CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – Three Austin Peay State University football players earned Stats Perform FCS All-America honors with Kam Thomas receiving first-team recognition as a punt returner while Mike DiLiello and Jevon Jackson were both named to the third-team offense, Tuesday.

This is Thomas' third All-America honor as a punt returner this season after being named a first-team selection by FCS Football Central and a second-team selection by Phil Steele. This is the second honor for both Jackson and DiLiello after they were named second and third-team selections, respectively, by FCS Football Central.  

In addition, Cedarius Doss was tabbed as an All-America cornerback by Pro Football Focus (PFF). Travis Bates and Xavier Smith also were both named Fourth Team Freshman All-America selections on defense by Phil Steele.

With the Stats Perform All-America Teams announced, the Associated Press, AFCA Coaches, FCS ADA, Walter Camp, Athlon, and HERO Sports FCS All-America Teams are expected to be announced in the coming weeks.

Check back right here to keep up with all the Governors All-America honors for the 2023 season. You can also follow the Austin Peay football team on X (@GovsFB) and Instagram (@GovsFootball) for all offseason news and updates. 

Governors' 2023 All-America Honorees

Travis Bates

• 2023 Phil Steele FCS Fourth Team Freshman All-America (DL)

In his first collegiate season, Travis Bates recorded 32 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, 3.0 sacks, 2 pass breakups, 5 quarterback hurries, and blocked a kick. Bates ranked third among Austin Peay players in tackles for loss and sacks.

Bates had a career-best six tackles in Austin Peay's win at Eastern Kentucky with six tackles – all solo stops – to go with a career-best 2.0 tackles for loss, including a sack.

Bates recorded three or more tackles in seven of the 10 games he played during the 2023 season.

Mike DiLiello

• 2023 FCS Football Central Third Team All-America (QB)
• 2023 Stats Perform FCS Third Team All-America (QB)

The UAC Offensive Player of the Year, DiLiello led one of the top offenses in the FCS and was the first Austin Peay quarterback to be named the conference offensive player of the year since Sonny Defilippis in 1980.

With DiLiello leading the offense, Austin Peay ranked ninth in the country and led the conference in scoring offense (34.1 ppg). The Govs also ranked 13th among FCS teams in passing offense (274.1) and 15th in total offense (426.8) – they ranked second in the UAC in both of those categories while also setting the APSU record in both.

DiLiello ranks second in the FCS in passing yards (3,164), third in passing touchdowns (28), seventh in passing efficiency (160.3), 10th in yards per pass attempt (8.74), 12th in completion percentage (.669), 22nd in completions per game (20.17), and 24th in passing yards per completion (13.07) – he led the UAC in all seven categories. He also ranked 12th in the FCS and second in the conference with 263.7 passing yards per game.

With 198 points responsible for and 16.5 points responsible for per game, DiLiello ranked fourth and fifth in the FCS, respectively, while leading the UAC in both stats. He also averaged 280.6 yards per total offense per game, which was good for 11th in the FCS and second in the UAC.

On the ground, DiLiello totaled five rushing touchdowns, which was tied for seventh in the UAC and led all quarterbacks in the conference.

He finished the 2023 season with the Austin Peay single-season records for passing touchdowns, completion percentage, passing efficiency, passing yards per game, and total offense per game.

Cedarius Doss

• 2023 PFF FCS All-America (CB)

Doss ranked 27th in the FCS and second in the UAC with three interceptions during the 2023 season, that mark also led Austin Peay. Doss ranked fifth in the UAC with 10 total passes defended and ranked 14th in the league with seven pass breakups.

Doss had two interceptions against Stephen F. Austin and was one of 57 players in the FCS with a multi-interception game last season, however, he was one of just eight players with a multiple-interception game that included a pick-six.

Doss totaled 35 tackles – including 22 solo stops – to go along with 2.5 tackles for loss and a forced fumble from the cornerback position, he also blocked a field goal against Chattanooga.

