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Paxton Robertson 6-0 205 So
Jayelin DAVIS
6-0 l 230 lbs. l Jr. l LB 50 North Augusta, S.C. | Morgan State / Georgia Military College / Fox Creek HS
PRIOR TO WESTERN CAROLINA:
Transferred to WCU during the summer of 2022 through the portal from Morgan State in Baltimore, Md., after beginning his collegiate career at Georgia Military College ... Has two years of eligibility remaining; At Morgan State (2021): Played in six games as a defensive reserve ... Credited with seven total tackles including five solo stops and one for loss ... Posted a career-best three tackles at South Carolina State; At GMC (2019-21): Played in five games as a freshman in 2019, credited with eight tackles including two for loss and a fumble recovery he returned 15 yards ... Earned his Associate of Science degree from GMC; High School: Was a four-year letter winner at Fox Creek High ... Earned team Defensive MVP and Most Improved Awards as a linebacker ... Listed as a Top 5 CSRA leading tackler with over 100 stops as a senior.
PERSONAL:
Goes by "JD" ... Is the son of Kiesha Jones and the late Solomon Jones ... Has a younger brother, Kyson ... Was born in Columbia, S.C.
Peyton DAVIS
6-2 l 305 lbs. l R-Fr. l OL 63 Mooresville, N.C. | Lake Norman HS
2021 (FRESHMAN):
Saw action in one game on the year, making his collegiate debut against ETSU (Nov. 13) ... Did not record any official statistics ... Named to the 2021-22 Southern Conference Academic Honor Roll and Received a SoCon Commissioner's Medal.
PRIOR TO WESTERN CAROLINA:
Three-year varsity letter winner … Played offensive line at center and guard … Two-time All-County selection, earning first-team honors as a senior … Credited with 18 pancake blocks in seven games in 2021 … Helped guide Lake Norman High to a third-place finish in the highly competitive I-Meck 4-A Conference … Competed in the Queen City Senior Bowl in May 2021 … Was selected to represent the West in the Carolina Clash on the Coast Senior Bowl in Wilmington, N.C.
PERSONAL:
Full name is Peyton Anthony-Haynes Davis ... Is the son of Shannon Davis-Flick and Adam Flick.
PEYTON DAVIS’ CAREER HONORS AND AWARDS Southern Conference Academic Honor Roll (2021-22) Southern Conference Commissioner's Medal (2021-22)
Brandon DICKERSON
5-11 l 190 lbs. l Sr. l P Indian Land, S.C. | Indian Land HS
2022 (SENIOR):
Nominated to the 2022 FCS Punter of the Year Watch List in early August, presented by the Augusta Sports Council ... Also nominated for the William V. Campbell Trophy through the National Football Foundation (NFF).
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2021 (JUNIOR):
Played in all 11 games on the year handling the primary punting duties on special teams ... Punted 46 times for 1,760 yards, averaging 38.3 yards per punt ... Two of his punts went 50+ yards including a season-long 56-yard boot against Samford (Sept. 18) ... Downed 12 punts inside the opponent 20-yard line, four in the game against Samford … Named to the 2021 Fall Academic All-Southern Conference team ... Named to the 2021-22 Southern Conference Academic Honor Roll.
2020-21 (SOPHOMORE):
Saw action in each of the team’s three games in the fall as the starting punter before missing the spring semester games due to injury … Punted 20 times for 770 yards, averaging 38.5 yards per punt including a season-long punt of 52 yards at Eastern Kentucky (Nov. 21) … Downed 10 of his 20 punts inside the opponent’s 20-yard line including seven at EKU … Credited with a solo tackle at North Carolina (Dec. 5) ... Named to the 2020-21 Southern Conference Academic Honor Roll.
2019 (FRESHMAN):
Played in eight games as a true freshman handling the bulk of the team’s punting duties … Punted a combined 42 times for 1,533 yards, averaging 36.5 yards per punt one kick sailing 50+ yards and seven downed inside the opposition’s 20-yard line … Made his collegiate debut in the season-opener against Mercer (Aug. 31), punting seven times with a 36.3 average … Punted a career-high 10 times at N.C. State (Sept. 7) including his career-long 59-yard punt and twice downing the football inside the Wolfpack 20-yard line … Punted three-or-more times in seven of his eight games on the year … Credited with two solo tackles ... Named to the 2019-20 Southern Conference Academic Honor Roll.
PRIOR TO WESTERN CAROLINA:
Three-time all-region selection and a three-time Special Teams Player of the Year for his squad … Averaged 41 yards per punt as a senior including a long of 68 yards … Connected on 6-of-8 (75%) of his field goals including a long of 49 yards, while hitting all 21 of his PAT attempts … Added 17 touchbacks on kickoffs … Selected to represent North Carolina in the International Bowl – US vs. Canada – for four-consecutive seasons … High school coach was Horatio “HB” Blades.
PERSONAL:
Is the son of Shanna and Lyn Dickerson and an older sister, Brenna.
