McNeese kicker Gunnar Raborn named AP All-American 2nd Team

LAKE CHARLES – McNeese junior kicker Gunnar Raborn became the first Cowboys’ kicker in 11 years to be named an Associated Press (AP) All-American when on Tuesday, he was listed to the second team, the organization announced.

The Lafayette native led the FCS this past season by connecting on 92.3 percent of his field goals, hitting 12 of 13, with his only miss being a blocked kick in the 10th game of the season, that being a 31-yard attempt.

A first team All-Southland Conference selection, Raborn also made 27 of his 28 extra point attempts while leading McNeese in scoring with 63 points.

He made all five attempts from 20-29 yards, was 5 of 6 from the 30-39 yard distance, 1-for-1 from 40-49 yards outs and hit his longest of 52 yards in the season finale at Lamar. That tied as the third-longest field goal in school history.

In his two seasons at McNeese, Raborn has made 19 of his 21 field goal attempts.

Raborn becomes the 36th AP All-America selection in school history and the first since offensive lineman Antoine Everett garnered second team honors in 2014.

Blake Bercegeay was the last McNeese kicker to be named to the AP team, that coming in the 2006 season.

The three AP All-America teams were chosen by a panel of 10 media members who cover the FCS.

2017 Associated Press All-America team:

FIRST TEAM DEFENSE
Quarterback — Chris Streveler, senior, South Dakota.
Running backs — Dominick Bragalone, junior, Lehigh; Josh Mack, sophomore, Maine.
Linemen — Brandon Parker, senior, North Carolina A&T; Austin Kuhnert, senior, North Dakota State; Jacob Ohnesorge, senior, South Dakota State; Aaron Stinnie, senior, James Madison; Justin Lea, senior, Jacksonville State.
Tight end — Dallas Goedert, senior, South Dakota State.
Receivers — Keelan Doss, junior, UC Davis; Davion Davis, junior, Sam Houston State.
All-purpose player — John Santiago, junior, North Dakota.
Kicker — Trey Tuttle, freshman, Weber State.

FIRST TEAM DEFENSE
Linemen — Andrew Ankrah, senior, James Madison; Jonathan Petersen, senior, San Diego; Darius Jackson, senior, Jacksonville State; P.J. Hall, senior, Sam Houston State.
Linebackers — Brett Taylor, senior, Western Illinois; Darius Leonard, senor, South Carolina State; Nick DeLuca, senior, North Dakota State.
Backs — Mike Basile, senior, Monmouth; George Odum, senior, Central Arkansas; Taron Johnson, senior, Weber State; Jordan Brown, senior, James Madison.
Punter — Joe Zema, senior, Incarnate Word.

SECOND TEAM OFFENSE
Quarterback — Jeremiah Briscoe, senior, Sam Houston State.
Running backs — Roc Thomas, senior, Jacksonville State; Zane Dudek, freshman, Yale.
Linemen — Stetson Dagel, senior, South Dakota; John Cook, junior, Central Arkansas; Timon Parris, senior, Stony Brook; Ben Huss, senior, Duquesne; Matthew Schmidt, senior, Furman.
Tight end — Andrew Vollert, senior, Weber State.
Receivers — Neil O’Connor, junior, New Hampshire; Jaelon Acklin, senior, Western Illinois.
All-purpose player — Elijah Marks, senior, Northern Arizona.
Kicker — Gunnar Raborn, junior, McNeese State.

SECOND TEAM DEFENSE
Linemen — Anthony Ellis, senior, Charleston Southern; Ahmad Gooden, junior, Samford; Jaison Williams, sophomore, Austin Peay; Abdullah Anderson, senior, Bucknell.
Linebackers — Matthew Oplinger, senior, Yale; Jared Farley, senior, Northern Iowa; Brandon Bryant, senior, Lafayette.
Backs — Marlon Bridges, sophomore, Jacksonville State; Phillip Parham, senior, senior, Lafayette; Davontae Harris, senior, Illinois State; Rashad Robinson, junior, James Madison.
Punter — Ian Berryman, junior, Western Carolina.

THIRD TEAM OFFENSE
Quarterback — Chandler Burks, junior, Kennesaw State.
Running backs — De’Lance Turner, senior, Alcorn State; Detrez Newsome, senior, Western Carolina.
Linemen — Skyler Phillips, senior, Idaho State; Zach Mitchler, junior, Kennesaw State; Alex Thompson, senior, Monmouth; Iosua Opeta, junior, Weber State; Ross Demmel, junior, Wofford.
Tight end — Ross Dwelley, senior, San Diego.
Receivers — Nathan Stewart, sophomore, Sam Houston State; Justin Watson, senior, Penn.
All-purpose player — Khris Gardin, senior, North Carolina A&T.
Kicker — Lorran Fonseca, junior, Nicholls State.

THIRD TEAM DEFENSE
Linemen — Darin Greenfield, sophomore, South Dakota; Chris Terrell, sophomore, Central Arkansas; Ben Sorensen, senior, Sacramento State; Nick Wheeler, sophomore, Colgate.
Linebackers — Garrett Dolan, senior, Houston Baptist; Thomas Costigan, junior, Bryant; Christian Rozeboom, sophomore, South Dakota State.
Backs — Elijah Campbell, sophomore, Northern Iowa; Franklin McCain III, redshirt freshman, North Carolina A&T; Tremon Smith, senior, Central Arkansas; Davanta Reynolds, junior, North Carolina Central.
Punter — Austin Barnard, senior, Samford.