POUGHKEEPSIE, New York – Six Marist football players who completed their collegiate careers this fall are playing in All-Star Games as they have gained the attention of scouts and look to play at the professional level:
Willie Barrett,
Wesley Beans,
Juston Christian,
Brandon Miller,
Enmanuel Soriano, and
Eric Taylor.
Here is a closer look at the bowl games the Red Foxes were selected to:
Wesley Beans got the Red Foxes' participation in bowl games started on Saturday, Dec. 8 when he played in the FCS National Bowl in Daytona Beach, Florida. Beans suited up for the National Team, and registered three solo tackles in the contest.
In his Marist career, Beans was a three-year starter at free safety and a two-year captain. He finished his collegiate career with 223 tackles, seven interceptions, 13 pass break-ups, four forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries. He was a Second Team All-PFL selection in 2016, and was named Honorable Mention All-PFL each of the last two years.
Three of the Red Foxes' defensive standouts from this past season –
Willie Barrett,
Enmanuel Soriano, and
Eric Taylor – will play in the FCS Senior Scout Bowl in Myrtle Beach, SC on Saturday, Dec. 15 at 4 p.m.
A linebacker, Barrett was a First Team All-PFL selection each of the last two years, and a Second Team All-League selection in 2016. This season, he served as team captain and was named to the Preseason Watch List for the Buck Buchanan Award. Barrett finished his collegiate career with Had career totals of 204 tackles, 21 tackles for loss, eight sacks, four forced fumbles, three interceptions, and three fumble recoveries.
Soriano led the Red Foxes in tackles (75), tackles for loss (eight), and sacks (four-and-a-half) from the defensive end position this season. He finished the season with a flurry, as he had a sack in each of the Red Foxes' final four games. Soriano also had four games with 10 tackles this season. He was a Second Team All-PFL selection.
Taylor was a three-year starter at defensive end for the Red Foxes. In 2018, he set career highs for tackles (45) and sacks (three) while tying his career high in tackles for loss with four-and-a-half. Taylor was an Honorable Mention All-PFL selection this season.
Juston Christian will suit up in the Gridiron Showcase in Fort Worth, Texas in January. The Gridiron Showcase will take place from Jan. 5-9, 2019, and will include OTA-style tryouts and drills and an education symposium in addition to the game itself.
Christian holds the program's career records for receiving yards (4,069) and receiving touchdowns (34), and set the program's single-game record for receiving yards (274, at Columbia) and single-season record for receiving touchdowns (15). He was named First Team All-PFL for the third straight year, and had been named Second Team All-PFL as a freshman. He currently ranks in the top 10 of the FCS in five statistical categories.
Brandon Miller will represent the Red Foxes in the Dream Bowl, which will take place in Salem, Virginia. The game will take place on Monday, Jan. 21, with a combine taking place three days earlier.
Miller led the Red Foxes with with four interceptions this season, all of which came in the fourth quarter of Marist victories. He had two against Valparaiso on Nov. 3. He also contributed 51 tackles, four pass break-ups, and three-and-a-half tackles for loss in 2018 as he was named First Team All-PFL. He was named Honorable Mention All-PFL last year.
