(March 6, 2007) ?C Fordham University senior linebacker Marcus Taylor (Silver Spring, MD/Springbrook) and junior punter Benjamin Dato (Wyomissing, PA/Wyomissing) were named to the Football Gazette Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) All-America Team it was announced today. Taylor, who was also named Football Gazette Northeast Linebacker of the Year, was named to the First Team while Dato was named Honorable Mention. Taylor, who was named the 2006 Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year, was also named Third Team All-America by The Sports Network while Dato was a Third Team Associated Press All-American in 2006. Both were also named ECAC All-Stars. A 6-1, 244-pound linebacker, Taylor became the third Ram to earn Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year honors, joining Mark Blazejewski and Aaron Dougherty, who received the award in 1992 an 1993, respectively. On the year, Taylor led the Rams with 116 total tackles, 53 solo, including a team-high 12 tackles for a loss. He also recorded four quarterback sacks in 2006 and intercepted a team-best three passes while breaking up four others. Taylor forced four fumbles this fall and he recovered four fumbles, one of which he returned 43 yards for a touchdown against Patriot League champions, Lafayette. Taylor, who was named Second Team All-Patriot League in 2005, led the league in both forced fumbles and fumbles recovered while ranking second in total tackles, tied for fifth in sacks and sixth in tackles for a loss. Nationally, he ranked 11th in the FCS in total tackles and 50th in tackles for a loss. Over his four-year Fordham career, Taylor recorded 282 total tackles, 150 solo, including 19.5 tackles for a loss and seven sacks, in 44 career games. He also had six career interceptions and seven forced fumbles along with five fumble recoveries. Dato, who took over the punting duties from 2005 First Team All-Patriot League selection Anthony DiFino, finished the 2006 season as the leading punter in the league, kicking 58 times for 2,587 yards, an average of 44.6 yards/punt. His 44.6 average is the second best single season average in Fordham history (All-American Barry Cantrell averaged 45.8 yards/punt in 1997) and he ranked third in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (formally the NCAA I-AA) this fall. His long punt covered 66 yards in the Columbia game with four of his kicks traveling more than 60 yards. He did not have a punt blocked in 2006 while placing four inside the 20. Dato, who earned First Team All-Patriot League honors this fall, was named Patriot League Special Teams Player of the Week in week nine after punting eight times for 396 yards, averaging 49.5 yards/punt, against Colgate.