NORFOLK, Va. – North Carolina A&T State running back Tarik Cohen was selected as the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) preseason Offensive Player of the Year, while South Carolina State linebacker Darius Leonard was selected as preseason Defensive Player of the Year. [lasso align=”right” cart=”y” identifier=”B011DS39D2″ locale=”US” tag=”hbcusports-20″ ref=”amzn-ncaa-south-carolina-state-bulldogs-short-sleeve-tee-x-large-athletic-heather” type=”single” id=”71957″ link_id=”4852″]
All votes are submitted by the MEAC’s head football coaches and sports information directors/football contacts.
Cohen, the two-time defending Player of the Year, led the MEAC in rushing with 977 total yards in 2015. A two-time MEAC Offensive Player of the Week, Cohen led the conference with 122.1 rushing yards per game, carrying the ball 183 times, with nine touchdowns in eight games. He finished first in the MEAC in touchdowns and all-purpose yards (141.1 avg./g). He helped lead the Aggies to a share of the conference title and a win at the inaugural Air Force Reserve Celebration Bowl. Cohen rushed for 295 yards for three touchdowns during the nationally televised win over Alcorn State.
Leonard was named to the 2015 All-MEAC First Team, as a linebacker. A one-time MEAC Defensive Player of the Week, Leonard finished the season recording 70 total tackles, one forced fumble, one recovered fumble, two quarterback hurries, four passes deflected and two breakups. He notched two interceptions, one for a touchdown, and 13.5 tackles for a loss. Leonard was second on the team in sacks (5.0) and interceptions.
Listed below are the 2016 Preseason All-MEAC teams:
2016 MEAC Football All-Conference Preseason Teams
Offensive Player of the Year: Tarik Cohen, North Carolina A&T State
Defensive Player of the Year: Darius Leonard, South Carolina State
First-Team Offense
| Pos. | Name | Cl. | School | Hometown |
| QB | Malcolm Bell | r-Sr. | North Carolina Central | Richmond, Va. |
| RB | Tarik Cohen | Sr. | North Carolina A&T State | Bunn, N.C. |
| RB | Michael Jones | Sr. | Bethune-Cookman | Sarasota, Fla. |
| WR | Twarn Mixson | r-Sr. | Hampton | Charlotte, N.C. |
| WR | Jawill Davis | r-Jr. | Bethune-Cookman | Miami, Fla. |
| TE | Ja-Quan Lumas | r-Jr. | Bethune-Cookman | Orlando, Fla. |
| C | Carl Jones | r-Sr. | North Carolina Central | Nashville, Tenn. |
| OL | Brandon Parker | r-Jr. | North Carolina A&T State | Kannapolis, N.C. |
| OL* | Javarius Leamon | r-Sr. | South Carolina State | Woodruff, S.C. |
| OL* | Trevin Huff | r-Sr. | Bethune-Cookman | Tallahassee, Fla. |
| OL | Desmond Cooper | r-Sr. | North Carolina Central | Stafford, Va. |
First-Team Defense
| Pos. | Name | Cl. | School | Hometown |
| DL | Marquis Ragland | r-Sr. | North Carolina A&T State | Fayetteville, N.C. |
| DL | Angelo Keyes | r-Sr. | North Carolina A&T State | Kinston, N.C. |
| DL | Curtis Alexander | So. | Florida A&M | Quincy, Fla. |
| DL | Kevin Thompson | Jr. | Bethune-Cookman | Baltimore, Md. |
| LB | Darius Leonard | r-Jr. | South Carolina State | Lake View, S.C. |
| LB | Dayshawn Taylor | r-Jr. | South Carolina State | Lincolnton, Ga. |
| LB | Jeremy Miles (Thompson) | r-Sr. | North Carolina Central | Durham, N.C. |
| DB | Jacques Bryant | So. | Florida A&M | Tallahassee, Fla. |
| DB | Diquan Richardson | Jr. | Bethune-Cookman | Alvin, S.C. |
| DB | Phillip Henry | r-Sr. | South Carolina State | Manning, S.C. |
| DB | Delonta Hall | r-Sr. | Morgan State | Fort Washington, Md. |
| PK | Cody Jones | Sr. | North Carolina A&T State | Gastonia, N.C. |
| P* | Jonathan Cagle | Sr. | Bethune-Cookman | Pensacola, Fla. |
| P* | Christian Faber-Kinney | r-Sr. | Hampton | Williamsburg, Va. |
| RS | Khris Gardin | Jr. | North Carolina A&T State | Morganton, N.C. |
Second-Team Offense
| Pos. | Name | Cl. | School | Hometown |
