Four Texans selected to Texas Football’s Small College All-Texas Team

Four Tarleton State Texans have been selected to Dave Campbell’s Texas Football magazine’s Small College All-Texas Team for 2018 that was released Wednesday.

Record-setting running back Xavier Turner, offensive lineman Deon Sheppard, defensive back Devin Hafford and punter Ron Reid helped Tarleton to an undefeated regular season and a 12-1 overall record that ended in the third round of the NCAA D2 playoffs.

Check out what Texas Football’s Cory Hogue had to say about Tarleton honorees. TheFlashToday.com photos by Russell Huffman and Dr. Chet Martin.

**Xavier Turner set a Tarleton single-season record with 22 touchdowns on the season**

RB: Xavier Turner, Tarleton State

Turner’s season started slow as he gained 141 yards in the team’s first four games. Turner then began his record-setting run as he reeled off seven straight games with over 100 yards rushing, including five games with over 150 yards rushing and two games with over 200 yards rushing. Turner finished with 1,469 rushing yards and a school-record 22 touchdowns on the season.

**Deon Sheppard #72 was the anchor of the Texan offensive line in 2018**

OL: Deon Sheppard, Tarleton State

Sheppard earned first team D2CCA All-American honors this year after anchoring the Texans offensive line from the left tackle position. Sheppard was key in leading an offensive line that only allowed 18 sacks this season, while averaging 45 points per game and 516 total yards per game.

Devin Hafford packs a wallop while also being a ball hawk.

DB: Devin Hafford, Tarleton State

A finalist for the Cliff Harris Award for the best small college defensive player in the nation, Hafford had an incredible junior season for the Texans defense as he recorded 34 tackles, four interceptions, and 18 passes defended this season. Hafford also earned second team D2CCA All-American and second team AP All-American honors this year.

Selected as a punter Ron Reid was also a kickoff specialist.

P: Ron Reid, Tarleton State

The senior punter from Burleson had 11 punts this year that went over 50 yards, including a school record 84-yard punt in the first round of the NCAA playoffs. Reid averaged 42.1 yards per punt this year and had 17 punts downed inside the 20-yard line. Reid only had five punts that ended in a touchback. Reid was also the kickoff specialist for the Texans as he had touchbacks on 26-of-58 kickoffs.

Readers can checkout the entire team at the link below.

https://www.texasfootball.com/article/2019/01/02/small-college-all-texas-team-markeith-miller-markus-jones-lead-standout-group-of-playmakers?ref=home_feature_article