Jevon Jackson

• 2023 FCS Football Central Second Team All-America (RB)
• 2023 Stats Perform FCS Third Team All-America (RB)

Jackson led the United Athletic Conference in carries (252), rushing yards (1,373), and rushing yards per game (114.4) in 2023. Jackson had 69 more carries and 223 more rushing yards than any other player in the UAC while averaging 9.9 more yards per game than the rest of the conference. Even with 69 more carries than any other player in the league, Jackson still ranked ninth in the UAC and 36th in the FCS with 5.45 yards per carry.

Jackson ranked second in the FCS in carries, fourth in rushing yards, and sixth in rushing yards per game. Jackson also rushed for 10 touchdowns – one of three UAC players with double-digit rushing TDs – which ranked 38th in the FCS and second in the conference. He also had one receiving touchdown and ranked 26th in the FCS and third in the UAC with 11 total touchdowns in 2023.

Jackson shared carries with CJ Evans Jr. in the first three games of the season, but after Evans Jr. suffered a season-ending injury in Week 3, Jackson rushed for 100-plus yards in seven of the final nine games of the season. Jackson's seven 100-yard rushing performances were three more than any other player in the UAC.

Jackson also topped the 150-yard mark five times, including 197 yards against Stephen F. Austin, 192 yards against Utah Tech, and 184 yards against Chattanooga. Jackson recorded a career-long 57-yard touchdown run in the game against Chattanooga.

He also had three multi-touchdown games with two rushing touchdowns against Lindenwood, Southern Utah, and Chattanooga.

With 1,373 rushing yards in 2023, Jackson became Austin Peay's first 1,000-yard rusher since 2011 and posted the third-best single-season rushing total in program history. His 10 rushing touchdowns also are tied for the eighth-best season in APSU history. His 114.4 rushing yards per game are the fourth-best season in APSU history.

Xavier Smith

• 2023 Phil Steele FCS Fourth Team Freshman All-America (DB)

Xavier Smith ranked 15th in the United Athletic Conference and led all freshmen in the conference with 75 total tackles in 2023, recording 20 more tackles than the next closest freshman in the league. Smith also ranked 24th in the conference with 6.3 tackles per game and ranked 26th with 5.0 tackles for loss from the safety position.

Smith led Austin Peay's defensive backs in tackles and tackles for loss during his freshman season, while ranking third overall on the team in total tackles and fourth in TFLs. Smith's 32 solo tackles also ranked 20th in the UAC.

Smith recorded 8 pass breakups, which ranked ninth in the UAC. In addition, he had one sack and a forced fumble last season.

Smith posted three double-digit tackle games, the third most by a Governor in 2023 while closing the season with 12 tackles against Central Arkansas (11/18) and a career-high 13 tackles against Chattanooga (11/25). Smith also added a career-bests with 1.5 tackles for loss and two pass breakups against the Mocs.

Kam Thomas

• 2023 Stats Perform FCS First Team All-America (Punt Returner)
• 2023 FCS Football Central First Team All-America (Punt Returner)
• 2023 Phil Steele FCS Second Team All-America (Punt Returner)

Thomas led the FCS in punt return average (22.2 yards) and punt return touchdowns (2) during the 2023 season. His 89-yard punt return touchdown against ETSU and 82-yard return against Southern Utah were the second and seventh-longest returns in the FCS this season. The 89 and 82-yard punt return touchdowns are the second and third-longest returns in APSU history, behind only his 92-yard punt return TD from the 2022 season.

Thomas led the UAC and ranked seventh in the FCS with 267 total punt return yards, despite only having 12 punt return attempts. Thomas also ranked 17th in the FCS and led the UAC in combined kick return yards (563), despite only having 26 total return attempts during the 2023 season. In addition, he ranked 52nd in the FCS and fourth in the UAC in kickoff return average (21.1).

Thomas also totaled 123 combined punt return yards in the ETSU game, which was the third-best mark in the FCS last season and is the APSU single-game record.

He finished the season ranked 11th in the FCS and second in the UAC with 127.0 all-purpose yards per game.