FARGO, N.D. - North Dakota State's Christian Watson was named to the HERO Sports FCS Preseason All-America Team at two different positions Wednesday, Aug. 11, highlighting six overall selections for the NDSU program.

Watson is listed as the second team return specialist and a third team wide receiver. He was a first team All-America kickoff returner during the 2020-21 spring season and an All-Missouri Valley Football Conference first team wide receiver.

NDSU fullback Hunter Luepke and offensive lineman Cordell Volson were selected to the HERO Sports preseason first team, tight end Noah Gindorff was named to the second team, and safety Michael Tutsie was named to the third team.

North Dakota State returns 20 of 22 starters from last spring's FCS quarterfinal team that went 7-3 overall and 5-2 in the Missouri Valley Football Conference. The Bison open their season Saturday, Sept. 4, against Albany at Gate City Bank Field at the Fargodome.

2021 HERO Sports FCS Preseason All-America Team
First Team Offense
QB Eric Schmid, Sam Houston
QB Eric Barriere, Eastern Washington
RB Julius Chestnut, Sacred Heart
RB Pierre Strong Jr., South Dakota State
RB Otis Weah, North Dakota
WR Jequez Ezzard, Sam Houston
WR Tyler Hudson, Central Arkansas
WR Jakob Herres, VMI
TE McCallan Castles, UC Davis
FB Hunter Luepke, North Dakota State
OL Cordell Volson, North Dakota State
OL Liam Fornadel, James Madison
OL Mason McCormick, South Dakota State
OL Trevor Penning, Northern Iowa
OL Braxton Jones, Southern Utah
 
First Team Defense
DL Jordan Lewis, Southern
DL Isaiah Chambers, McNeese
DL Jared Brinkman, Northern Iowa
DL Mike Greene, James Madison
DL Joseph Wallace, Sam Houston
LB Tre Walker, Idaho
LB Willie Eubanks III, The Citadel
LB Jace Lewis, Montana
LB Logan Backhaus, South Dakota State
LB Ryan Greenhagen, Fordham
DB Kedrick Whitehead, Delaware
DB Zyon McCollum, Sam Houston
DB Markquese Bell, Florida A&M
DB Anthony Adams, Portland State
DB Kordell Jackson, Austin Peay
 
First Team Special Teams
K Ethan Ratke, James Madison
P Daniel Whelan, UC Davis
LS Bradey Sorenson, South Dakota State
RS Jequez Ezzard, Sam Houston
 
Second Team Offense
QB Cole Kelley, Southeastern Louisiana
QB Jeff Undercuffler, UAlbany
RB Jah-Maine Martin, North Carolina A&T
RB Elijah Dotson, Sacramento State
RB Percy Agyei-Obese, James Madison
WR Samuel Akem, Montana
WR Avante Cox, Southern Illinois
WR Xavier Smith, Florida A&M
TE Noah Gindorff, North Dakota State
FB Clay Moss, Weber State
OL PJ Burkhalter, Nicholls
OL Garret Greenfield, South Dakota State
OL Matt Waletzko, North Dakota
OL David Kroll, Delaware
OL Ty Whitworth, Weber State
 
Second Team Defense
DL Jahari Kay, Sam Houston
DL Jermaine McDaniel, North Carolina A&T
DL Shaundre Mims, Charleston Southern
DL Amandre Williams, Montana State
DL Kobie Turner, Richmond
LB Troy Andersen, Montana State
LB Forrest Rhyne, Villanova
LB Stone Snyder, VMI
LB Keonte Hampton, Jackson State
LB Conner Mortensen, Weber State
DB Nicario Harper, Jacksonville State
DB Brandon Easterling, Dayton
DB Robby Hauck, Montana
DB Qua Brown, Southern Illinois
DB Jordan Perryman, UC Davis
 
Second Team Special Teams
K Luis Aguilar, Northern Arizona
P Chris Faddoul, Florida A&M
LS Robert Soderholm, VMI
RS Christian Watson, North Dakota State
 
Third Team Offense
QB Felix Harper, Alcorn State
QB EJ Perry, Brown
RB Isaiah Ifanse, Montana State
RB Karl Mofor, UAlbany
RB Juwon Farri, Monmouth
WR Lonnie Moore IV, Monmouth
WR Christian Watson, North Dakota State
WR Dai'Jean Dixon, Nicholls
TE Marshel Martin, Sacramento State
FB Nathan Walker, Wofford
OL Colby Thomas, Sam Houston
OL J'Von Brown, Central Connecticut State
OL Lewis Kidd, Montana State
OL AJ Farris, Monmouth
OL Keenan Forbes, Florida A&M
 
Third Team Defense
DL Jevon Leon, Sam Houston
DL Jared Schiess, Weber State
DL Devonnsha Maxwell, Chattanooga
DL Malik Hamm, Lafayette
DL DJ Coleman, Jacksonville State
LB Bryce Flater, Northern Iowa
LB Isaac Dowling, Mercer
LB Tristan Wheeler, Richmond
LB Adrian Hope, Furman
LB Jack Cochrane, South Dakota
DB Dexter Lawson Jr., Central Connecticut State
DB Tyree Robinson, ETSU
DB Chris Edmonds, Samford
DB Michael Tutsie, North Dakota State
DB Ferlando Jordan, Southeastern Louisiana
 
Third Team Special Teams
K Seth Harrison, Eastern Washington
P Brady Schutt, South Dakota
LS Dalton Godfrey, South Dakota
RS Malik Flowers, Montana