Don Hansen All-America Team (PDF)

BROOKFIELD, Ill. – Slippery Rock University landed three football players on the 2025 Dan Hansen Division II All-America team that was announced this week with Joe Cooper and JayJay Jordan being named to first team honors and Kanye Thompson earning honorable mention recognition.
 
The Don Hansen All-America team celebrates the legacy of longtime small college football advocate Don Hansen, who passed away in 2010 after publishing Don Hansen's National Weekly Football Gazette for three decades. The Don Hansen All-America teams have been awarded since 1988.
 
Jordan was named to the first team at the all-purpose position while Cooper was named to the first team as an offensive lineman and Thompson was named the honorable mention as a defensive back.  
 
Cooper has now been named to all four All-America teams that were announced this week with first team selections to the Associated Press and American Football Coaches Association teams and a second team nod on the Division II Conference Commissioner's Association team. Jordan picks up a third All-America honor this week after previously being named to first team honors by the AP and second team honors by the AFCA. Thompson picks up his first All-America recognition.
 
A brief look at the season accomplishments for all three SRU honorees can be found below.
 
JOE COOPER
• Associated Press First Team All-American
• AFCA First Team All-American
• Don Hansen First Team American
• D2CCA Second Team All-American
 
Cooper was named to all four of the All-America teams announced this week with first team plaudits on the AP, AFCA and Don Hansen teams and a second team selection on the D2CCA team. He picked up his second straight All-America awards from both the AP and D2CCA after also previously earning his third straight All-PSAC honor and his second straight All-Region award earlier this fall. Cooper started every game this season at left tackle. A pro prospect that received visits from dozens of NFL scouts this year, Cooper protected the left side on an offensive line unit that allowed just 10 total sacks all year with a freshman quarterback. SRU ranked No. 1 in the PSAC West and No. 16 among all teams in Division II in the fewest sacks allowed in 2025. The Rock ran for 217.8 yards per game and put up 418.1 total yards of offense and 32.7 points per game. Cooper appeared in 43 games over his SRU career and started the last 38 straight games, missing zero starts in 2023, 2024 or 2025, despite playing through injuries. One of the highlights of Cooper's career came on Senior Day this fall, when he scored a one-yard rushing TD in a win over Clarion on the only carry of his career. Cooper was also named as one of the eight national finalists for the 2025 Gene Upshaw Division II Lineman of the Year award and finished fourth in the national voting for that honor.
 
JAYJAY JORDAN
• Associated Press First Team All-American (all-purpose)
• Don Hansen First Team All-American (all-purpose)
• AFCA Second Team All-American (running back)
 
Jordan picked up a trio of All-America honors this week with first team selections as an all-purpose player on the AP and Don Hansen teams and was named as a second team running back on the AFCA team, becoming one of just four running backs nationwide to earn the AFCA All-America honor. Those awards came after Jordan was previously named to first team All-Region honors and was named the PSAC West Offensive Athlete of the Year. He became the first SRU back since 2018 to rush for more than 1,000 yards in a season with 1,375 yards in just 10 games. His 8.09 yards per carry were the highest in Super Region One and rank second nationally and his 137.5 yards per game led the PSAC and ranked No. 4 among all players in Division II. His 185.8 all-purpose yards per game ranked second in the country and third in SRU single-season history. Jordan ran for more than 100 yards in seven different games, topped 150 rushing yards in five games, had at least 180 all-purpose yards in six different games and topped 250 all-purpose yards three times this fall. Among his season highlights was a 323 all-purpose yard effort against California (Pa.), which was the most yards recorded by a single player against any NCAA Playoff team in 2025.
 
KANYE THOMPSON
• Don Hansen Honorable Mention All-American
 
Thompson picks up his first career All-America honor in football after previously earning first team All-Region and first team All-PSAC honors. He finished the year third on the SRU roster in tackles with 60 stops. He also had 5.5 tackles for loss and 3.0 sacks to go along with team-highs of 10 pass breakups and four forced fumbles. His four forced fumbles ranked tied for second among all players in Division II this fall. An All-American on the track in the 100-meter dash, Thompson is a now a two-sport All-America honoree.
 
 


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