LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas – The Little Rock Touchdown Club and Wright Lindsey Jennings announced the finalists for the 8th annual Cliff Harris Award. The award is presented to the nation's top small college defensive player representing more than 5,000 defensive players from almost 500 NCAA Division II, Division III and NAIA colleges and universities.

Northwest Missouri State University senior defensive lineman Sam Roberts is one of 79 national finalists for the 2021 Cliff Harris Award. Roberts (Waynesville, Mo. / Waynesville HS) is one of 32 Division II members up for the award.

Roberts was selected as the D2CCA Super Region 3 and MIAA defensive player of the year. Roberts captured first-team All-America honors from the D2CCA and AFCA. He was a second-team AP All-America performer. Roberts was a first-team All-MIAA selection in 2021. Roberts led a dominant Bearcat defense and recorded 18 tackles-for-loss and 6.5 sacks in 13 games this season. His 18 tackles-for-loss tied for the eighth-best single-season mark in Bearcat history. Roberts had at least a half-tackle for loss in 12 different games. He has helped guide Northwest Missouri State to a No. 2 national ranking in scoring defense (12.1 points allowed per game) and No. 4 in the country in total defense (223.6 yards allowed per game).

An overall winner will be announced on December 28th and honored at the Little Rock Touchdown Club's annual awards banquet on January 14, 2022 with featured speaker Joe Theismann. The winner will receive the $3,000 Cliff Harris Award trophy presented by Cliff Harris. In addition to the overall winner, the top vote-getters from each division will also be announced.

For the story of Cliff Harris, go to CliffHarrisAward.com and read about his amazing journey from an overlooked high school player from tiny Des Arc, Arkansas, and one scholarship offer to then NAIA Ouachita Baptist University, to five Super Bowls, six Pro Bowls with the Dallas Cowboys, and was inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame this past summer.
 

Division II

Player	Classification	School
D'Anthony Bell	SR	University of West Florida
Ty'Shonan Brooks	SR	Minnesota State-Mankato
Nate Chambers	SO	Hillsdale College
Charles Crawford	SR	Clark Atlanta University
Cedie Dashiel II	SR	Bentley University
Carter Duxbury	JR	Winona State University
Khyon Fitzpatrick	JR	University of New Haven
Donte Hamilton	SR	Central Washington
Tobias Harris	JR	West Texas A&M
Carl Igweh	SR	Frostburg State
Keyshawn James	SR	Fayetteville State
Kader Kohou	SR	Texas A&M University - Commerce
Hunter Kyle	SR	Angelo State
Guam Lee	SR	Notre Dame College
Will Lydle	SR	Western Colorado University
Jermal Martin Jr.	JR	California (Pa.) University
Deshawn McCarthy	JR	East Stroudsburg University
Cole McCubrey	SR	Bentley University
Damar'ren Mitchell	SR	Colorado Mesa University
Caleb Murphy	SO	Ferris State University
Chance Olson	SR	Northern State University
Stephan Pierre	JR	Albany State University
Joshua Pryor	JR	Bowie State University
Sam Roberts	SR	Northwest Missouri State
Drew Seers	SR	Lindenwood University
Coleton Smith	SR	Southwest Baptist University
Logan Swanson	SR	Augustana University
Chris Terrell	SR	West Alabama
Marvin Terry	SR	Delta State
Kishawn Walker	SR	Kentucky Wesleyan
Joey Wehrkamp	SR	University of Sioux Falls
Joshua Williams	SR	Fayetteville State

Division III

Player	Classification	School
Mitch Arendsen	SR	Albion College
Mackenzie Balanganayi	SR	Wisconsin-Whitewater
Malik Britt	SR	University of Mount Union
Carlton Brown	SO	Belhaven University
Ben Burgan	SR	Shenandoah University
Sean Carroll	JR	Salisbury University
Ryan Daines	SO	Wisconsin-La Crosse
Nate Farm	FR	Bethel University
Emmett Forde	SR	Hobart College
Jefferson Fritz	SR	University of Mary Hardin-Baylor
Tyler Geiman	JR	University of Dubuque
Josh Greenwood	SR	SUNY Brockport
Kendall Karcz	SR	St. Norbert College
Dillon Keefe	SR	Chapman University
Mason McMillen	JR	University of Mount Union
Dallas McRae	SR	Wheaton College
Drake Neuberger	SR	Marietta College
Joshua Onujiogu	SR	Framingham State University
Korbyn Personett	SR	Monmouth College
Jamir Prevard	JR	Delaware Valley University
Tay Pryor	SR	Marietta College
Chris Rice	SR	Castleton University
Timothy Russell	SR	Endicott College
Kyeon Taylor	SR	Kean University
Anthony Tedesco	SR	Delaware Valley University
Bradden Thimons	SR	Westminster College
Carson Walter	JR	Birmingham-Southern (Ala.)

Division NAIA

Player	Classification	School
Devin Adams	SO	Peru State University
Teon Burroughs	SR	Reinhardt University
Jace Capps	SR	Cumberland University
Robert Carter	SR	Lindsey Wilson College
Sage Chen-Young	JR	Keiser University
Jaylen Cowley	SR	Missouri Baptist University
Sage DeLong	SR	Eastern Oregon University
Jason Freeman	SO	Olivet Nazarene University
Jacob Garcia	SR	Ottawa University
Noah Guse	JR	Dakota State University
Gabriel Jacon-Duffy	FR	Point University
Jalen James	SR	Benedictine College
Justin Johnson	SR	Indiana Wesleyan University
Kole Murlin	JR	Siena Heights University
Lane Napier	SR	Concordia University
Marcus Omosule	SR	Georgetown College
Chase Van Wyck	SR	Eastern Oregon University
Noah Van't Hof	SR	Northwestern College
D.J. White	JR	Georgetown College
DaMarcus Wimbush	SR	Bluefield University