North Carolina A&T State University (7) and Howard (6) led the way in this year’s All-MEAC Conference football voting with a combined 12 student-athletes named to the first team. The team was voted on by the MEAC’s head football coaches and sports information directors.
For the fourth consecutive year, the MEAC’s Offensive Lineman of the Year award will remain in Greensboro, N.C., as North Carolina A&T State’s Micah Shaw received the honor. Howard’s Dedrick Parson was tabbed as the league’s Freshman of the Year, while North Carolina A&T State’s Sam Washington was selected as Coach of the Year.
In a partnership with the National Football Foundation (NFF) & College Hall of Fame, the league’s Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year will be announced as part of the festivities surrounding the 60th NFF Annual Awards Dinner, Tuesday, Dec. 4, at the Hilton Midtown in New York City. The event will be streamed live at 9:30 a.m. via the NFF website.
Shaw was a key player on North Carolina A&T State’s offensive line, as the unit produced the lone 1,000-yard rusher in the MEAC this season. A two-time MEAC Offensive Lineman of the Week, opposing defenders had trouble getting to the Aggies’ backfield as the unit only allowed 12 sacks in the regular season. Despite the departure of four starters from last year’s unit, the Aggies finished no less than third in the MEAC in scoring offense, total offense, rushing offense, sacks against, first downs, third down conversions and fourth down conversions.
Parson became the second consecutive student-athlete from Howard to win Freshman of the Year. The Philadelphia, Pa. native finished third in the MEAC in rushing with 706 yards and second with nine rushing touchdowns. He exploded onto the scene midway through the season, as he rushed for 148 yards and two touchdowns at Morgan State and a 26-carry, 149-yard performance versus Florida A&M. He closed out the season with a three-touchdown performance versus Bryant.
Washington kept the Aggie train rolling, as North Carolina A&T State won its second consecutive outright MEAC championship and fourth title in five years in his first season as head coach. Under Washington’s watch this season, the Aggies won their third straight contest versus a Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) opponent, while also defeating the No. 6-ranked team in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) ranks. The Aggies finished the regular season ranked 11th in both the STATS FCS and FCS Coaches Polls. Washington is the third person in school history, joining Hornsby Howell (1968) and George Small (2003), to win a conference title in his first season as the Aggies’ head football coach. North Carolina A&T State will represent the MEAC in the Air Force Reserve Celebration Bowl for the third time on Dec. 15 in Atlanta, Ga.
Listed below are the 2018 All-MEAC teams:
Rookie of the Year: Dedrick Parson, Howard
Coach of the Year: Sam Washington, North Carolina A&T State
FIRST TEAM OFFENSE
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||||
QB
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Caylin Newton
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So.
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Howard
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Atlanta, Ga.
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RB
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Marquell Cartwright
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Sr.
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North Carolina A&T State
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High Point, N.C.
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RB
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Isaiah Totten
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So.
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N.C. Central
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Apex, N.C.
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WR
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Jequez Ezzard
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Jr.
|
Howard
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College Park, Ga.
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WR
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Kyle Anthony
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Jr.
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Howard
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Miramar, Fla.
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TE
|
Justin Chaney
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Sr.
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Howard
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Hammond, La.
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C
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James Holmon
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Gr.
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Howard
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Augusta, Ga.
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OL
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Marcus Pettiford
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Jr.
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North Carolina A&T State
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Durham, N.C
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OL
|
Micah Shaw
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Sr.
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North Carolina A&T State
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Fayetteville, N.C
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OL
|
Obinna Nwaknwo
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Jr.
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Florida A&M
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Miramar, Fla.
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OL
|
Tyler Shadrach
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Gr.
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Howard
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Teaneck, N.J.
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FIRST TEAM DEFENSE
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||||
DL
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Darryl Johnson
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Jr.
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North Carolina A&T State
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Kingsdale, Ga.
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DL
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Marques Ford
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Jr.
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Bethune-Cookman
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Gibsonton, Fla
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DL
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Antonio Miller
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Sr.
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Florida A&M
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Lakeland, Fla.
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DL
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Stefen Banks
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Sr.
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Savannah State
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Columbus, Ohio
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LB
|
Brian Cavicante
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Jr.
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Delaware State
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Portsmouth, Va.
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LB
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Ian McBorrough
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Jr.
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Morgan State
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Essex, Md.
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LB
|
Nigel Chavis
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Jr.
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Norfolk State
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Richmond, Va.
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DB
|
Mac McCain III
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So.
|
North Carolina A&T State
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Greensboro, N.C.
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DB
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Davanta Reynolds
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Sr.
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N.C. Central
|
Tucker, Ga.
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DB
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Donte Small
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So.
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Morgan State
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Union, N.J.
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DB
|
Timadre Abram
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Sr.
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North Carolina A&T State
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Lakeland, Fla.
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P
|
Chris Faddoul
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So.
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Florida A&M
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Wesley Chapel, Fla.
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PK
|
Adam Lippy
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Fr.
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N.C. Central
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Tucker, Ga.
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RS
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Malik Wilson
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Sr.
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North Carolina A&T State
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Burlington, N.C.
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SECOND TEAM OFFENSE
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||||
QB
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Lamar Raynard
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R-Sr.
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North Carolina A&T State
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High Point, N.C.
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RB
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Dedrick Parson
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R-Fr.
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Howard
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Philadelphia, Pa.
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RB
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Deshawn Smith
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Jr.
