SEVEN BLUE DRAGONS EARN ALL-AMERICA FOOTBALL HONORS

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Hutchinson CC Sports Information

Seven members of the Hutchinson Community College football team earned 2023 NJCAA All-America honors on Tuesday.

Defensive End Daniel Brown, safety Ryan Nolan and return specialist Tre Richardson were first-team All-America selections. Offensive lineman Jayven Richardson, defensive tackle Danny Saili and running back Tyrell Reed Jr., were second-team selections. Punter Stefaan Forbes was named honorable mention.

The Blue Dragons went 10-1 this past season and won their fourth-straight Jayhawk Conference championship. The Dragons played in the NJCAA National Playoff semifinals for the second-straight season. The Blue Dragons were ranked No. 1 for 11 consecutive weeks and finished No. 3 in the final national poll released on Monday.

Over head coach Drew Dallas' four seasons with the Blue Dragons, he has produced 33 overall NJCAA All-Americans, including 11 first-team selections.

This is the sixth-straight season Blue Dragon Football has produced at least one first-team All-American and the 16th consecutive season of having at least one All-American.

DANIEL BROWN – First-Team -- Defense
Brown led the nation in quarterback sacks this season with 18 and was third in total tackles for loss with 23.

The 6-foot-1, 240-pound defensive end from Kansas City (Bishop Ward), Kansas, had an exceptional season. He was named the Jayhawk Conference Defensive Player of the Year in November.

Brown registered a sack in 10-straight games, the second-longest streak in Blue Dragon history. Troy West (1996-97) had a streak of 14-straight games with a sack. Brown's 18 sacks are second-most in Blue Dragon single-season history to West's 19 in 1996. He ranks sixth on the Blue Dragon career sacks list.

Brown finished the 2023 season with 52 total tackles, 32 tackles were unassisted. His 18 sacks totaled 130 yards in losses and his 23 tackles for loss accumulated 163 yards in opposition losses. Brown also had 13 quarterback hurries.

Brown forced two fumbles, recovered one and had one pass broken up. Brown was also credited with two safeties this season against Ellsworth and Independence.

RYAN NOLAN – First-Team -- Defense
Nolan tied for the NJCAA national lead in interceptions with seven this season.

The 5-10, 185-pound safety from Gainesville, Florida, played in eight games this season, missing the final two games with injuries.

Nolan had 21 total tackles this year, including two tackles for loss. Nolan broke up five other passes this season.

His seven interceptions were seventh most on the Blue Dragon single-season list.

Nolan tied a team single-game record with three interceptions against No. 5 Iowa Central on September 9 in Fort Dodge, Iowa. All three interceptions came in the second quarter against the Tritons.

Nolan also had a two-interception game in a 13-0 win over Highland on October 28.

TRE RICHARDSON – First-Team – Special Teams
From opening night, the 5-11, 195-pound freshman from Topeka (Highland Park) made it known he would be one of the top return specialists in the nation.

Richardson had two kickoff returns, including a 92-yard touchdown, and accounted for 268 all-purpose yards in a 42-6 road victory at No. 13 Navarro on August 26. The 268 all-purpose yards were fifth most in single-game Blue Dragon history.

The Blue Dragon return specialist was second in the nation in kickoff return average at 27.1 yards per return with a touchdown. Richards returned 22 kickoffs for 596 yards this season. He was also second in punt-return average at 16.2 yards per return with two touchdowns. He returned two punts for touchdowns against Coffeyville on September 23.

Richardson produced 1,332 all-purpose yards this season. Averaging 133.2 all-purpose yards per game, he ranked fifth in the NJCAA. Richardson had 15 pass receptions for 365 yards and four touchdowns. He had six rushes for 31 yards and one touchdown.

TYRELL REED JR. – Second-Team – Offense
Reed rushed for a team-high 831 yards on 131 carries with 13 touchdowns this season.

The 5-10, 195-pound running back from Topeka (Lawrence High School) finished 10th in the NJCAA in rushing average at 74.1 yards per game. That mark was second in the KJCCC. His 831 rushing yards were eighth most in the nation and his 13 rushing touchdowns were second most in the NJCAA in 2023.

Reed had four 100-yard rushing games with a season-high 171 yards coming against Ellsworth only nine carries and three touchdowns. He also rushed for 124 against East Mississippi, 117 against Butler and 115 against Dodge City.

Reed's 13 rushing touchdowns ties Dezmon Jackson (2018) for fifth most in Blue Dragon history. His 6.2 yards per carry ties Tyren Jones (2015) for 12th on the Blue Dragon single-season list.

JAYVEN RICHARDSON – Second-Team – Offense
As a left tackle, Richardson anchored an offensive line that helped produce the third-best scoring offense and fifth-best rushing offense in the NJCAA this season.

Richardson, a 6-7, 305-pound from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, started all 11 games for the Blue Dragons.

He helped pave the way for the Blue Dragons to score 37.6 points per game this season. The Blue Dragons rushed for 227.3 yards per game and had 32 rushing touchdowns, seventh most in Blue Dragon single-season history.

Richardson was a first-team All-KJCCC performer this season.

DANNY SAILI – Second-Team – Defense
Saili led a defensive line that helped the Blue Dragons produce the No. 1 scoring defense, the second-best rushing defense and the second-most quarterback sacks in the NJCAA this season.

A 6-2, 355-pound defensive lineman from Topeka, had 21 total tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss (28 yards) and 4.0 quarterback sacks (22 yards). Saili had four other quarterback hurries, two forced fumbles and a pass broken up.

Saili also had a blocked field-goal attempt against Independence on November 4.

Saili had a season-high four tackles with a sack against Dodge City on October 7.

Saili and the Blue Dragon front seven allowed 11.7 points per game, which led the nation. The Dragons allowed only 67.2 rushing yards and 246.5 total yards per game.

STEFAAN FORBES – Honorable Mention – Special Teams
Forbes is the first Blue Dragon punter to earn NJCAA All-America honors since John Racette in 2004.

The 6-1, 170-pound sophomore transfer from Tulsa, Oklahoma led the Jayhawk Conference and ranked fifth in the nation in punting average at 39.6 yards per punt.

His long punt of 66 yards tied for fourth-best in the NJCAA and his 20 punts inside the 20 were sixth most in the nation this season.

Forbes had eight punts of 50 yards or longer.