Patriot League Release
 
BRONX, N.Y. – The 2023 Patriot League preseason poll and All-League teams were released on Tuesday with seven Rams being selected Preseason All-Patriot League and Fordham tabbed to finish second.
 
Three-time defending Patriot League champions Holy Cross (12-1, 6-0 PL) was selected to repeat as champions this, collecting 72 points with 12 first-place votes. Fordham (9-3, 5-1 PL) was close behind the Crusaders with garnered 62 points and the remaining two first-place votes after earning a berth in the FCS Championship last season.
 
The seven Rams selected to the Preseason All-League team include linebacker James Conway, wide receiver Mekai Felton defensive lineman Matt Jaworski, running back Julius Loughridge, offensive lineman Lucas Portes, defensive back Stephen Williams II, and wide receiver MJ Wright.
 
James Conway (Jr., LB, Omaha, Neb./Millard West)
2022 (Sophomore Season)
• Started all 12 games at linebacker as a sophomore.
• Named HERO Sports NCAA FCS Sophomore All-America.
• Named First Team All-Patriot League
• Led team with 127 total tackles, 59 solo.
• Team-high 11.0 TFLs along with 3.0 sacks.
• Also had three pass breakups, three quarterback hurries, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery.
• Led Patriot League and seventh in the NCAA FCS, in tackles/game (10.6).
• Named Patriot League Defensive Player of the Week three times in 2022.
• Recorded double figures in tackles in eight of the 12 games.
• Made a season-high 15 tackles, seven solo, including one sack in win over Albany.
• Matched the season-high with 15 stops, including 2.5 for loss and one sack, in Stony Brook win.
• Had 13 tackles, five solo, including 1.5 for loss in NCAA Championship game at New Hampshire.
• Finished with 13 tackles, six solo, including one for loss, and recovered a fumble at Ohio.
• Recorded 13 stops, five solo, and forced a fumble in win over Colgate.
• Made eleven tackles, eight solo, at Holy Cross.
 
Mekai Felton (Sr., WR. Baltimore, Md./Franklin)
2022 (Junior Season)
• Appeared in all 12 games at wide receiver.
• Recorded 37 receptions for 525 yards and six touchdowns.
• Fourth on the team in receptions, receiving yards, and receiving scores.
• Eighth in the Patriot League in receiving yards/game (47.7).
• Caught four passes for 92 yards and two touchdowns at Holy Cross.
• Hauled in three passes for 55 yards and two scores in win at Monmouth.
• Had eight receptions for 80 yards and one touchdown in win at Lehigh.
• Made four catches for 46 yards and one touchdown at Bucknell.
• Grabbed four passes for 85 yards in win over Lafayette.
 
Matt Jaworski (Jr., DL, Buffalo, N.Y./St. John Paul II (Ala.))
2022 (Sophomore Season)
• Appeared in eight games as a sophomore, starting five on the defensive line.
• Recorded 22 total tackles, 13 solo, including 5.5 for loss and 50 sacks.
• Led the team in sacks.
• Also had six quarterback hurries and two forced fumbles.
• Made five tackles, including 1.5 sacks, in win over Albany.
• Had five solo stops at Holy Cross.
• Registered two sacks and forced a fumble in Lafayette win.
• Finished with three tackles, including 1.5 for loss and one sack, and forced a fumble at Ohio..
 
Julius Loughridge (Jr., RB, Houston, Texas/Mayde Creek))
2022 (Sophomore Season)
• Appeared in all 12 games at running back.
• Gained 940 yards on 131 carries with a team-high eight touchdowns.
• Averaged 7.2 yards/carry, tops in the Patriot League and fourth in the NCAA FCS.
• Fourth in the Patriot League in rushing scores and rushing yards.
• Also caught four passes for 16 yards.
• Rushed 15 times for a season-high 121 yards and a touchdown at Holy Cross.
• Gained 114 yards on 20 carries in season opening win at Wagner.
• Picked up 111 yards on just nine rushers with two touchdowns in Stony Brook win.
• Recorded 104 rushing yards on eleven carries with a touchdown in win over Georgetown.
• Also had 104 rushing yards on 12 attempts with one score in the win at Lehigh.
 
Lucas Portes (Sr., OL, Gaithersburg, Md./Good Counsel)
2022 (Senior Season)
• Started all 12 games at left tackle.
• Named Second Team All-Patriot League.
• Helped Rams lead the NCAA FCS in passing offense (413.8 yards/game) and total offense (608.9 yards/game).
• Helped Rams lead the PL and rank second in the NCAA FCS in scoring offense (49.5 points/game).
• Helped Fordham lead the PL and ranked third in the NCAA FCS in first downs (357).
• Helped Rams lead the PL in fewest sacks allowed (1.67/game).
• Helped Fordham rank second in the Patriot League in rushing (195.2 yards/game).
 
Stephen Williams II (Sr. DB, Jacksonville, Fla./Trinity Christian Academy)
2022 (Senior Season)
• Started all 12 games at SAM linebacker as a senior.
• Recorded 60 total tackles, 41 solo, including 3.0 for loss and one sack.
• Third on team in total tackles.
• Also intercepted a team-best three passes and led team with 14 pass breakups.
• Made a career-high 12 tackles, nine solo, including two for loss and had a pass breakup in NCAA Championship game at New Hampshire.
• Had ten tackles, five solo, including one for loss, broke up two passes and forced a fumble at Ohio.
• Registered five tackles, three solo, in wins over Stony Brook and Lafayette.
• Finished with four stops, three solo, and broke up three passes in win at Bucknell.
 
MJ Wright (Gr., WR, Freehold, N.J./Red Bank Catholic)
2022 (Senior Season)
• Earned Second Team All-Patriot League honors.
• Started all 12 games at wide receiver.
• Caught 62 passes for 1,156 yards and eleven touchdowns.
• Seventh Fordham receiver, and one of three on 2022 team, to record more than 1,000 receiving yards in a season.
• Second on team in receptions and third in receiving yards and receiving touchdowns.
• Third in the Patriot League in receptions/game (5.2).
• Fourth in League in receiving yards and receiving yards/game (96.3).
• Third in the Patriot League in receiving touchdowns.
• Eleven receiving touchdowns is the fourth best single season at Fordham.
• Had a career-high 226 receiving yards on just four receptions with two touchdowns in win at Lehigh.
• Hauled in a season-high eleven passes for 155 yards in win over Lafayette.
• Caught seven passes for 120 yards in Georgetown win.
• Opened season with three catches for 79 yards and two scores at Wagner.
• Also had a pair of receiving touchdowns in win over Stony Brook.
• Grabbed five passes for 95 yards and a touchdown in NCAA Championship game at New Hampshire.
 
Voting for the Preseason All-Patriot League Football Team, the offensive and defensive player of the year, and preseason poll was completed by Patriot League football head coaches and sports information directors from the seven League schools. They cannot vote for their team or student-athletes.