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Florida A&M
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Brooksville, Fla.
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WR
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Elijah Bell
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Jr.
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North Carolina A&T State
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Wheeling, W.Va.
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WR
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Xavier Smith
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Fr.
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Florida A&M
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Haines City, Fla.
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TE
|
Sherman McLeod
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Fr.
|
N.C. Central
|
Raleigh, N.C.
|
C
|
Mike Terry
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Jr.
|
South Carolina State
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Duluth, Ga.
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OL
|
Loubens Polinice
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Gr.
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Florida A&M
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Daytona Beach, Fla.
|
OL
|
Dwayne Brown
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Sr.
|
Bethune-Cookman
|
Indianapolis, Ind.
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OL
|
Robbie Stephenson
|
Sr.
|
South Carolina State
|
Fairburn, Ga.
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OL
|
Nick Leverett
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Gr.
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N.C. Central
|
Concord, N.C.
|
SECOND TEAM DEFENSE
|
||||
DL
|
Justin Cates
|
Jr.
|
North Carolina A&T State
|
Goldsboro, N.C.
|
DL
|
Rico Kennedy
|
Jr.
|
Morgan State
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Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
|
DL
|
Julian McKnight
|
Sr.
|
North Carolina A&T State
|
Conyers, Ga.
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DL
|
Bruce Johnson
|
Sr.
|
South Carolina State
|
Greenwood, S.C.
|
LB
|
Antoine Wilder
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Jr.
|
North Carolina A&T State
|
Riverdale, Ga.
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LB
|
Damari Whitaker
|
Sr.
|
Morgan State
|
Washington, D.C.
|
LB
|
Marquis Hendrix
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Jr.
|
Bethune-Cookman
|
Ocala, Fla.
|
DB
|
Keyjuan Selby
|
Sr.
|
Delaware State
|
Bear, Del.
|
DB
|
Alex Brown
|
Sr.
|
South Carolina State
|
Holly Hill, S.C.
|
DB
|
Trevor Merritt
|
Jr.
|
Bethune-Cookman
|
Rockledge, Fla.
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DB
|
J.T. Wahee
|
Jr.
|
Norfolk State
|
Norfolk, Va.
|
P
|
Taylor Goettie
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So.
|
Norfolk State
|
Lexington, Ga.
|
PK
|
Yahia Aly
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Sr.
|
Florida A&M
|
Whittier, Calif.
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RS
|
Jimmie Robinson
|
Sr.
|
Bethune-Cookman
|
Palm Coast, Fla.
|
THIRD TEAM OFFENSE
|
||||
QB
|
Ryan Stanley
|
R-Jr.
|
Florida A&M
|
Pembroke Pines, Fla.
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RB
|
Brycen Alleyne
|
Sr.
|
Delaware State
|
Wilmington, Del.
|
RB
|
Jah-Maine Martin
|
So.
|
North Carolina A&T State
|
Conway, S.C.
|
WR
|
Zachary Leslie
|
So.
|
North Carolina A&T State
|
Lawndale, N.C.
|
WR
|
Chad Hunter
|
So.
|
Florida A&M
|
Tallahassee, Fla.
|
TE
|
Leroy Hill
|
Sr.
|
North Carolina A&T State
|
Fayetteville, Ga.
|
C
|
L’Dre Barnes
|
So.
|
Bethune-Cookman
|
St. Petersburg, Fla.
|
OL
|
Joshua Miles
|
Sr.
|
Morgan State
|
Baltimore, Md.
|
OL
|
Kaiden Crawford
|
Jr.
|
Delaware State
|
Philadelphia, Pa.
|
OL
|
Alex Taylor
|
Jr.
|
South Carolina State
|
Monks Corner, S.C.
|
OL
|
Liki Seu
|
So.
|
Delaware State
|
Bellflower, Calif.
|
THIRD TEAM DEFENSE
|
||||
DL
|
Kawuan Cox
|
Jr.
|
N.C. Central
|
Summerville, S.C.
|
DL
|
Darius Royster
|
Sr.
|
N.C. Central
|
Chesapeake, Va.
|
DL
|
Paul McKeiver
|
Jr.
|
South Carolina State
|
Batesburg, SC
|
DL
|
Damu Ford
|
Sr.
|
South Carolina State
|
Dillon, S.C.
|
LB
|
Mulik Simmons
|
Sr.
|
Savannah State
|
Savannah, Ga.
|
LB
|
Elijah Richardson
|
Jr.
|
Florida A&M
|
Port St. Lucie, Fla.
|
LB
|
Marcellos Allison
|
Jr.
|
Howard
|
Durham, N.C.
|
DB
|
Jahad Neibauer
|
Jr.
|
Delaware State
|
Harrisburg, Pa.
|
DB
|
Tydarius Peters
|
Jr.
|
Bethune-Cookman
|
Jayess, Miss.
|
DB
|
Bobby Price
|
Jr.
|
Norfolk State
|
Virginia Beach, Va.
|
DB
|
Terry Jefferson
|
Jr.
|
Florida A&M
|
Miami, Fla.
|
P
|
Jerome Pettiway
|
Sr.
|
South Carolina State
|
York, S.C.
|
PK
|
Alex Raya
|
Sr.
|
Morgan State
|
Beaumont, Calif.
|
RS
|
Marcus Taylor
|
Sr.
|
Norfolk State
|
Highland Springs, Va.
|
Courtesy: MEAC