Rodriguez, Taylor, Epps Earn First Team All-SLC Honors
FRISCO – Three Texas A&M University-Commerce football players earned all-Southland Conference honors on Wednesday morning, with all three landing on first team defense.
In 2023, the Lions finished with the third best total defense and third best passing offense during conference play. Levi Drake Rodriguez (Georgetown – Eastview) is named to first team defense on the defensive line, while defensive backs Daryion Taylor (Humble – Atascocita) and Max Epps (Spring – Dekaney) are also named to the first team.
Rodriguez totaled 43 tackles in conference play, which is 10th in conference play, he ranks seventh with his 28 assisted tackles, fourth in the SLC in tackles for loss and tied for second in sacks, recovered two fumbles and forced one.
Taylor was the team leader in tackles, ranking 10th with 41 total tackles in conference play, 10th with 4.5 tackles for loss, tied for fifth with two interceptions in conference play.
Epps was National Player of the Week and Conference Player of the Week after the game at Old Dominion, recorded four interceptions on the season, which is tied for most in the FCS. He is the FCS leader in interception return yards and totaled 48 tackles, four interceptions, and three breakups.
The Lions have had multiple first team all-conference honorees in each of the last two seasons that they have been part of the NCAA Division I FCS and the Southland Conference.
2023 Southland Conference Football Individual Superlative Winners
Player of the Year: Jaylon Spears, Nicholls
Offensive Player of the Year: Brandon Porter, UIW
Defensive Player of the Year: Jalyx Hunt, HCU
Newcomer of the Year: Zach Calzada, UIW
Freshman of the Year: Rasheed Lovelace, Nicholls
Offensive Lineman of the Year: Mark Barthelemy, Nicholls
Coach of the Year: Tim Rebowe, Nicholls
First Team All-Conference Offense
| Pos. | Name | School | Class | Hometown |
| QB | Zach Calzada | UIW | Gr. | Buford, Ga. |
| RB | Jaylon Spears | Nicholls | R-So. | New Orleans, La. |
| RB | Collin Guggenheim 2 | Nicholls | Jr. | Kenner, La. |
| TE/HB | Bauer Sharp | Southeastern | R-So. | Dothan, Ala. |
| WR | Brandon Porter | UIW | Gr. | Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. |
| WR | Karl Reynolds 2 | HCU | Sr. | Humble, Texas |
| WR | Caleb Chapman | UIW | Gr. | Webster, Texas |
| OL | Mark Barthelemy | Nicholls | Sr. | Opelousas, La. |
| OL | Silas Robinson | UIW | Gr. | Yoakum, Texas |
| OL | John Allen 3 | Southeastern | Sr. | Jackson, Miss. |
| OL | Stanley Mark | UIW | Gr. | Seguin, Texas |
| OL | Evan Roussel 4 | Nicholls | Jr. | Lutcher, La. |
| PK | Dillon Fedor | HCU | Jr. | Henderson, Nev. |
| P | Austin Dunlap 2 | Southeastern | Sr. | Slidell, La. |
First Team All-Conference Defense
| Pos. | Name | School | Class | Hometown |
| DL | Steven Parker 2 | UIW | Jr. | Dallas, Texas |
| DL | Levi Drake Rodriguez | A&M-Commerce | Sr. | Georgetown, Texas |
| DL | Arlen Williams 2 | Southeastern | R-Sr. | Boothville, La. |
| DL | Ayodele Adeoye | UIW | Gr. | St. Louis, Mo. |
| LB | Micah Davey | McNeese | R-So. | Baton Rouge, La. |
| LB | Jalyx Hunt 2 | HCU | Sr. | DeBary, Fla. |
| LB | Tylan Foster | UIW | Jr. | Houston, Texas |
| DB | Tyler Morton | Nicholls | Jr. | St. Rose, La. |
| DB | Ian Conerly-Goodly | Southeastern | So. | Covington, La. |
| DB | Max Epps | A&M-Commerce | Jr. | Spring, Texas |
| DB | Daryion Taylor | A&M-Commerce | Sr. | Humble, Texas |
| DB | Kendarius Smith | Nicholls | Jr. | Meridian, Miss. |
| KR | Damashja Harris | Lamar | So. | Killeen, Texas |
| PR | Darius Lewis | Southeastern | R-Jr. | New Orleans, La. |
Second Team All-Conference Offense
| Pos. | Name | School | Class | Hometown |
| QB | Pat McQuaide | Nicholls | So. | Solon, Ohio |
| RB | Khalan Griffin | Lamar | Jr. | Tyler, Texas |
| RB | Harlan Dixon | Southeastern | Jr. | Slidell, La. |
| TE/HB | Lee Negrotto | Nicholls | Jr. | Pass Christian, Miss. |
| WR | David Robinson Jr. | Nicholls | R-Jr. | LaPlace, La. |
| WR | Darius Lewis | Southeastern | R-Jr. | New Orleans, La. |
| WR | Jon McCall | McNeese | R-So. | New Orleans, La. |
| OL | Cole Leclair | McNeese | Jr. | Middleburg, Fla. |
| OL | Jevale Roberson | Lamar | Jr. | Cleveland, Texas |
| OL | Joe Bryson | UIW | Gr. | Castle Pines, Colo. |
| OL | Christian Hood | HCU | Sr. | Marshall, Texas |
| OL | Elias Ripley | Lamar | Jr. | Cedar Rapids, Iowa |
| PK | Gavin Lasseigne | Nicholls | Sr. | Raceland, La. |
| P | Kylan Dupre | Nicholls | So. | Geismar, La. |
Second Team All-Conference Defense
| Pos. | Name | School | Class | Hometown |
| DL | Rasheed Lovelave | Nicholls | R-Fr. | Pesacola, Fla. |
| DL | Caleb Williams | Lamar | Jr. | Houston, Texas |
| DL | Kershawn Fisher | Nicholls | Jr. | New Orleans, La. |
| DL | Perry Ganci 3 | Nicholls | Sr. | New Orleans, La. |
| LB | Rodney Dansby 3 | HCU | Jr. | Houston, Texas |
| LB | Hayden Shaheen | Nicholls | R-So. | Baton Rouge, La. |
| LB | Herman Christophe IV | Southeastern | Sr. | Plaquemine, La. |
| DB | Brandon Richard | UIW | Gr. | San Antonio, Texas |
| DB | Joshua Ofili | Lamar | Sr. | Katy, Texas |
| DB | Ronald Wilson | UIW | Jr. | Fort Worth, Texas |
| DB | Ramond Stevens | Lamar | Jr. | Dallas, Texas |
| DB | Jordan Jackson 2 | Nicholls | Sr. | Prairieville, La. |
| KR | Dekalon Taylor | UIW | So. | Longview, Texas |
| PR | Dekalon Taylor | UIW | So. | Longview, Texas |
2 = Two-time All-Conference
3 = Three-time All-Conference
4 = Four-time All-Conference
