Portland State can make a case for its defense as a pair of Portland State Vikings have been named Stats Perform FCS Preseason All-Americans. Senior cornerback Anthony Adams and senior defensive end VJ Malo were among 15 Big Sky Conference players named to the Stats Perform teams. Adams was a first-team selection while Malo was a third-team selection.
 
Adams completed his last two full campaigns at Portland State (2019 and 2021) as an All-American. The 6-foot, 185-pounder from Newberg, OR has already been given a variety of honors already this year (see below).
 
Adams has been the face of the Viking defense the past few seasons, having started all 35 career games at PSU. A two-time first team All-Big Sky Conference selection – once at safety and once at cornerback – he was a consensus first team All-American in 2019 after leading the nation in passes defensed. After PSU opted out of the 2020 season due to COVID, Adams may have dropped from the minds of some national media, but his performance was just as strong in 2021. He made 52 tackles, five tackles for loss, had three interceptions, three fumble recoveries, five pass breakups and forced a fumble as the Vikings' boundary cornerback. He was named to one All-America team, but missed the others.
 
Now, Adams is front of mind as one of the best defensive backs in the nation in 2022 and considered a top NFL prospect for 2023. Adams goes into the season with 165 career tackles, 14.5 tackles for loss, 31 pass breakups and 13 career takeaways (9 INT, 4 FR). His 40 career passes defended (30 PBU, 9 INT) are the most of any returning FCS player in the nation.
 
Off the field, Adams has already earned his degree in Applied Health and Fitness and is about to complete graduate work in Educational Leadership and Policy. He is a four-time Academic All-Big Sky Conference honoree and was PSU's 2020 Big Sky Conference Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
 
Malo has joined the conversation as one of the top defensive players in the nation as well. A defensive end from West Seattle, WA, he was one of the top defenders in the league last season, earning second team All-Big Sky. A 6-1, 270-pounder, Malo had 45 tackles, 20 tackles for loss, 10.5 sacks and forced three fumbles in 2021. Malo ranked fifth in the nation in tackles for loss and 11th in sacks. His 20 TFLs were second-most for a season in school history and most-ever at the Division I level. The 10.5 sacks are also the most by a Viking at the Division I level.
 
Last week, Malo was named Preseason All-Big Sky Conference by the league in his growing list of accolades.
 
The Vikings begin preseason workouts this Wednesday at Stott Community Field with daily 10:15 a.m. practices.
 
The complete STATS Perform FCS All-America teams.
 

Anthony Adams Portland State Football Honors List

2022 Honors
Athlon Sports Preseason All-American
STATS Perform 1^st team FCS Preseason All-American
Bluebloods 1^st team FCS Preseason All-American
Buck Buchanan Award Watch List
Bluebloods Preseason All-Big Sky Conference
CFB Network Preseason All-Big Sky Conference
Preseason All-Big Sky Conference
 
2021 Honors
1st team All-Big Sky Conference
Academic All-Big Sky Conference
Hero Sports 2nd team All-American
     
2020 Honors (no season due to COVID-19)
Academic All-Big Sky Conference
Big Sky Conference Scholar-Athlete of the Year
 
2019 Honors
AP 1st team All-American
STATS 1st team All-American
Walter Camp 1st team All-American
Athlon Sports 1st team All-American
Phil Steele 2nd team All-American
Buck Buchanan Award Candidate
Hero Sports Sophomore All-American
1st team All-Big Sky Conference
Academic All-Big Sky Conference
 
2018 Honors
Academic All-Big Sky Conference 
 
 

VJ Malo Portland State Football Honors List

 
2022 Honors
Bluebloods 2^nd team FCS Preseason All-American
STATS Perform 3^rd team FCS Preseason All-American
Hero Sports Best Player In The FCS Wearing #43
Hero Sports 5^th Best Returning Defensive Lineman In FCS
Bluebloods Preseason All-Big Sky Conference
CFB Network Preseason All-Big Sky Conference
Preseason All-Big Sky Conference
 
2021 Honors
2^nd team All-Big Sky Conference