TRAFFORD, Pa. (Aug. 13) -- Thiel College Football players Mekhi Carroll (East Syracuse, N.Y./East Syracuse-Minoa Central), Mahkye Cortes (Lebanon, Pa./Lebanon), Na'Jier Howard (Struthers, Ohio/East), Drevon Newton (Pittsburgh, Pa./Nazareth Prep) and Dwayne Simpkins (Hopewell, Va./Prince George) were named Players to Watch for the upcoming 2026 season by the Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) Thursday afternoon.

Carroll, a senior, appeared in all 10 games last season for the Cats on the defensive line. He was tied for third on the team with two sacks and recorded four tackles for loss. Carroll logged 13 tackles, including eight solo stops, to go with one forced fumble and blocked kick each.

A junior, Cortes made nine appearances last season and seven as a freshman. He served as a key cog on the Cats' offensive line last season as Deon Logan (Richmond, Va./James River) set the Thiel record for longest rush with an 85-yard touchdown against Waynesburg on Sept. 27.

Howard, a sophomore, was Thiel's week 1 quarterback in 2025. He made three starts under center and appeared in six contests. Howard completed 34-of-83 passes for 220 yards while rushing for 16 yards. He also made the PAC Academic Honor Roll.

A junior, Netwon figures to serve as a key veteran leader for Thiel in 2026. He appeared in nine games last season and made six catches for 25 yards. He logged  three grabs for 20 yards against Case Western Reserve on Oct. 25. Newton made six appearances as a freshman in 2024.

Simpkins, a junior, looks to make an impact this season after missing the majority of 2025 with an injury. He appeared in four games on the year and totaled 11 tackles (four solo). Simpkins dominated at Westminster on Oct. 18 with nine tackles (three solo) and 2.5 tackles for loss with 0.5 sacks.

Thiel opens the 2026 campaign Sept. 5 with a 4 p.m. kickoff at Alfred State. The Tomcats will host Adrian on Sept. 12 at 1 p.m. in week 2.