Josey named D2football.com's National Defensive Player of the Week

Tyler Josey

VALDOSTA — Following his dominating performance last Thursday, Valdosta State defensive end Tyler Josey was named the D2football.com National Defensive Player of the Week.

Josey recorded a team-high four sacks, four tackles for loss and forced three fumbles in the Blazers' 38-31 win over Texas A&M-Kingsville last week, helping the VSU close out the regular season with an 8-2 record.

No play Josey made all night had a larger impact than the one he made in the closing minutes of the fourth quarter when he sacked Kingsville quarterback Bryan Ehrlich, forcing the ball loose and into the arms of linebacker Chris Pope.

The turnover set up the Blazers' game-winning touchdown run by freshman running back Cedric O'Neal.

Josey is the first VSU football player to earn national honors this season. Josey was also named the Gulf South Conference Player of the Week on Monday, joining teammates Cayden Cochran (Offensive) and Daniel Andersen (Special Teams) as the conference's honorees this week.

Ranked No. 1 in the latest Division II Super Region 2 rankings, the Blazers are idle this week and will learn who and when they will face in the Division II playoffs on Sunday evening when the complete playoff field is announced on NCAA.com.

— Follow me on Twitter at @Ed_Hooper.