2018 Don Hansen Football Gazette Division II All-America Squad
BROOKFIELD, Ill. - West Chester University grad student,
Tyler Drob (Cherry Hill, N.J./Cherry Hill East) was named a first team All-American by the
Don Hansen Football Gazette, headlining four Golden Rams honored by the magazine Tuesday morning.
Joining Drob as honorable mention selections were Jr., S
Jarey Elder (Allentown, Pa./Parkland), Sr., DE
Diquan Gilbert (Philadelphia, Pa./Comm Tech.) and Sr., LB
Tyler Morrissey (Springfield, Pa./Springfield-DELCO). The four All-Americans marks the most in a season since five Golden Rams were so honored in 2014. Drob is the first first-team pick since Tim Brown and Al-Hajj Shabazz in 2014 as well. He is the first offensive lineman to earn first team All-America accolades from the
Don Hansen FB Gazette magazine under head coach
Bill Zwaan and his offensive line coach,
Nick Sama.
An Associated Press (AP) first team All-America and honorable mention D2Football.com All-America selection, along with being named a finalist for the Gene Upshaw Award, Drob started all 11 games on the Golden Rams' offensive line at left guard. He helped West Chester finish 10-1 overall and win the school's first outright conference championship since 1971. Along the way, West Chester led the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) in rushing, averaging 204.5 rushing yards per game. The Golden Rams also led the PSAC in scoring offense and was third in total offense. West Chester racked up 2,249 rushing yards and 28 touchdowns on the season as well. He was an honorable mention selection to the
Don Hansen FB Gazette All-America team in 2016 as well.
Elder and Gilbert make their initial appearance on the All-America list as honorable mentions while Morrissey is an honorable mention selection for the second straight season.
Elder burst onto the scene with a spectacular season at free safety for the Golden Rams. He finished 2018 third on the team in tackles with 46 (31 solo; 15 assisted). He intercepted seven passes, which marked the most in a single season by a Golden Rams player since 1983 and also tied him for the second most in a single season all-time. Elder was credited with three more pass breakups and one forced fumble. This is Elders' second first team All-America citation, after being named an All-American by the AFCA last month.
Gilbert led the defensive line in tackles with 35 tackles on the year thanks to 20 solo tackles and 15 assisted tackles. Gilbert also led the team in tackles for loss and sacks on the year as he recorded 16.5 tackles for loss, costing opponents 92 yards while also registering 9.5 sacks for a loss of 76 yards. Additionally, Gilbert ended his season with one interception, one pass breakup, four QB hurries and a forced fumble to help lead the formidable West Chester defensive line.
Morrissey, a preseason All-America selection, Division II AP All-America and D2Football.com All-America, has been well represented on post-season teams. He was chosen Division II Associated Press (AP) first team All-America, American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Division II first team All-America and a D2 CCA second team All-America prior to this latest honor. The Golden Rams' middle linebacker finished 2018 with a team-best 86 tackles, including 10 of those for a loss and 8.5 of those counting as a sack. He also forced three fumbles and recovered one while coming up with a clutch blocked field goal in the final five minutes of a win at Bloomsburg that preserved a 17-14 victory.
