BLUFFTON, Ohio - While the 2020-21 awards are still being handed out, sophomore-to-be Montez Archer Jr. is already seeing the fruits of his first season at Bluffton as the D3football.com All-America cornerback has been named a 2021 pre-season First Team All-America selection by the Lindy's Sports College Football Preview publication.

Archer Jr., who was recently honored as the Heartland Conference 2020-21 Male Athlete of the Year, had an outstanding first-year campaign on the gridiron for the Beavers. His efforts earned the titles of Spring 2021 Football HCAC Defensive Player of the Year, Spring 2021 Football HCAC Special Teams Player of the Year and Spring 2021 Football HCAC Newcomer of the Year, the first time a student athlete has claimed multiple major awards in Heartland football history!

The talented freshman kicked off 2021 with an impressive two-game stretch, picking off six passes in a span of eight days as the Beavers took down Manchester and Anderson to open Heartland Conference play. He was named to the D3football.com Team of the Week twice, while earning HCAC Player of the Week three consecutive weeks.

Archer's seven interceptions leads all of NCAA Division III for pickoffs. He is also tops in the country with 531 kickoff return yards and 234 punt return yards. His 21.3 yards per punt return is currently third in the nation. The sensational first-year moved into second place on the single-season interceptions list with the seven pickoffs and his 65 fumble return yards is already second on the career list at Bluffton.

The Detroit native led the Beavers and was second in the Heartland Conference with 54 total tackles, including 40 solo stops. He also broke up seven passes in addition to the seven interceptions and he chipped in with two TFL's. The (D3FB) Huddle named Archer Jr. its 'Rookie of the Season'.

Bluffton is slated to kick off its 2021 fall season with a trip to Alma College on Saturday, Sept. 4, before welcoming St. Vincent College for the home opener on September 11.

-BEAVERS-