BRANDON DICKERSON’S CAREER STATISTICS Year Punts Yds Avg. TB FC In20 50+ Lng FG-FGA PAT Pts 2019 42 1,533 36.5 1 16 7 1 59 0–0 0 0 20-21 20 770 38.5 0 3 10 1 52 0–0 0 0 2021 46 1,760 38.2 1 23 12 2 56 0–0 0 0 TOTALS 108 4,063 37.6 2 42 29 4 59 0–0 0 0
BRANDON DICKERSON’S SINGLE-GAME CAREER HIGHS Most Punts: ......................................................................................10, at NC State (9/7/19) BRANDON DICKERSON’S CAREER HONORS AND AWARDS Three-time Southern Conference Academic Honor Roll (2019-20, 2020-21, 2021-22) 2021 Fall Academic All-Southern Conference Nominated for the 2022 NCAA FCS Punter of the Year
Taurus DOTSON Jr.
5-11 l 200 lbs. l Sr. l CB 10 Miami, Fla. | Valdosta State / Northwestern HS
PRIOR TO WESTERN CAROLINA:
Transferred to WCU from Valdosta State where he spent the past five years including a redshirt season ... Was a part of three NCAA Division II football playoff teams at VSU; At Valdosta State: Played in 38 games with 29 starts in the defensive secondary between 2018 and 2021 after taking a redshirt in 2017 ... Credited with 85 tackles including 43 solo stops and 3.5 tackles for loss with one assisted sack ... Recorded six career interceptions including three in 2021 as a redshirt junior with 16 career pass breakups ... Added two career fumble returns; High School: Honored as an All-State selection while at Miami Northwestern High for head coach Max Edwards.
PERSONAL:
Full name is Taurus Keyon Dotson Jr. ... Is the son of Taurus Dotson Sr.
Ja'morri DOWNING
6-0 l 190 lbs. l Fr. l S Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. | Stranahan HS 15
PRIOR TO WESTERN CAROLINA:
Recorded 81 tackles including 63 solo stops and 25 tackles for loss with 10 sacks as a high school senior … Credited with nine passes defended … Also ran track as a prep, posting times of 11 flat in the 100m dash and 23 flat in the 200m dash.
PERSONAL:
Is the son of Sheneera Perry ... Has two siblings, Jamiya Downing and Paige Pocte.
Samaurie DUKES
5-10 l 185 lbs. l Fr. l CB Miami, Fla. | Miami HS 24
PRIOR TO WESTERN CAROLINA:
Joined the Catamount football team during the spring 2022 semester, participating in annual spring drills ... Recorded two interceptions during WCU's annual Spring Showcase scrimmage; High School: Played wide receiver and defensive back as a prep, while also returning punts and kickoffs on special teams ... Played for head coach Corey Smith at Miami High ... Was the offensive MVP of the annual Private vs. Public High School All-Star Game, catching six passes for 115 yards and a touchdown ... Named All-Dade first-team by the Miami Herald.
Brady ELMS
6-4 l 175 lbs. l R-Fr. l P Raleigh, N.C. | Wakefield HS 48
2021 (FRESHMAN):
Played in three games on special teams on the season, making his WCU debut at The Citadel (Oct. 23) after an injury to starting punter Brandon Dickerson ... Punted twice on the season for 42 yards, averaging 21.0 yards per punt ... Downed one of his two punts inside the opponent 20-yard line ... Also saw time on placekicking as the holder ... Remained eligible for a redshirt.
PRIOR TO WESTERN CAROLINA:
Finished his prep career in Huntsville, Ala., earning Alabama 7A Region 4 All-Region second-team plaudits as a punter … Averaged 44.06 yards per punt as a senior including a long of 59 yards … Started his prep career at Wakefield High in Raleigh where he was a three-year varsity letter winner … Joined the WCU football team as a preferred walk-on … Was an academic allconference selection as a prep.
PERSONAL:
Is the son of Becky and Mark Elms ... Has three siblings, Brennan, Nora, and A.J.
2021 (REDSHIRT FRESHMAN):
Played in five games on the season along the offensive line ... Made his WCU debut at Oklahoma (Sept. 11) ... Started one game on the offensive line in the regular-season finale at VMI (Nov. 20) ... Did not record any official statistics.
PRIOR TO WESTERN CAROLINA:
Transferred to WCU in the summer of 2021 from Kennesaw State ... Worked out with both the defensive and offensive line during WCU's preseason fall camp. Kennesaw State: Played in one game in 2019 for the Owls, taking a redshirt … Made his collegiate debut against Gardner-Webb; High School: Was a three-star recruit out of high school by 247Sports … Competed in football and track & field … Garnered firstteam all-region honors and was a two-time region Player of the Week.
PERSONAL:
Is the son of Shontorria and Antwann Fann … Has a sister, Jalyn.
BRADY ELMS’ SINGLE-GAME CAREER HIGHS Most Punts: ...............................................................................2, at The Citadel (10/23/21)
Antwann FANN
6-3 l 320 lbs. l R-So. l OL 52 Perry, Ga. | Kennesaw State / Carrollton HS
Samford (Sept. 18)..
Caleb FISHER
6-3 l 235 lbs. l So. l DL Decatur, Ga. | Columbia HS 11
2021 (FRESHMAN):
Played in 10 games on the year, credited with nine total tackles including three solo stops and 2.0 tackles for six yards of losses ... Made his collegiate debut in the season opener against Eastern Kentucky (Sept. 4) ... Recorded a career-high five tackles including two TFLs and a pair of quarterback hurries against
