ST. LOUIS – A quartet of Illinois State offensive standouts were selected to the 2019 Missouri Valley Football Conference preseason offensive team Tuesday, as running back James Robinson and offensive tackle Drew Himmelman were named to first team while wide receiver Andrew Edgar and offensive guard Gabe Megginson were named honorable mention selection in the annual vote conducted by league coaches, media and sports information directors.
The preseason honors are racking up for Robinson and Himmelman, as HERO Sports FCS projected the duo as preseason All-Americans. Robinson was selected to the first team, while Himmelman earned a spot on the second team by HERO Sports.
Robinson was named a 2018 HERO Sports FCS All-America Second-Team selection and also earned second-team honors from STATS FCS. The Rockford, Illinois, native also earned third-team All-America honors from The Associated Press and was also a finalist for the 2018 STATS FCS Walter Payton Award, given to the outstanding offensive player in college football's Division I subdivision. Earning All-MVFC First-Team honors for the second-straight year, Robinson led the MVFC with 1,290 rushing yards and tied for second in the league with 12 rushing touchdowns during the regular season. He heads into his senior season ranked fifth in career rushing yards (2,545) and rushing touchdowns (26) at Illinois State.
Himmelman was honored as a HERO Sports FCS Sophomore All-American honor last season, after a stellar redshirt freshman campaign. The Geneseo, Illinois, native put together a strong sophomore campaign that saw him earn All-MVFC second-team honors. Himmelman started all 11 games at left tackle and was a critical part of the offensive line unit that made ISU the third-highest scoring offense in the conference. He was named the MVFC Offensive Lineman of the Week, after helping a pair of Redbird backs each rush for over 100 yards as the Redbirds tallied a season-best 409 yards on the ground in a victory over Southern Illinois on Oct. 13.
Edgar was named an FCS Freshman All-American by HERO Sports and Phil Steele following a breakout season in 2018. The MVFC All-Newcomer Team selection finished second in the voting for the 2018 MVFC Freshman of the Year award and set the school freshman receiving mark with 746 yards on 44 receptions. The Chicago, Illinois, native tied for second on the team with four touchdown receptions, ranked fifth in the MVFC with those 746 receiving yards to lead all league freshmen and was sixth in yards per game.
Megginson was also a MVFC All-Newcomer Team selection in 2018, after he started all 11 games at left guard in his first season for the Redbirds. The Jacksonville, Illinois, native helped lead the way for Robinson, who rushed for a league-leading 1,290 yards with 12 touchdowns. Megginson and Himmelman make up the left side of an experienced offensive line, that returns four starters from a year ago.
The MVFC will announce the preseason defense team on Wednesday.
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