SEWARD, Neb. – Linebacker Lane Napier isn’t flying under the radar this preseason. Also named on NebraskaSports.Net’s list of Nebraska college football players to watch, Napier has landed on the Street & Smith’s College Football Yearbook NAIA Preseason All-America Team. The annual publication releases preseason All-America teams at all levels of college football.
A native of David City, Neb., and Aquinas High School alum, Napier has accomplished plenty in his first three collegiate seasons. The inside linebacker is a three-time first team All-GPAC selection and was a chosen to the Associated Press’ All-America first team in 2018 when he led all NAIA players with 142 tackles. In his career, Napier has totaled 347 tackles, 31 tackles for loss, 9.5 sacks, six pass breakups, five forced fumbles and an interception. Last season Napier posted 108 tackles, 10.5 stops for loss and 4.5 sacks.
Napier and the Bulldogs are slated to kick off the 2020 season on Sept. 12 with a short trip to Doane. It will mark the second season in a row that Concordia has opened a campaign against the rival Tigers.
Back in May, Napier talked about his hopes of making big strides as a team. Said Napier, “It’s been a goal my whole time here to try to win the GPAC or even try to make the playoffs. That would be a really big step for the culture of the team with other kids coming in and seeing that. We’ve had a couple hard seasons the last two years. We were close on a lot of things, but just weren’t close enough.”
Street & Smith’s NAIA Preseason All-America Team
OFFENSE
QB – Joe Dolincheck, Morningside (Iowa)
RB – Arnijae Ponder, Morningside (Iowa)
RB – Tim Whifield, Langston (Okla.)
OL – Austin Sherrill, Keiser (Fla.)
OL – Andrew Rupcich, Culver-Stockton (Mo.)
OL – Dustin Rivera, Southwestern (Kan.)
OL – Tristan Shehorn, Ottawa (Ariz.)
OL – Donovan Corlew, Concordia (Mich.)
TE – Austin Harris, Midland (Neb.)
WR – Stevie Williams, Kansas Wesleyan
WR – Shane Solberg, Northwestern (Iowa)
DEFENSE
DL – Robert Robinson, Briar Cliff (Iowa)
DL – Kumi Sarpong Jr., Cumberlands (Ky.)
DL – Sage DeLong, Eastern Oregon
DL – Seth Maitlen, Morningside (Iowa)
LB – DaMarcus Wimbush, Bluefield (Va.)
LB – Lane Napier, Concordia (Neb.)
LB – Josh Seabolt, Bethel (Kan.)
DB – Twon Collymore, Sterling (Kan.)
DB – Dallis Flowers, Grand View (Iowa)
DB – Sage Chen-Young, Keiser (Fla.)
DB – Athanie Leeviraphan, Evangel (Mo.)
SPECIALISTS
K – Nathan Hamilton, Grand View (Iowa)
P – Camdon Griffiths, Midland (Neb.)