Football | 12/30/2025 12:23:00 PM
December 30, 2025- Emporia State linebacker
Landon Boss can add one more honor to his impressive junior season resume as he was named a D2Football.com All-American. The Second-Team spot on the Elite 100 list is the sixth All-American award for Boss after earning First-Team honors from the AFCA, D2CCA, AP, Don Hansen Football Committee, and Walter Camp Football Foundation.
Boss was a unanimous selection as a First-Team All-MIAA linebacker, while also winning the Defensive Player of the Year award in the Association. The Osage City, Kan. native tallied 101 tackles on the season, which included ten sacks, 11 quarterback hurries, two forced fumbles, two interceptions and a defensive touchdown. He led the MIAA in sacks and tackles for loss while ranking second in the league in solo tackles and fourth in total tackles. His 69 solo tackles are the fifth most in the nation, his 17.5 tackles for loss rank sixth in the nation while his ten sacks are 12th in the nation.
The junior earned MIAA Defensive Athlete of the Week honors on three occasions, including after the season finale against Fort Hays State where he had two sacks, seven quarterback hurries and a season-best 14 total tackles. He was named the NCAA Division II National Defensive Player of the Week from D2Football.com, Wayne Cavadi at ncaa.com, and Walter Camp Gridiron1880 after recording 11 tackles, four sacks, an interception and a forced fumble in the Hornets 31-24 victory over Missouri Southern.
Boss finished the season with ten sacks to rank fourth all-time on the Emporia State single season list. His 18 tackles for loss on the season move him into a tie with Greg Harvey (1993), Leon Brigham (1997) and Gerard Clemons (1998) for fourth on the Emporia State single season TFL list. He tied Patrick Cook (1995) and Gerard Clemons (1997) for the school record with four sacks in a game.
He becomes the sixth Hornet to earn at least Second-Team D2Football.com All-American honors with five of them coming under Coach
Garin Higgins. Seven MIAA players were named D2Football.com All-American. In addition to Boss Northwest Missouri defensive lineman Clayton Power and Pittsburg State defensive back Jordan Rogers were named First-Team while Central Missouri receiver Hogan Wasson, Central Oklahoma offensive lineman Montriel Lee along with Northwest Missouri offensive lineman Kaleb McCollough and linebacker Carter Edwards were named Second-Team. Three others from the Association were named to the Elite 100 Squad.
The D2Football.com Elite 100 Team was selected by the staff of D2Football.com with input from numerous sitting head coaches as well as professional football scouting veteran Josh Buchanan. The team includes first and second team selections for offense, defense and special teams along with 25 "Squad" players for offense and defense. Squad players are equivalent to "honorable mention" selections in similar national recognition lists.
Boss and senior defensive back Jordan Rogers from Pittsburg State are the only MIAA players to earn at least Second-Team All-American honors from all six of the major national organizations.
2025 D2Football.com All-America - First Team
Offense
| QB |
Jack Strand |
MSU-Moorhead |
| RB |
Curtis Allen |
Virginia Union |
| RB |
Andrew Miller |
Harding |
| WR |
TJ Chukwurah |
Black Hills State |
| WR |
Reggie Retzlaff |
Colorado State Pueblo |
| TE |
Luke Dehnicke |
Minnesota Duluth |
| OL |
Joe Cooper |
Slippery Rock |
| OL |
Tim Anderson |
Ferris State |
| OL |
Slade Edwards |
Central Washington |
| OL |
Ryan Schernecke |
Kutztown |
| OL |
Ryne Buttz |
Indianapolis |
Defense
| DL |
Michael Shimek |
Ashland |
| DL |
Kenyon Garner |
Livingstone |
| DL |
Clayton Power |
Northwest Missouri |
| DL |
Israel Nwokocha |
Benedict |
| LB |
Tristan Exline |
UTPB |
| LB |
Clark Griffin |
Harding |
| LB |
Ja'Kobe Clinton |
West Florida |
| DB |
Xavier Walton |
Angelo State |
| DB |
Darnell Stephens |
Fort Valley State |
| DB |
Jordan Rogers |
Pittsburg State |
| DB |
Justin Payoute |
Ferris State |
Special Teams
| K |
Manaki Watanabe |
Ashland |
| P |
Jay Todd Baker |
Southern Arkansas |
| AP |
Braden Jay |
Harding |
Second Team
Offense
| QB |
Gavin Sukup |
Indianapolis |
| RB |
JayJay Jordan |
Slippery Rock |
| RB |
Dawson Forgy |
Wayne State |
| WR |
Gage Florence |
MSU-Moorhead |
| WR |
Hogan Wasson |
Central Missouri |
| TE |
Cam Woods |
Northeastern State |
| OL |
Jake Mitchell |
Harding |
| OL |
Avery Swinton |
Catawba |
| OL |
Jamari Mason |
Johnson C. Smith |
| OL |
Kaleb McCullough |
Northwest Missouri |
| OL |
Montriel Lee |
Central Oklahoma |
Defense
| DL |
Tyler King |
Central Washington |
| DL |
Ricky Freymond |
Western Colorado |
| DL |
Owen Seaver |
Angelo State |
| DL |
Ian Rhea |
Emory & Henry |
| LB |
Carter Edwards |
Northwest Missouri |
| LB |
Landon Boss |
Emporia State |
| LB |
Logan O'Brien |
Chadron State |
| DB |
Parker Knutson |
Southwest Minnesota State |
| DB |
Cole Simpson |
Northwood |
| DB |
Shawn Collins |
Emory & Henry |
| DB |
Everette Dingle |
East Stroudsburg |
Special Teams
| K |
Elijah Guyton |
West Alabama |
| P |
Lucas LeSierur |
Colorado School of Mines |
| AP |
Ramon McKinney Jr. |
Northeastern State |
Emporia State D2Football.com All-Americans
2025 Landon Boss 2nd Team LB
2024
Tyler Kahmann 1st Team WR
2017 Justin Marcha 2nd Team P
2015 Brent Wilson 2nd Team QB
2012 Adam Schiltz 1st Team TE
2002 Dontaye McCoy 1st Team SS
