CLEVELAND - Nine NM State football players were named to the 2021 Phil Steele All-Independent Teams it was announced Thursday.

Offensive lineman Sage Doxtater was placed on the First Team Offense while running back Juwaun Price, wide receiver Jared Wyatt and center Eli Johnson secured Second Team acclaim on offense.

Defensively, cornerback D.J. McCullough earned First Team Defense honors while linebacker Trevor Brohard, linebacker Chris Ojoh, safety Caleb Mills appeared on the Second Team Defense. Kicker Ethan Albertson was a Second Team Special Teams selection.

Doxtater and Johnson anchored the Aggies' offensive line throughout the 2021 season, starting all 12 of the team's games. Both were members of the Aggies' nine-man senior class with Doxtater exiting as the program's leader in total games played (51).

Price served as the Aggies' lead back in 2021, pilling up 692 yards on the ground as well as 10 touchdowns. He amassed another 181 yards through the air as well as 398 return yards to put him at 1,271 all-purpose yards on the season.

No NM State wide receiver bettered the numbers of Wyatt who led the team with 629 receiving yards. His three receiving touchdowns were the second-highest total on the team.

McCullough posted 42 tackles including 2.0 for loss while generating a team-leading three interceptions. Leading the Aggies' linebacking corps, Ojoh finished with one more tackle (72) than Brohard (71) in 2021. In his first season in an Aggie uniform, Ojoh topped the team's defensive charts in both tackles for loss (16.0), sacks (6.0) and quarterback hurries.

Brohard concluded the season with 7.0 tackles for loss as well as 2.0 sacks.

Mills served as the team's leading tackler, racking up 76 stops and 0.5 tackles for loss. He also came up with two interceptions, one fumble recovery and three pass breakups.

Albertson put forth an excellent season on special teams, converting 17 of his 22 field goal tries in 2021. He drilled all three of his attempts from 50 or more yards and tied Dat Ly's program record 17 field goal makes in a single season. In terms of extra points, he went 28-of-30.

NM State went 2-10 in 2021 and hired Jerry Kill as the program's head coach for the 2022 season and beyond on Monday, Nov. 29, 2021.

For complete coverage of NM State football as the Aggies prepare for year one under coach Kill, visit NMStateSports.com - the official home of Aggie athletics - and follow the Aggies on Facebook (NM State Football), Twitter (@NMStateFootball) and Instagram (@NMStateFootball).

PHIL STEELE — ALL-INDEPENDENT TEAMS
First-Team Offense
QB    Jaren Hall, BYU
QB    Malik Willis, Liberty 
RB    Tyler Allgeier, BYU 
RB    Kyren Williams, Notre Dame
WR   Puka Nacua, BYU 
WR   Kevin Austin, Notre Dame 
TE    Michael Mayer, Notre Dame
TE    Isaac Rex, BYU 
C      Jarrett Patterson, Notre Dame 
OG   Cain Madden, Notre Dame 
OG   Clark Barrington, BYU 
OT    Blake Freeland, BYU 
OT    Sage Doxtater, NM State

Second-Team Offense
QB    Jack Coan, Notre Dame
QB    Christian Anderson, Army West Point
RB    Juwaun Price, NM State
RB    Ellis Merriweather, Massachusetts
WR   Demario Douglas, Liberty
WR   Jared Wyatt, NM State
TE    Johnny Huntley, Liberty
TE    Josiah Johnson, Massachusetts
C      Eli Johnson, NM State
OG   Noah Knapp, Army West Point
OG   Brendan Schlittler, Liberty
OT    Jordyn Law, Army West Point
OT    Ryan Van Demark, Connecticut

First-Team Defense
DE     Isaiah Foskey, Notre Dame 
DT     Jayson Ademilola, Notre Dame 
DT     Nolan Cockrill, Army West Point 
DE     Travis Jones, Connecticut 
LB     Andre Carter, Army West Point 
LB     Storey Jackson. Liberty 
LB     JD Bertrand, Notre Dame 
LB     Arik Smith, Army West Point 
CB     DJ McCullough, NM State
CB     Kaleb Hayes, BYU 
S       Kyle Hamilton, Notre Dame 
S       Marquel Broughton, Army West Point 

Second-Team Defense
DE    TreShaun Clark, Liberty
DT    Elijah James, Liberty
DT    Ralfs Rusins, Liberty
DE    Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa, Notre Dame
LB    Trevor Brohard, NM State
LB    Jackson Mitchell, Connecticut
LB    Payton Wilgar, BYU
LB    Chris Ojoh, NM State
CB   Jabari Moore, Army West Point
CB   Cam Hart, Notre Dame
S      Malik Moore, BYU
S      Caleb Mills, NM State

First-Team Special Teams
K     Jonathan Doerer, Notre Dame 
P     Ryan Rehkow, BYU 
KR  Brian Brewton, Connecticut 
PR  Tyrell Robinson, Army West Point 
LS   Austin Mock, Liberty 

Second-Team Special Teams
K     Ethan Albertson, NM State
P     Jay Bramblett, Notre Dame
KR   Chris Tyree, Notre Dame
PR   Demario Douglas, Liberty
LS   Evan Deckers, Massachusetts

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