LEBANON, Tenn.--Cumberland football added two of the nation's highest individual honors on Thursday, as junior defensive back Cannon Johnson was named an AFCA First Team All-American and senior left tackle Will Sanchez earned AFCA Second Team All-America recognition. The American Football Coaches Association announced its 2025 NAIA Coaches' All-America Teams, selected exclusively by head coaches across the country.

Johnson becomes Cumberland's newest First Team AFCA All-American after a remarkable junior campaign that already included Mid-South Conference Defensive Player of the Year honors. One of the most disruptive defenders in the NAIA, Johnson led the conference with 45 solo tackles, ranked top-two in total tackles (68), and added 4.0 sacks, 11.0 tackles for loss, two interceptions, six pass breakups, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. His impact stretched beyond the stat sheet as he electrified the Phoenix defense with two defensive touchdowns and earned MSC Defensive Player of the Week twice, along with TSWA Defensive Player of the Week recognition. Johnson became just the third Defensive Player of the Year in program history, joining Heath Springer (1997) and Nathan Jernigan (2015–16).

Sanchez, a model of consistency on the offensive front, earned the first AFCA honor of his career after being selected to the Second Team. A three-time First Team All-MSC lineman, Sanchez anchored a Phoenix offensive unit that produced one of the most balanced attacks in the NAIA, averaging 397.3 yards per game and ranking 10th nationally in total rushing. His leadership and reliability at left tackle played a crucial role in Cumberland's punishing ground game that averaged 210.7 rushing yards per contest, while also supporting one of the league's most efficient passing attacks.

Together, Johnson and Sanchez headline a Cumberland team that delivered back-to-back seven-win seasons for the first time since 2012-13, went a perfect 5-0 at home, and closed the year with a program-record 72-point performance on Senior Day. 

2025 AFCA NAIA Coaches' All-America Team - First Team
Offense
Pos. Name Ht. Wt. Cl. School Coach Hometown (High School)
QB Jackson Waring 6-3 225 Gr. Grand View E.J. Peterson Ankeny, Iowa (Des Moines Christian)
RB Davontaye Saunders 6-0 205 Jr. Lindsey Wilson Phil Klecker Eminence, Ky. (Eminence)
RB Destynd Loring 5-8 195 Sr. William Penn Marc Benavidez Charleston, S.C. (Wando)
WR Drew Sellon 6-0 185 Jr. Morningside Steve Ryan Fremont, Neb. (Fremont)
WR Levi Torgerson 5-9 170 Sr. Montana Tech Kyle Samson Great Falls, Mont. (Great Falls)
WR Kyle Dixon 6-4 215 Jr. Culver-Stockton Tom Sallay Carlinville, Ill. (Carlinville)
TE Carson Ochoa 6-3 240 R-Sr. Carroll (Mont.) Troy Purcell Yorba Linda, Calif. (Yorba Linda)
OL Logan Penhollow 6-2 270 Sr. Indiana Wesleyan Andrew Rode Hendersonville, Tenn. (Pope John Paul)
OL Ashton Patterson 6-4 315 Sr. College of Idaho Mike Moroski Turlock, Calif. (Turlock)
OL *Kyree Watkins 6-0 250 Sr. Friends Terry Harrison Benton, Ark. (Benton)
OL Hayden McDonald 6-3 310 Jr. Taylor Aaron Mingo New Era, Mich. (Montague)
OL Reece Byerly 6-3 285 R-So. Marian Ted Karras Jr. Franklin, Ind. (Community)

Defense
Pos. Name Ht. Wt. Cl. School Coach Hometown (High School)
DL Zach Myers 6-2 225 Gr. Evangel Chuck Hepola Lee's Summit, Mo. (West)
DL Tai Lologo 6-1 324 Sr. Keiser Myles Russ Huntsville, Ala. (Grissom)
DL Carson Fehlhafer 6-4 338 Sr. Concordia (Neb.) Patrick Daberkow Utica, Neb. (Centennial Public)
DL Thomas Ibrahim 6-3 255 Gr. Southeastern (Fla.) Adam Waugh Ocoee, Fla. (Olympia)
DL *Trystin Voss 6-3 265 Sr. Northwestern (Iowa) Matt McCarty Rogersville, Mo. (Logan-Rogersville)
LB Hunter Zirkle 6-3 230 So. Cumberlands (Ky.) Shan Housekeeper Arcadia, Fla. (Booker)
LB Jonathon Brown 5-11 220 Sr. MidAmerica Nazarene Ivan Cordova Garland, Tex. (Lakeview Centennial) 
DB Cannon Johnson 5-8 179 Jr. Cumberland (Tenn.) Tim Mathis Maryville, Tenn. (Maryville)
DB Jaiden Jones 6-0 180 R-Jr. Texas Wesleyan Brad Sherrod Pearland, Tex. (Clear Brook)
DB Isaiah Hasten 6-3 180 So. Benedictine (Kan.) Joel Osborn San Diego, Calif. (St. Augustine)
DB Jerome Mitchell Jr. 6-0 180 Jr. St. Thomas (Fla.) Bill Rychel Boyton Beach, Fla. (Santaluces)

