GREENVILLE, S.C. -- Led by Southern Conference Preseason Defensive Player of the Year Joshua Stoneking, eight Paladins earned tabs on the league's 2026 preseason squad announced today at the SoCon Media Day at Greenville's Hotel Hartness.

In addition, Furman was ranked sixth in the preseason poll, as voted by the league head coaches.

Stoneking, a defensive end and consensus 2025 first team All-American, was joined on the first team defense by inside linebacker Raleigh Herbert.

Six Paladins were named to the preseason second team, including center Chris Luna, defensive linemen Demetrius Baldwin and Elihu Lipscomb, defensive backs AK Burrell and Josh Tarver, and return specialist Caleb Easterling.

Furman collected 46 points in the preseason poll to rank sixth among the SoCon's 10 schools, ahead of seventh place Wofford and eighth place Samford.  The Citadel and VMI finished ninth and 10th, respectively.

Mercer topped the poll with 76 points and six first place votes, followed by league newcomer Tennessee Tech with 73 points and three first place nods.  East Tennessee placed third with 61 points and one first place tally.  

Western Carolina (58 points) and Chattanooga (48 points) checked in at fourth and fifth in the poll.

Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own teams or players.

Stoneking, a 6-foot-3, 258-pound redshirt junior from Greensboro, N.C., is coming off a monster 2025 season that saw him register a team leading 79 tackles and FCS highs in sacks (14.5), tackles for loss (23.0), and tackle yards for loss (132) and be named FCS ADA National Defensive Player of the Year.

Herbert, a 6-foot-2, 227-pound redshirt junior who owns 17 career starts, tallied 72 tackles a year ago.  The Cumming, Ga., product keyed a 31-13 road win over Samford with a late second quarter 46-yard interception return for a touchdown.

Luna was Furman's lone preseason pick on offense.  The 6-foot-3, 290-pound center from Wesley Chapel, Fla., started in all 12 games and logged 817 play participations last year.  He owns 19 career starts.

Baldwin fashioned a impressive freshman campaign a year ago, earning starts at tackle in the final 11 games and totaling 30 tackles.  The 6-foot-1, 278-pound redshirt sophomore from Waycross, Ga., is joined on the preseason second team by sophomore transfer defensive Eli Lipscomb, a 6-foot-1, 236-pound King Mountain, N.C., who notched  33 tackles, including seven sacks last season at Wingate.

Burrell and Tarver represent Furman's secondary.  Burrell's 2025 campaign (58 tackles, INT) marked a return from injury that sidelined the Baton Rouge, La., product for all of 2024.  Tarver, a 2026 Yale graduate, saw playing time in 32 games and totaled 94 tackles, six interceptions, and 18 pass breakups for the Bulldogs.

Easterling, a redshirt freshman from Richmond Hill, Ga., appeared in four games last fall but made a big impression as a return specialist that included a 100-yard return for a score against Mercer and a 76-yard return versus Chattanooga.

The 2026 Paladins are set to welcome back 32 letterman and 10 starters under head coach Clay Hendrix '86, who is entering his 10th season at the helm.  Furman's players report for preseason camp on Tuesday, July 28, and begin practice on Wednesday, July 29.

2026 Preseason Southern Conference Coaches Poll
Team (1st-place votes)     Total
1. Mercer (6)                        76
2. Tennessee Tech (3)         70
3. ETSU (1)                          61
4. Western Carolina             58
5. Chattanooga                    48
6. FURMAN                         46
7. Wofford                            36
8. Samford                           23
9. The Citadel                      22
10. VMI                                10
 
2026 Preseason All-Southern Conference Football Teams
Offensive Player of the Year: Brayden Smith, WR/RS, Mercer
Defensive Player of the Year: Joshua Stoneking, DL, Furman

FIRST TEAM OFFENSE
QB          Quentin Hayes, The Citadel
RB          Jason Albritton, ETSU
RB          Leo Boehling, VMI
OL          Tyler Heggins-Hill, The Citadel
OL          Will McCraw, ETSU
OL          Brody Balliew, Mercer
OL          Tyler Murray, Mercer
OL          Aidan Donald, Chattanooga
TE          Charlie Browder, ETSU 
WR         Brayden Smith, Mercer 
WR         Preston Bird, Samford

FIRST TEAM DEFENSE
DL          Brenden LeBlanc, ETSU
DL          Joshua Stoneking, Furman
DL          Kobe McInnis, Mercer
DL          Orlando Daniels, Chattanooga
LB           Raleigh Herbert, Furman
LB           Jyarius Carter, Mercer
LB           Zion Rutledge, Chattanooga
DB          Mike Jenkins, ETSU
DB          Kam Baah-Slay, Chattanooga
DB          Ken Moore Jr, Western Carolina
DB          Eli Campbell, Wofford

FIRST TEAM SPECIALISTS
PK          Ewan Johnson, ETSU
P             Ben Shrewsbury, VMI
LS           Tommy DiLiegro, The Citadel
RS          Brayden Smith, Mercer

SECOND TEAM OFFENSE
QB          Jax Leatherwood, Tennessee Tech
RB          Marcus Harris, Tennessee Tech
RB          Gerald Modest, Wofford
OL          Chris Luna, Furman
OL          Noah Watts, Samford
OL          Eric Nunez, Tennessee Tech
OL          Bryce Burnett, VMI
OL          Zach Watson, Western Carolina
OL          Reggie Houston, Wofford
TE          Gerard Grewe, Tennessee Tech
WR         Josh Williams, Chattanooga
WR         AJ Colombo, Western Carolina

SECOND TEAM DEFENSE
DL          Demetrius Baldwin, Furman
DL          Elihu Lipscomb, Furman
DL          Ky Tayo, Chattanooga
DL          Ramon McCollough, Wofford
LB           Dre Delinois, ETSU
LB           Isaiah Grevious, VMI
LB           Wyatt Ward, Wofford
DB          Jivon Oggs, ETSU
DB          AK Burrell, Furman
DB          Josh Tarver, Furman
DB          Jalen Nelson, Samford

SECOND TEAM SPECIALISTS
PK          Sam Spence, Wofford
P             Heath Jehu, Chattanooga
LS           Brock Winstead, ETSU
LS           Aidan Barr, Samford
RS          Caleb Easterling, Furman