BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The postseason honors and awards continue to roll in for Samford sophomore safety Chris Edmonds. The Columbus, Ga., native was named to HERO Sports' Sophomore All-America team Wednesday morning.
 
This marks the fourth national honor Edmonds has received since the 2021 spring season ended. He earned first team All-America honors from STATS Perform and the Associated Press last week. On Monday, Athlon Sports named Edmonds to its All-America team.
 
In addition to the All-America honors, Edmonds was named a finalist for the Buck Buchanan Award, which goes to the top defensive player in all of FCS football. Edmonds was also named first team All-SoCon. During the season, he was named the SoCon Defensive Player of the Week twice (Mar. 8 and Mar. 15), and he was tabbed as the league's Defensive Player of the Month for March.
 
Edmonds led the Southern Conference and tied for second in the nation in total interceptions with four. He also led the league and ranked 13^th in the nation in interceptions per game, averaging 0.6 picks per contest. Edmonds ranked third on the team in total tackles with 40, including 24 solo stops. He also had 2.5 tackles for loss, and he had one pass break-up for the season. Edmonds tallied one forced fumble and one fumble recovery as well.
 
He was involved in forcing six turnovers in Samford's first four games of the seven-game spring season. Edmonds forced a fumble and recovered it at ETSU. He then had an interception against Western Carolina, two interceptions at Furman, and an interception and a forced fumble against Wofford.
 
Samford finished the spring season with a record of 4-3, wrapping up the season with an impressive 44-20 win over No. 23 Mercer April 17.
 
HERO SPORTS SOPHOMORE ALL-AMERICA TEAM
Offense
QB Justin Miller, Southern Utah
QB John Bachus III, UT Martin
QB Jeff Undercuffler, Albany
RB Juwon Farri, Monmouth 
RB Otis Weah, North Dakota
RB Geno Hess, Southeast Missouri
RB Javon Williams Jr., Southern Illinois
FB Hunter Luepke, North Dakota State
OL Garret Greenfield, South Dakota State
OL Mason McCormick, South Dakota State
OL Bucky Williams, Austin Peay
OL Tylan Grable, Jacksonville State
OL Noah Atagi, Weber State
OL Isaiah Helms, Western Carolina
OL Prince Pines, Sam Houston
WR Tyler Hudson, Central Arkansas
WR Hayden Hatten, Idaho
WR Abdul-Fatai Ibrahim, Alabama A&M
WR Xavier Gipson, Stephen F. Austin
WR Jaxon Janke, South Dakota State
TE Derek Kline, San Diego
TE McCallan Castles, UC Davis
 
Defense
DL Jevon Leon, Sam Houston
DL Davoan Hawkins, Tennessee State
DL Micheal Mason, Wofford
DL Logan Jessup, Central Arkansas
DL Damon Washington, Lafayette
LB Stone Snyder, VMI
LB Tristan Wheeler, Richmond
LB Jason Johnson, Eastern Illinois
LB Jacob Dobbs, Holy Cross
LB Donovan Manuel, ETSU
DB Chris Edmonds, Samford
DB Nicario Harper, Jacksonville State
DB Eddie Heckard, Weber State
DB Cody Cline, Charleston Southern
DB Noah Plack, Delaware
DB Lance Wise, Mercer
DB Montrae Braswell, Missouri State
DB Marcis Floyd, Murray State
 
Special Teams
P Timmy Bleekrode, Furman
K Matthew Cook, Northern Iowa
LS Robert Soderholm, VMI
PR Devron Harper, Gardner-Webb 
KR Cameron Myers, Central Arkansas
 
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