Specialists
Pos. Name Ht. Wt. Cl. School Coach Hometown (High School)
P Ethan Cutler 6-1 185 R-Jr. Eastern Oregon Tim Camp Eagle, Idaho (Eagle)
PK Alex Hanson 5-10 192 So. Reinhardt James Miller Lawrenceville, Ga. (Peachtree Ridge)
AP Joe Smyth 6-0 180 Sr. Southwestern (Kan.) Brad Griffin Palmyra, N.J. (Palmyra)
LS Jacob Westberry 5-7 175 R-So. Montana Western Ryan Nourse Hamilton, Mont. (Hamilton)
*-2024 AFCA All-American

2025 AFCA NAIA Coaches' All-America Team - Second Team
Offense
Pos. Name Ht. Wt. Cl. School Coach Hometown (High School)
QB K'Vonte Baker 5-10 180 Sr. Friends Terry Harrison Wichita, Kan. (Heights)
RB Jalil Brown 5-10 175 R-Jr. McPherson Jeremiah Fiscus Seagoville, Tex. (Dallas Christian)
RB Keagan La Belle 5-7 190 Sr. Marian Ted Karras Jr. McCordsville, Ind. (Mt. Vernon Fortville)
WR *David Hayes 6-4 180 Sr. St. Thomas (Fla.) Bill Rychel Tampa, Fla. (King)
WR *Eli Nourse 5-10 170 Jr. Montana Western Ryan Nourse Dillon, Mont. (Beaverhead County)
WR *Isaac Smith 6-0 180 Sr. Indiana Wesleyan Andrew Rode Flat Rock, Mich. (Huron)
TE Tanner Zimmerman 6-5 235 Sr. Benedictine (Kan.) Joel Osborn Olathe, Kan. (West)
OL Larry Montgomery 6-4 315 Sr. Lindsey Wilson Phil Klecker Louisville, Ky. (Butler)
OL Will Sanchez 6-2 275 Sr. Cumberland (Tenn.) Tim Mathis Morristown, Tenn. (Morristown)
OL Ethan Hansen 6-2 279 Sr. Dordt Joel Penner Appleton, Wis. (Appleton)
OL Tyler Carlson 6-5 327 Sr. Keiser Myles Russ Key West, Fla. (Home Schooled)
OL Zak Rachow 6-8 315 Jr. Briar Cliff Shane LaDage Otay Ranch, Calif. (Otay Ranch)

Defense
Pos. Name Ht. Wt. Cl. School Coach Hometown (High School)
DL *Jackson Filer 6-3 245 Sr. Grand View E.J. Peterson Des Moines, Iowa (Dowling Catholic)
DL Tyler Walker 6-1 250 R-Sr. Montana Western Ryan Nourse Dillon Mont. (Beaverhead County)
DL Jordan Crawford 6-1 260 Sr. Texas Wesleyan Brad Sherrod Southfield, Mich. (Southfield)
DL A.J. Knox 6-1 230 r-Sr. Siena Heights Matt Kohn Rochester, Mich. (Avondale)
DL Emmanuel Olaitan 6-1 265 Sr. Reinhardt James Miller Marietta, Ga. (Marietta)
LB *John Argo 6-0 220 Sr. Grand View E.J. Peterson Davenport, Iowa (Assumption)
LB Tel Arthur 6-1 225 Sr. Montana Tech Kyle Samson Missoula, Mont. (Frenchtown)
DB Braeden Orlandi 6-1 200 R-So. Carroll (Mont.) Troy Purcell Valley Springs, Calif. (Calaveras)
DB Kylar Fritz 6-2 215 Jr. Northwestern (Iowa) Matt McCarty Sioux Center, Iowa (Sioux Center)
DB Dee'Shon Swafford 5-10 180 R-Sr. College of Idaho Mike Moroski San Diego, Calif. (Cathedral Catholic)
DB John Carter Myers 6-2 210 Sr. Georgetown (Ky.) John Perin Glasgow, Ky. (Glasgow)

Specialists
Pos. Name Ht. Wt. Cl. School Coach Hometown (High School)
P Drew Rader 5-9 175 Sr. Georgetown (Ky.) John Perin Wooster, Ohio (Wooster)
PK Stephen Leinen 6-1 204 Jr. Dordt Joel Penner Harlan, Iowa (Harlan)
AP Carl Bew 6-0 202 R-So. St. Francis (Ill.) Joe Curry Joliet, Ill. (West)
LS Braelyn Jay 5-10 175 Sr. Friends Terry Harrison Wichita, Kan. (Campus)
*-2024 AFCA All-American