| QB | Greg Hankerson | Sr. | Norfolk State | Lauderdale Lakes, Fla. |
| RB | Dorrel McClain | r-So. | North Carolina Central | Cary, N.C. |
| RB | Orlando Johnson | Sr. | Morgan State | Memphis, Tenn. |
| WR | Denzel Keyes | Sr. | North Carolina A&T State | Kinston, N.C. |
| WR | Montavious Williams | r-So. | Florida A&M | Tallahassee, Fla. |
| TE | Justin Chaney | Jr. | Howard | Hammond, La. |
| C | Phillip Norman | r-Jr. | Bethune-Cookman | Sebastian, Fla. |
| OL | Toree Boyd | Sr. | Howard | Miami, Fla. |
| OL | Marcus Pettiford | So. | North Carolina A&T State | Durham, N.C. |
| OL* | Tarrance Wells | Sr. | North Carolina Central | Oxon Hill, Md. |
| OL* | Keonte Cash | So. | Florida A&M | Miami, Fla. |
Second-Team Defense
| Pos. | Name | Cl. | School | Hometown |
| DL | Antonio Brown | r-Jr. | North Carolina Central | Jacksonville, Fla. |
| DL | Gregtavious Newell | r-Jr. | South Carolina State | Columbia, S.C. |
| DL | Chris Lee | Jr. | Norfolk State | Woodbridge, Va. |
| DL* | Todney Evans | r-So. | Bethune-Cookman | Delray Beach, Fla. |
| DL* | DeMarcus Womack | Sr. | Bethune-Cookman | Orlando, Fla. |
| LB* | Jalen Day | r-Sr. | Howard | Winston Salem, N.C. |
| LB* | Marcus Albert | r-Jr. | North Carolina A&T State | College Park, Ga. |
| LB | Malik Harris | Jr. | Delaware State | Washington, D.C. |
| DB* | William Burton | Sr. | Delaware State | Washington Township, N.J. |
| DB* | Zerius Lockhart | r-Jr. | North Carolina A&T State | Auburn, Ala. |
| DB | Craig Johnson | Sr. | Howard | Brooklyn, N.Y. |
| DB* | Davanta Reynolds | r-So. | North Carolina Central | Tucker, Ga. |
| DB* | Sandy Chapman | Sr. | Norfolk State | Raleigh, N.C. |
| PK | Cameron Marouf | Sr. | Norfolk State | Woodbridge, Va. |
| P* | Jerome Pettiway | Jr. | South Carolina State | York, S.C. |
| P* | Colby Blanton | r-So. | Florida A&M | Jacksonville, Fla. |
| RS | LaVontis Smith | Sr. | North Carolina Central | Maben, Miss. |
Third-Team Offense
| Pos. | Name | Cl. | School | Hometown |
| QB | Larry Brihm, Jr. | r-Jr. | Bethune-Cookman | Delray Beach, Fla. |
| RB | Dondre Brown | Jr. | South Carolina State | Varnville, S.C. |
| RB* | Gerard Johnson | Sr. | Norfolk State | Richmond, Va. |
| RB* | Dwayne Garrett | r-Sr. | Hampton | Phoenix, Ariz. |
| WR | Frank Brown | r-Jr. | Bethune-Cookman | Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. |
| WR | Aris Scott | Sr. | Delaware State | Harrisburg, Pa. |
| TE | Willie Gillus | r-Jr. | Morgan State | Suffolk, Va. |
| C | Darriel Mack | r-Jr. | North Carolina A&T State | Cilo, S.C. |
| OL | Donovan Johnson | Sr. | Hampton | Clifton, Md. |
| OL | Joshua Miles | Jr. | Morgan State | Baltimore, Md. |
| OL | Ryan Gould | Jr. | Hampton | Clemmons, S.C. |
| OL | Chuka Ezeuzoh | So. | Delaware State | Wilmington, Del. |
Third-Team Defense
| Pos. | Name | Cl. | School | Hometown |
| DL | Malik Hampton-Prioleau | Sr. | North Carolina A&T State | Bossier City, La. |
| DL | Jai Franklin | Jr. | Morgan State | Clinton, Md. |
| DL* | Walter Brantley | So. | Norfolk State | Hampton, Va. |
| DL* | Ja’Quan Smith | r-Jr. | North Carolina Central | Miramar, Fla. |
| LB | Marquis Smith | Sr. | Savannah State | Prince Georges County, Md. |
| LB* | Rashawn Barrett | Sr. | Delaware State | Montclair, N.J. |
| LB* | Trenton Bridges | r-So. | Bethune-Cookman | Deland, Fla. |
| DB | Tard McCoy | r-Jr. | North Carolina A&T State | Delray Beach, Fla. |
| DB | Myles Morris | r-Sr. | Hampton | Greensboro, N.C. |
| DB | Arthur Williams | Jr. | Bethune-Cookman | Sebring, Fla. |
| DB | Devondre Powell | Jr. | South Carolina State | Miami, Fla. |
| PK* | Uriel Hernandez | So. | Bethune-Cookman | Homestead, Fla. |
| PK* | Tyler Scandrett | Jr. | South Carolina State | Barnesville, Ga. |
| P | John Barron | Sr. | Savannah State | Marietta, Ga. |
| RS | Marcus Taylor | So. | Norfolk State | Highland Springs, Va. |
*denotes tie
Courtesy: MEAC
