Courtesy of the SIAC:
This year’s Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) preseason team features 29 returning players from the 2021 SIAC Football All-Conference team, led by Dionte Bonneau of Albany State University who was selected as this year’s Preseason Offensive Player of the Year alongside Andrew Farmer, Lane College, who was tabbed as the 2022 Preseason Defensive Player of the Year announced Wednesday during the league’s media day presented by Cricket Wireless in Atlanta, Ga.
All nominations and votes are submitted by head coaches and sports information directors.
Preseason Offensive Player of the Year
Dionte Bonneau, Albany State, Quarterback
Bonneau, the junior quarterback, was the starting quarterback for the Golden Rams and was tabbed as this year’s Preseason Offensive Player of the Year after helping the Golden Rams to a 10-2 (7-0 in the SIAC). The Atlanta, Ga. native led the Golden Rams to an appearance in the 2021 NCAA Division II Playoffs. Bonneau finished the season with 1,896 passing yards and 19 passing touchdowns. Bonneau had three games in which he passed for at least three touchdowns. Bonneau will be vital to the Golden Rams’ offense as they seek back-to-back SIAC Championships in 2022.
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year
Andrew Farmer, Lane, Defensive Lineman
Farmer, a senior from Jacksonville, Fla., was a second-team All-SIAC performer last season and was a key element in the Dragon defense. Farmer led the Lane defense to a 6-4 overall and 3-3 in conference record and topped the league in sacks with 11.5 and finished with 54 total tackles from the defensive end position.
Preseason Rankings
In the East Division, reigning champions Albany State was picked to dominate the Eastern Division and potentially face Miles, picked West Division favorite for the third year, in the championship game scheduled for November 12 hosted by the Eastern Division Champion.
Led by Gabe Giardina, Albany State snapped their championship game losing streak by defeating Miles College during the 2021 championship game in a 31-0 fashion. The Golden Rams finished with a perfect 6-0 conference record last season boasting the top defense in the nation, locking up six shutouts, and collecting their 11th championship game title since 1990 and ASU’s first since 2013.
Miles, under new leadership of head coach Sam Shade, inherited a Golden Bears team that posted a 6-4 overall record in 2021 (4-2 in SIAC) and looks to continue the legacy that they’ve been building.
Football Preseason Rankings by Division
East Division
| 2022 Preseason Ranking | Last Season (2021) Finish |
| Albany State | 1st |
| Benedict | 5th |
| Savannah State | 2nd |
| Morehouse | 3rd |
| Fort Valley State | 4th |
| Edward Waters^ | n/a^ |
| Clark Atlanta | 6th |
| Allen^ | n/a^ |
West Division
| 2022 Preseason Ranking | Last Season (2021) Finish |
| Miles | 1st |
| Lane | 3rd |
| Tuskegee | 4th |
| Kentucky State | 2nd |
| Central State | 5th |
^Not eligible for SIAC Championship game during NCAA membership transition.
2022 SIAC FOOTBALL PRESEASON AWARDS
Superlative Awards
| Preseason Offensive Player of the Year | Preseason Defensive Player of the Year |
| Dionte Bonneau, Albany State | Andrew Farmer, Lane |
2022 SIAC Football Preseason Teams
First Team
| Position | Name | School | Classification | Hometown |
| Offensive Lineman | Emmanuel Boone | Fort Valley State | Junior | Macon, Ga. |
| Offensive Lineman | Tyler Lowry | Miles | Junior | Evergreen, Ala. |
| Offensive Lineman | Terrence Jordan | Lane | Sophomore | New Orleans, LA |
| Offensive Lineman | Waylin Bell | Fort Valley State | Senior | Harlem, GA. |
| Offensive Lineman | KaTray Pringle | Albany State | Junior | St. George, S.C. |
