Football | 8/5/2026 8:55:00 AM

August 3, 2026-Emporia State has a preseason All-American set to anchor the defensive backfield this season.

Tyler Schultze was named a preseason All-American this year by the CFBNetwork after earning Second-Team All-MIAA honors at defensive back last season. He had 65 total tackles and 3.5 tackles for loss. The senior from DeSoto, Kan. had one interception and 14 pass breakups, giving him 15 passes defended on the season to lead the MIAA and tie for nation in the nation. He has 25 career pass break ups and needs just five to set the Emporia State career record of 30 set by Luke Waller from 2001-04.
 
Clem McCullough is in his third season with the Hornets and is a team captain. The Elgin, Illinois native was the fourth leading tackler for Emporia State last year, finishing with 47 total tackles. He also had two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and two interceptions.
 
Aidan Hicks is in his third year at Emporia State.  The Burleson, Texas native played in ten games last season and finished with 41 tackles, three tackles for loss, one interception and one pass breakup.
 
Carson Sippel is in his second year at Emporia State after transferring from Winona State. He played in six games for the Hornets last year and the Sherwood, Wisconsin native had multiple tackles in the first five games of the season with three pass breakups.
 
Kaliel Boyd is in his second season with the Hornets after transferring from Southwest Baptist.  The St. Louis, Mo. native played in seven games last year and finished the season with nine tackles and an interception that he returned for 29 yards against Washburn.
 
Jordyn Harris is in his third season at Emporia State. A graduate of Heritage Hall HS in Oklahoma City, he had 23 tackles, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and four pass breakups in ten games last season.
 
DEFENSIVE BACK NOTES:
There are three seniors, four juniors, four sophomores, six redshirt freshmen and two true freshman listed among the 19 defensive backs.
12 of the 19 defensive backs came here as freshmen and 14 are in at least their second year with the Hornets.
Five of the defensive backs are from Kansas, four are from Oklahoma, three are from Missouri, three are from Texas, and one each is from Georgia, Illinois, Virginia and Wisconsin.

DEFENSIVE BACKS

0	Clem McCullough	DB	5-9	181	R-Sr.	Elgin, IL	Elgin HS	Iowa Western CC
3	Callen Barta	DB	6-1	186	R-So.	Topeka, KS	Seaman HS	Kansas State
7	Aidan Hicks	DB	6-0	208	R-So.	Burleson, TX	Burleson Centennial HS
14	Carson Sippel	DB	6-1	179	R-Sr.	Sherwood, WI	Kaukauna HS	Winona State
21	Tyler Schultze	DB	6-0	208	R-Sr.	DeSoto, KS	DeSoto HS
24	Elias Jones	DB	6-3	193	Jr.	Columbus, GA	Pacelli HS	Coffeyville CC/Tuskegee
26	Nate Benford	DB	6-0	192	R-Fr.	Guthrie, OK	Guthrie HS
27	Jordyn Harris	DB	6-1	179	R-So.	Oklahoma City, OK	Heritage Hall HS
29	Kaliel Boyd	DB	5-10	195	R-Jr.	St. Louis, MO	St. Mary's HS	Southwest Baptist
35	Jackson Chapman	DB	6-2	188	R-Fr.	Wylie, TX	Sachse HS
36	Cooper Novacek	DB	5-9	182	R-Jr.	Olathe, KS	Olathe West HS
37	Christopher Johnson II	DB	6-0	170	R-Fr.	Chesapeake, VA	Oscar Smith HS
38	Dominique Herrig-Brittian	DB	5-8	200	R-Jr.	Lansing, KS	Piper HS	Highland CC
39	Blayd Harris	DB	6-0	178	R-Fr.	Marlow, OK	Marlow HS
40	Melik Reed	DB	6-1	193	R-So.	St. Joseph, Mo	Lafayette HS	Iowa Western CC/Highland CC
41	Landon Blair	DB	5-10	174	R-Fr.	Arlington, TX	Mansfield Timberview HS
48	Joseph DeGraffenreid	DB	6-1	194	R-Fr.	Webb City, MO	Webb City HS
	Jordan Clark	DB	5-11	175	Fr.	McAlester, OK	McAlester HS
	Ty Willits	DB	6-2	188	Fr.	Maize, KS	Maize HS

This is the second part of an eight-part series of position previews for the Emporia State football team. Yesterday the linebackers were featured and tomorrow the defensive line will be at the podium.
Tyler Schultze, Clem McCullough, and Aidan Hicks along with defensive coordinator/defensive backs coach Jace McDown and head coach Garin Higgins will be available after practice on Wednesday, August 5 in the interview tent.