Denison University

Awards:

• 6x All-NCAC Honoree
  • 2024 First Team All-NCAC (return specialist)
  • 2024 Second Team All-NCAC (defensive back)
  • 2023 First-Team All-NCAC (defensive back)
  • 2023 Second-Team All-NCAC (return specialist)
  • 2022 First-Team All-NCAC (return specialist)
  • 2021 Honorable Mention All-NCAC (return specialist)
• 2024 D3football.com First Team All-Region (return specialist)
• 2022 D3football.com Second-Team All-Region (return specialist)
• 2023 D3football.com Team of the Week (Corner Back - Sept. 12)

• Started all 10 games at cornerback for the third straight season
• Recorded 27 tackles, 20 solo and seven assisted, and had a Denison leading and NCAC fourth best 10 pass breakups
• Also had two and a half tackles for loss
• Returned 15 kicks for 464 yards for an average of 30.9 yards and two touchdowns
• Had back-to-back games with kickoff return touchdowns (Wooster, DePauw)
• He was first in the NCAC in kickoff return yards, kickoff return average yards, and touchdowns. He ranked fourth nationally in kickoff return average and tied third in kickoff return touchdowns
• Was the only player in the conference with multiple kickoff return touchdowns
• Returned 12 punts for 168 yards for an average of 14 yards
• Led the NCAC in punt return yards and average, and was ninth nationally in average yards
• Named First Team All-NCAC as a return specialist and Second Team as a defensive back
• Named D3football.com First Team All-Region return specialist

• 2023-24 NCAA Division III Statistical Champion for passes defended per game (1.7)
• Started in all 10 games at corner back for the second season in a row and recorded a career-high 15 pass breakups and two interceptions to go along with 15 total tackles and 10 solo tackles
• Had at least one pass breakup in all but two games this season and was ranked first in the NCAC and tied for second nationally in passes defended (1.70 per game)
• In Denison's game at Oberlin College (Sept. 16), Epps came up with an interception on the opening drive of the game and returned it 86 yards for a touchdown to start the scoring in what was ultimately a 70-0 win for the Big Red
• Returned 17 kickoffs for 411 yards, including a long return of 51 yards against the College of Wooster (Oct. 21), and averaged 24.2 yards per return and 41.1 return yards per game
• Returned 15 punts for 140 yards and averaged 9.3 yards per return and 14.0 yards per game
• Ranked third in the NCAC in both total kick return yards and in total punt return yards
• In all of NCAA Division III, Epps was 38th in yards per punt return, 42nd in yards per kick return, and 48th in combined kick return yards (551)
• In Denison's narrow 29-26 Senior Day win over Ohio Wesleyan University (Nov. 11), Epps put two points on the board after a blocked extra point kick and recovery by the Big Red led to a lateral handoff at midfield to Epps, who took it the rest of the way to the endzone
• Earned his first all-conference recognition (first-team) as a defensive back
• Also recorded his third-career All-NCAC recognition (second-team) as a return specialist after earning first-team honors last season and being named honorable mention as a freshman in in 2021
• Named to the D3football.com Team of the Week (Sept. 12) - recorded three tackles and four pass breakups in a 28-14 loss to No. 7 Linfield University on Saturday in Denison's home opener

• Started all 10 games as a corner back and a return specialist
• Recorded 23 tackles, one interception and six pass breakups
• Returned 14 punts for 319 yards and had 16 kickoff returns for 416 yards
• Had four punt returns for a career-high 181 yards and two touchdowns against Oberlin (Sept. 17)
• Set a new career-high with 167 kickoff return yards on six attempts during Denison's season opener against Capital (Sept. 3)
• Ranked first in NCAA Division III punt return average (22.8)
• Ranked sixth in the country in total punt return yards, ninth in combined kick return yards (735), and tied for 26th in kickoff return average (26.0)
• One of seven players in NCAA Division III with two or more punt returned for a touchdown
• In the NCAC, he was the only player with a punt returned for a touchdown and was first in the league in both punt return yards and kickoff return yards
• Named First-Team All-NCAC as a return specialist (second-career all-conference recognition)
• Named D3football.com Second-Team All-Region 4 as a return specialist

2021 (First-Year):

• Played in all 10 games as a defensive back and a return specialist as a rookie
• Had five tackles, one interception and two pass breakups
• Returned 18 kickoffs for 405 yards (22.50 yards per return) and a touchdown
• Had three punt returns for 65 yards (21.67 yards per return)
• Led the team in both kickoff and punt return yards
• Recorded his first-career interception during Denison's 59-12 win at Oberlin (Sept. 18)
• Returned the opening kickoff of the second half 93 yards for his first-career touchdown against No. 18 Wabash (Oct. 2)
• Blocked a 31-yard field goal attempt during Denison's 59-6 win at Hiram (Nov. 11)
• Ranked third in the NCAC in kickoff return yards and average yards per return, and was fourth in punt return yards
• Named Honorable Mention All-NCAC as a return specialist

Personal:

• Health, exercise, and sport studies (HESS) major
• Son of Rosa Epps and Oscar Pounds
• Is also a member of the Big Red men's track & field team