NORMAL, Ill. – As the thrilling Illinois State postseason playoff run continues, some national postseason awards are starting to roll in as five Redbird standouts were selected for the fourth-annual FCS Football Central All-American Team on Monday. FCS Football Central on SI selects the annual team, which features 127 players representing 59 schools across all 13 conferences in 2025.
Illinois State middle linebacker Tye Niekamp and offensive tackle Jake Pope were First-Team selections, wide receiver Daniel Sobkowicz and defensive back Shadwel Nkuba II were Second-Team selections, and offensive guard Landon Woodard was a Third-Team pick.
Niekamp was named 2025 Missouri Valley Football Conference Defensive Player of the Year and was an All-MVFC First-Team selection, as he would also finish in the Top-10 of the Buck Buchanan Award voting. The now two-time All-American led the Redbirds and ranked third in the MVFC in tackles with 126 (63 solo) during the regular season and ranked second in the league in tackles-for-loss with 12.0. A three-time MVFC Defensive Player of the Week selection in 2025, Niekamp was also credited with one sack, six pass breakups, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, four quarterback hurries and a safety prior to the playoff run. He had seven double-digit tackling efforts, including five games with 13 or more, and finished the year with back-to-back 16 tackle efforts against South Dakota State and Southern Illinois.
Pope earned All-MVFC First-Team honors after he started every game on the offensive line for the Redbirds, splitting time between right and left tackle. He was key member of the offensive line unit that helped the Redbirds rush for 164.5 yards per game on the ground and score 32.7 points per game, which ranked in the top 30 in the FCS during the regular season. A two-time MVFC Offensive Lineman of the Week selection, Pope and the Redbirds also ranked fifth in the league in total offense at 374.8 yards per game and finished in the top 15 in the country in fewest sacks allowed.
An All-MVFC First-Team selection at wide receiver, Sobkowicz led ISU in receptions (49), yards (686) and receiving touchdowns (11) during the regular season, with his 11 touchdowns tied for first in the MVFC and No. 4 in the FCS. He averaged 14.0 yards per reception and had a pair of 100-plus yard receiving performances, including a season-best 162 yards in a win at Murray State, and caught multiple touchdowns in three contests, with a career-best three in a win at South Dakota State. During ISU's playoff run, Sobkowicz has recorded over 200 yards receiving and has caught five touchdown pass in the past two game.
Nkuba made an immediate impact for the Redbirds in his first season, earning All-MVFC First-Team honors and MVFC All-Newcomer Team plaudits. The transfer from Louisiana started in all 12 games at cornerback for the Redbirds and led the Valley and the team in interceptions with four during the regular season. He ranked third on the team with 67 tackles, including 40 solo stops, and was also credited with a sack, 2.5 tackles-for-loss and five pass breakups. Nkuba recorded an interception in four-straight games to start the year and picked up his fifth of the year in the first-round playoff win at Southeastern Louisiana.
Woodard, a 2025 All-MVFC Second-Team selection at guard, played alongside Pope for most of the year to form one of the best guard-tackle tandems in FCS football. Woodard was a key member of the offensive line unit that helped the Redbirds rush for 164.5 yards per game on the ground and score 32.7 points per game, which ranked in the top 30 in the FCS during the regular season. Woodard and the Redbirds also ranked fifth in the league in total offense at 374.8 yards per game and finished in the top 15 in the country in fewest sacks allowed prior to the postseason.
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