SENATOBIA - With the start of the 2021 season just weeks away, the Northwest football program is aiming to defend its championship status with its most seasoned roster in years.

With nearly 40 returning student-athletes from last year's MACCC and national championship squad, several have caught the eyes of JCGridiron.com, which placed 16 Rangers on its preseason position watch lists. Compiled by publisher Brad Hoiseth, the Rivals-affiliated site highlights the top JUCO players from the NJCAA ranks, as well as the California Community College Athletic Association and the independent Hohokam Junior College Athletic Conference, based in Arizona.

Redshirt sophomore quarterback Michael Hiers was tabbed to the quarterbacks watch list after a stellar 2020 campaign that included 94 completions on 140 attempts, with 1,426 yards, 13 touchdowns and just one interception. The Birmingham native and Murray State bounceback tallied a pair of 300-yard passing efforts at Northeast and against Holmes, collecting MACCC Player of the Week accolades for both contests.

Tailbacks Jaquerrious Williams and Kenyatta Harrell both earned nods to the running backs watch list as two of the top three rushers on last year's squad. Williams, a Tupelo native and third-year sophomore, led the Rangers with 83 carries and 423 yards on the ground, while Harrell rushed for 175 yards on 40 attempts. Both players combined for six touchdowns, five coming from Williams.

A pair of returning starters were also named to the receivers watch list. Third-year sophomore Jacoby Jones and true sophomore D.T. Sheffield each earned selections to the list after shining through a crowded, but talented, receiving corps last season.

A Tunica native and Rosa Fort High School product, Jones hauled in 17 catches for 192 yards and two touchdowns, including a season-best 10-catch, 108-yard performance at Northeast. Sheffield, a Corinth native, led the unit with 20 receptions for 358 yards and five touchdowns. His best effort came in a 41-13 rout of Holmes, where Sheffield finished with 128 yards and two touchdowns on three receptions.

Keys, a third-year sophomore from Hattiesburg, represented the Rangers on the tight ends list and has played in all but two games throughout his Northwest career.

A total of five offensive linemen made up the separate watch lists for offensive guards and tackles. Third-year sophomore Vance Van Every led the group with his selection as an offensive guard, followed by true sophomores Davion Carter and Austin Wilson, while Ethan Bumgarner and Jakobe McLaurin earned selections as offensive tackles.

On the defensive side of the ball, Rayyan Buell and Roderick Daniels highlighted the Rangers' defensive line with their selections to the defensive end watch lists. The duo combined for 52 total tackles, 16.5 tackles-for-loss, 8.5 sacks and five hurries.

Veteran duo Kylan Robinson and Micheal Campbell both earned nods to the outside linebacker watch list after a dominant season for the third-year sophomores last year. Robinson, a DeSoto Central product, led the team in tackles last season with 43, including five tackles-for-loss and two sacks, while Campbell tallied 24 tackles, 3.5 tackles-for-loss, three hurries, three breakups and an interception.

Rounding out the list of Rangers is third-year sophomore Jarvis Townsend, who was named to the safeties watch list. The Pearl native compiled 28 total tackles and four breakups among a crowded secondary unit last season.

Northwest will open the 2021 campaign at home against Copiah-Lincoln on Thursday, September 2. Kickoff is slated for 7 P.M. at Bobby Franklin Field.