McLean County Times

NORMAL, Ill. – A quartet of Illinois State football standouts were named preseason All-Americans by Phil Steele on Friday. Amir Abdullah, Hunter Zambrano, Daniel Sobkowicz, and Mason King were each selected to the annual list by one of football's most respected publishers.

All four athletes were previously named Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC) preseason First-Team All-League selections. Additionally, King and Abdullah garnered preseason All-America honors from Stats Perform. Steele designated Abdullah, Zambrano, and Sobkowicz as preseason All-America First-Team selections, while King was named a Fourth-Team pick.

In his first season with the Redbirds following a transfer from Nebraska-Kearney, Abdullah earned Third-Team All-America honors from Stats Perform, FCS Football Central, and the Associated Press last season. He was also selected as a Second-Team All-American by Phil Steele. The Chicago native finished ninth in the voting for the Buck Buchanan Award presented by Stats Perform, which honors the national defensive player of the year in FCS football. Abdullah was voted an All-MVFC First-Team and All-Newcomer Team pick at linebacker in 2023 after ranking No. 6 in the FCS in sacks per game (0.86) and No. 26 in tackles for loss per game (1.3).

Zambrano was a 2023 All-MVFC Second-Team selection after starting all 11 games at left tackle for the Redbirds and grading out as the team's top offensive lineman at over 90 percent. The Weston, Florida native was a key member of an offensive line unit that allowed the fewest sacks in the MVFC with just seven on the year, ranking them in the top five nationally. A two-time MVFC Offensive Lineman of the Week selection, Zambrano helped the Redbirds rank third in total offense with 433.5 yards per contest and third in scoring.

Sobkowicz earned All-MVFC Second-Team honors in 2023 after ranking in the top 20 nationally in touchdowns (10), receiving yards (933), yards per game (84.8), and receptions per game (6.2). The Arlington Heights native led the MVFC with 10 touchdown receptions and ranked third in yards and yards per game. He recorded four performances with over 90 receiving yards and scored a touchdown in seven consecutive games, including a career day against Youngstown State with 11 catches for 170 yards and three touchdowns.

King was selected as the 2023 MVFC Newcomer of the Year and earned All-MVFC First-Team honors at running back during his first season with Illinois State after transferring from Northern Illinois. An MVFC All-Newcomer Team pick, King played in ten games leading his team with 983 rushing yards, 14 rushing touchdowns, and 84 points scored. His performance included leading the MVFC with both his touchdowns total and average rushing yards per game (98.3), while averaging 6.6 yards per carry which ranked him among FCS's top ten.

GoRedbirds.com and the Illinois State Redbirds App remain sources for Illinois State tickets, Weisbecker Athletic Fund gifts, multimedia content, Redbird merchandise, photos, and more.