays against some of the state's stiffest competition.

WR - Trevon Grimes, 6-3, 182, St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.)
Defenses keying in on Devante Peete and Sam Bruce should open up plenty of opportunities for Grimes.

WR - Dakari Matthews, 6-0, 160, First Coast (Jacksonville, Fla.)
Committed to Florida State, Matthews justified his pre-high school hype as a freshman, hauling in seven receiving touchdowns.

OL - Wes Harris, 6-3, 290, Aledo (Texas)
Harris saw plenty of time for the highest-scoring offense of all-time in high school football.



OL - Calvin Ashley, 6-6, 240, Dr. Phillips (Orlando, Fla.)
Ashley is very advanced for his age and was a key cog on Dr. Phillips' offensive line last fall.

OL - Foster Sarell, 6-6, 300, Graham-Kapowsin (Graham, Wash.)
Sarell is a manchild. He received offers from Washington and Eastern Washington just weeks into his freshman season.

OL - Kayden Lyles, 6-3, 290, Saguaro (Scottsdale, Ariz.)
Shon Mitchell, Oscar Smith
Shon Mitchell, Oscar Smith
Photo Illustration by Brad Howe
Colleges took notice of Lyles this offseason, as he landed offers from Notre Dame, Ohio State and others.

OL - Josh Myers, 6-5, 280, Miamisburg (Ohio)
As a sophomore, Myers could be one of the top linemen in southwest Ohio.

QB - Shon Mitchell, 5-11, 163, Oscar Smith (Chesapeake, Va.)
Mitchell was superb as a freshman and could lead Oscar Smith to a state title this fall.

QB - Bailey Hockman, 6-3, 180, McEachern (Powder Springs, Ga.)
In his first full year as a starter, Hockman should thrive for Georgia's preseason No. 1-ranked squad.



RB - Bruce Jordan-Swilling, 6-2, 215, Brother Martin (New Orleans)
The son of Pat Swilling, Jordan-Swilling was a load to bring down this season going up against some of the best competition in Louisiana.

RB - Robert Burns, 5-10, 210, Gulliver Prep (Miami)
Burns could be the premier running back from the state of Florida in this class.

RB - Todd Sibley, 5-10, 188, Archbishop Hoban (Akron, Ohio)
Sibley ran with uncanny power as a freshman, but also showed breakaway speed.

ATH - Bruce Judson, 5-11, 175, Cocoa (Fla.)
Judson once again should be one of the most productive players in his class this fall.
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First Team Defense



DL - M.J. Webb, 6-5, 260, Madison County (Danielsville, Ga.)

Webb appears to have all the physical tools of a truly elite defensive end.

DL - Breyon Gaddy, 6-2, 300, Washington (Norfolk, Va.)
A.J. Epenesa, Edwardsville
A.J. Epenesa, Edwardsville
Photo by Chris Johns
Also a hoops standout, Gaddy is a force at defensive tackle.



DL - Marcus Hawkins, 6-3, 260, Freedom (Morganton, N.C.)
One of the more productive freshman defensive linemen, Hawkins was responsible for 62 tackles and six sacks.

DL - A.J. Epenesa, 6-5, 230, Edwardsville (Ill.)
An injury ended his season early, but Epenesa was borderline dominant when healthy.

LB - Dylan Moses, 6-1, 205, University Lab (Baton Rouge, La.)
Moses lived up to the hype as a ninth-grader and should be even better this season.

LB - Thomas Johnston, 6-2, 205, Spanish Fort (Ala.)
Playing on a 15-0 squad last year, Johnston amassed 121 total tackles.

LB - Markail Benton, 6-2, 205, Central (Phenix City, Ala.)
Several SEC schools have already offered Benton.

LB - Anthony Hines III, 6-2, 205, Episcopal School of Dallas (Texas)
Hines was No. 2 in the nation in sacks for a freshman, bringing down the quarterback nine times.



LB - Giovannia Moore, 6-2, 235, Carver (Columbus, Ga.)
The physically gifted Moore looks like the next big recruit from the Georgia talent mecca.

LB - Jacoby Stevens, 6-2, 200, Oakland (Murfreesboro, Tenn.)
Stevens played at Ensworth as a freshman and established himself as one of the state's best.

DB - Darnay Holmes, 5-10, 175, Newbury Park (Calif.)
On one of the area's better teams, Holmes contributed greatly at cornerback, highlighted by an interception return for a touchdown.

DB - Richard Lecounte, 6-0, 160, Liberty County (Hinesville, Ga.)
Lecounte was perhaps Liberty County's best defensive player on a squad that featured Class of 2014 blue chip linebacker Raekwon McMillan.

DB - Elijah Barnwell, 5-10, 180, Piscataway (N.J.)
When he wasn't leading the team in rushing, Barnwell was busy recording 75 tackles for Piscataway.

DB - Deangelo Gibbs, 6-2, 200, Peachtree Ridge (Suwanee, Ga.)
Gibbs will explode onto the scene as a sophomore, playing at talent-laden Peachtree Ridge.

DB - Jamyest Williams, 5-8, 160, Duluth (Ga.)
Also a talented receiver, Williams recorded 32 tackles and grabbed two interceptions playing cornerback.