Eight Wildcats on Phil Steele's Preseason All-UAC Teams
7/31/2025 2:32:00 PM | Football
Eight ACU football players have been named to Phil Steele's Preseason All-United Athletic Conference Teams.
Four players made the first team: tight end Jed Castles, edge rusher Chris Wright, linebacker Will Shaffer, and defensive back Dorian Plumley. Shaffer was also named the UAC Preseason Defensive Player of the Year by Phil Steele.
Three Wildcats landed on the second team: receiver J.J. Henry, defensive lineman Kaghen Roach, and cornerback Tyson Williams. Long snapper Justin Duff was named to the third team.
Jed Castles, TE, R-Sr., Wichita Falls, TX
Chris Wright, DL/LB, R-Sr., Aledo, TX
Will Shaffer, LB, R-Sr., Tempe, AZ
Dorian Plumley, DB, R-Sr., El Reno, OK
J.J. Henry, WR, R-Sr., McKinney, TX
Kaghen Roach, DL, Grad, Celina, TX
Tyson Williams, CB, Jr., Bixby, OK
Justin Duff, LS, R-Sr., Fairfield, CA
Four players made the first team: tight end Jed Castles, edge rusher Chris Wright, linebacker Will Shaffer, and defensive back Dorian Plumley. Shaffer was also named the UAC Preseason Defensive Player of the Year by Phil Steele.
Three Wildcats landed on the second team: receiver J.J. Henry, defensive lineman Kaghen Roach, and cornerback Tyson Williams. Long snapper Justin Duff was named to the third team.
Jed Castles, TE, R-Sr., Wichita Falls, TX
- Back-to-back Second Team All-UAC selection
- Played in 36 games in his three seasons at ACU
- Caught 15 passes for 223 yards and four touchdowns last year
Chris Wright, DL/LB, R-Sr., Aledo, TX
- All-UAC Second Team in 2024
- Started all 14 games last season
- Stacked up 84 tackles (third-most on the team), along with 11 TFL and 3 sacks
- Forced two fumbles (at North Alabama on Oct. 12, at Stephen F. Austin on Nov. 23)
- Recovered a fumble and scored from 28 yards out in a win at Utah Tech on Sept. 28
- Career-high 10 tackles in win vs. Eastern Kentucky on Oct. 19
Will Shaffer, LB, R-Sr., Tempe, AZ
- Preseason All-America First Team by Stats Perform FCS & FCS Football Central
- Preseason Buck Buchanan Award Watch List
- Named All-America by four media outlets after the 2024 season
- Started all 14 games at weakside linebacker
- Led UAC and was 8th in FCS with 123 tackles, which tied for 6th most in a single season in ACU history
- Clinched a victory over No. 5 Central Arkansas with last-minute interception on Oct. 5
Dorian Plumley, DB, R-Sr., El Reno, OK
- Played in all 14 games in 2024, and started season's final 12 games
- Finished 4th on the team with 81 total tackles
- First career interception came in Round 1 FCS Playoffs win vs. No. 15 Northern Arizona on Nov. 30
J.J. Henry, WR, R-Sr., McKinney, TX
- Transferred to ACU in 2024, playing in all 14 games with 4 starts
- Finished with 42 catches for 485 yards and 4 touchdowns
- Recorded 125 receiving yards and 2 TD in win at Austin Peay on Nov. 9
- Caught 7 passes for 70 yards and a TD in Round 2 FCS Playoffs at North Dakota State on Dec. 7
Kaghen Roach, DL, Grad, Celina, TX
- Preseason All-America Third Team by Stats Peform FCS & FCS Football Central
- All-UAC Second Team in 2024
- Had 1.5 TFL in Round 1 FCS Playoffs win vs. No. 15 Northern Arizona
- Blocked two kicks – a field goal vs. Central Arkansas and a PAT vs. North Alabama
- Named UAC Defensive Player of the Week for 13-tackle, 3-TFL performance at Northern Colorado on Sept. 14
- Intercepted a pass and returned it 22 yards in Round 2 FCS Playoffs at North Dakota State
Tyson Williams, CB, Jr., Bixby, OK
- Started all 14 games as a true sophomore in 2024
- Team-high 8 pass break-ups
- Intercepted a pass in win vs. West Georgia on Sept. 7
- Recorded 1.5 TFL in FCS Playoffs (0.5 vs. Northern Arizona, 1.0 at North Dakota State)
Justin Duff, LS, R-Sr., Fairfield, CA
- Served as ACU's long snapper on punts for all 14 games
- College Sports Communicators Academic All-District
Players Mentioned
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