| Tight End | Tyree Taylor | Albany State | Sophomore | Suwanne, Fla. |
| Wide Receiver | Anthony Evelyn | Lane | Senior | Atlantic Beach, Fla. |
| Wide Receiver | Marcus Lodge | Miles | R-Junior | Plantation, Fla. |
| Running Back | Ike Brown | Lane | Sophomore | Shreveport, La. |
| Running Back | Emanuel Wilson | Fort Valley State | Junior | Charlotte, N.C. |
| Quarterback | Dionte Bonneau | Albany State | Junior | Atlanta, Ga. |
| Defensive Lineman | Malik Barnes | Albany State | Sophomore | Newton, Ga. |
| Defensive Lineman | Andrew Farmer | Lane | Senior | Jacksonville, Fla. |
| Defensive Lineman | Makenly Newbill | Savannah State | Senior | Savannah, Ga. |
| Defensive Lineman | Roosevelt Thompson | Miles | R-Sophomore | Dixon Mills, Ala. |
| Linebacker | Stephan Pierre | Albany State | Junior | Tallahassee, Fl. |
| Linebacker | Rodney Lewis | Clark Atlanta | Junior | Atlanta, Ga. |
| Linebacker | Daylon Land | Morehouse | Sophomore | Benton, AR |
| Defensive Back | Mitchell Smiley | Miles | Senior | Huntsville, Ala. |
| Defensive Back | Armani Maddox | Morehouse | Sophomore | Atlanta, Ga. |
| Defensive Back | Charles Crawford | Clark Atlanta | Graduate Student | Prichard, Ala. |
| Defensive Back | Tyler Moore | Fort Valley State | Senior | Ashburn, Ga. |
| Kicker | Kenneth Lockhart | Savannah State | Sophomore | Hinesville, Ga. |
| Punter | Kenneth Lockhart | Savannah State | Sophomore | Hinesville, Ga. |
| Punt Returner | Marqueiz Pride | Morehouse | Junior | Seabring, Fla. |
| Kick Returner | Anthony Evelyn | Lane | Senior | Atlantic Beach, Fla. |
Second Team
| Position | Name | School | Classification | Hometown |
| Offensive Lineman | Jajuan Gordon | Albany State | Sophomore | Orlando, Fla. |
| Offensive Lineman | Genesis Hartley | Central State | Senior | Montgomery, Ala. |
| Offensive Lineman | Josh Simon | Albany State | Junior | Atlanta, Ga. |
| Offensive Lineman | Kyle Frazier | Savannah State | Sophomore | Augusta, Ga. |
| Offensive Lineman | Nathan Harrison | Tuskegee | Senior | Tuskegee, Ala. |
| Tight End | Latrevien O’Neal | Tuskegee | Junior | Notasulga, Ala. |
| Wide Receiver | O’Joshua Bunton | Lane | R-Senior | Crawfordsville, AR |
| Wide Receiver | Joe’Vontae Shorter | Albany State | Senior | Vicksburg, MS |
| Running Back | Kamran Ward | Albany State | Sophomore | Oscilla, Ga. |
| Running Back | Shamarcus Poole | Savannah State | Sophomore | Sandersville, Ga. |
| Quarterback | Michael Huntley | Lane | Senior | Montgomery, Ala. |
| Quarterback | Eric Phoenix | Benedict | Senior | Savannah, Ga. |
| Defensive Lineman | Anthony Harvey | Albany State | Sophomore | Leesburg, Ga. |
| Defensive Lineman | Josh Hill | Albany State | Sophomore | Valdosta, Ga. |
| Defensive Lineman | Tim Alderman | Fort Valley State | Sophomore | Fort Valley, Ga. |
| Defensive Lineman | Loobert Denelus | Benedict | Junior | Naples, Fla. |
| Linebacker | Mackenzie Howard | Lane | Graduate Student | Harvest, AL |
| Linebacker | Gary Bourrage | Allen | Junior | DeKalb, Ala. |
| Linebacker | Darrell Dorris Jr. | Kentucky State | Sophomore | Lancaster, CA |
| Defensive Back | James Hawkins | Albany State | Junior | Fayetteville, Ga. |
| Defensive Back | Brandarious Rawlings | Albany State | Senior | Wrightsville, Ga. |
| Defensive Back | Christian Maddox | Fort Valley State | Senior | North Augusta, S.C. |
| Defensive Back | Jeffery Johnson | Lane | R-Senior | Jacksonville, Fla. |
| Kicker | Jackson Spradlin | Miles | Senior | Dora, Ala. |
| Punter | Jose Chaires | Central State | Sophomore | Powder Springs, Ga. |
| Punt Returner | Hakeem Ellington | Fort Valley State | R-Junior | Summerville, S.C. |
| Kick Returner | Marqueiz Pride | Morehouse | Junior | Seabring, Fla. |
