MEAC Announces 2024 Football Postseason Honors

Football | 11/27/2024 9:15:00 AM

NORFOLK, Va., Nov. 27, 2024 - The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) unveiled its 2024 All-MEAC Football teams today, highlighting the conference football programs' hard work and talented players. Leading the honors on the First Team is South Carolina State with an impressive 12 recipients, followed by North Carolina Central with six, Howard and Morgan State with three, Norfolk State earning two honorees and Delaware State with one. 

All awards and honors were voted on by the MEAC's head football coaches and sports information directors. 

The conference's Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year recipients will be announced during the National Football Foundation (NFF) Annual Awards Press Conference Presented by SideQuests. Click here to watch the Dec. 10 Press Conference live on ESPN+ from 9 a.m. PST/12 p.m. EST, and afterwards visit the NFF YouTube Channel for clips.

South Carolina State's Nick Taiste was named the Offensive Lineman of the Year, while Morgan State's Jason Collins Jr. earned Rookie of the Year honors. South Carolina State head coach Chennis Berry was named MEAC Coach of the Year.

Taiste is South Carolina State's first offensive lineman to earn the conference's top spot since 2013. He anchored the Bulldog’s offensive line that amassed a conference-best total offense average of 426.5 ypg, ranking 18th nationally, passing offense (272.8 ypg), 11th nationally, scoring offense (35.5 avg/g), 12th nationally, passing touchdowns (25), and total touchdowns (49). Additionally, the Bulldogs rank fourth nationally in passing efficiency (165.50). Taiste has received three MEAC Weekly Offensive Lineman honors this year.

Collins Jr. rushed for 634 yards on 114 carries, with eight touchdowns. His season highlight came against Delaware State, where he broke free for a 75-yard touchdown en route to a 152-yard performance on 24 carries. Collins also contributed to the Bears passing game, hauling in 17 receptions for 143 yards. He finished fifth in the MEAC in rushing yards, seventh in all-purpose yards (69.9), 10th in scoring (4.0 ppg), and 11th in total offense (52.8 ypg). Collins Jr. is a finalist for the 2024 Jerry Rice Award.

Chennis Berry made an immediate impact in his first year at the helm of the South Carolina State Bulldog program. Transitioning from the Division II level, where he built a strong reputation at Benedict College, Coach Berry led the Bulldogs to an impressive 9-2 overall record, including an undefeated, 5-0 mark, in conference play. The Bulldogs secured key conference victories against No. 19/21 North Carolina Central and last year’s MEAC Champion Howard, clinching the MEAC Championship Title and earning the conference’s berth in the 2024 Cricket Celebration Bowl. In addition to South Carolina State’s dominant season, Coach Berry was recognized as the AFCA Region 2 FCS Coach of the Year and is a finalist for the 2024 Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year award.

See below for the entire list of All-MEAC team selectees.
2024 All-MEAC Football Postseason Awards
 
Offensive Lineman of the Year - Nick Taiste, S.C. State
Rookie of the Year - Jason Collins Jr., Morgan State
Coach of the Year - Chennis Berry, S.C. State
 
First Team Offense
Name School Pos. Yr. Hometown
Eric Phoenix S.C. State QB Gr. Savannah, GA
Jaden Sutton Delaware State RB Gr. Winston-Salem, NC
J'Mari Taylor N.C. Central RB R- Jr. Charlotte, NC
Caden High S.C. State WR So. Grayson, GA
Justin Smith-Brown S.C. State WR Sr. Cocoa, FL
Keshawn Toney S.C. State TE Gr. Williston, SC
Eric Brown, Jr. S.C. State C Sr. Hartsville, SC
Darius Fox Howard OL Sr. Washington, DC
Trevon Humphrey N.C. Central OL R- So. Greensboro, NC
Cam Johnson S.C. State OL Sr. Irmo, SC
Nick Taiste S.C. State OL Sr. West Columbia, SC
 
First Team Defense
Name School Pos. Yr. Hometown
Noah Miles Howard DL Jr. Tampa, FL
Elijah Williams Morgan State DL Sr. Jersey City, NJ
Jayden Broughton S.C. State DL Sr. Monks Corner, SC
Ashaad Hall S.C. State DL Jr. St Petersburg, FL
AJ Richardson Norfolk State LB So. Kings Mountain, NC
Jaki Brevard N.C. Central LB Sr. Durham, NC
Aaron Smith S.C. State LB Gr. Manning, SC
Carlvainsky Decius * Morgan State DB Sr. New Carrollton, MD
Kenny Gallop Jr. Howard DB Gr. Portsmouth, VA
Malcolm Reed * N.C. Central DB Jr. Raleigh, NC
Kole Jones N.C. Central DB Sr. Chesapeake, VA
Jarod Washington S.C. State DB Sr. Fredericksburg, VA
Juan Velarde N.C. Central P Sr. Anderson, SC
Kyle Gallegos S.C. State PK R-Fr. Fort Worth, TX
Jaylen White * Norfolk State RS R-Jr. Hampton, VA
Malique Leatherbury * Morgan State RS So. Salisbury, MD
 
Second Team Offense
Name School Pos. Yr. Hometown
Walker Harris N.C. Central QB R-Jr. Wake Forest, NC
Kevon King Norfolk State RB Jr. Chesapeake, VA
Jarett Hunter Howard RB Gr. Mineral, VA
Jacquez Jones * Norfolk State WR Gr. Orlando, FL
Joaquin Davis * N.C. Central WR Sr. Durham, NC
Markell Quick N.C. Central WR So. Cornelius, NC
Luke Bracey N.C. Central TE Jr. Rock Hill, SC
Noah McKinney N.C. Central C Jr. Duncan, SC
Tim Artis Jr. Howard OL R-So. Charlotte, NC
Vincent Byrd Jr. Norfolk State OL Jr. Stafford, VA
AC McMoore N.C. Central OL So. Rock Hill, SC
Tray Franklin S.C. State OL So. Columbia, SC
 
Second Team Defense
Name School Pos. Yr. Hometown
Jamel Stewart Howard DL Sr. Richmond, VA
Quantez Mansfield N.C. Central DL R-Sr. Greensboro, NC
Jaden Taylor N.C. Central DL Sr. Durham, NC
John Hannibal S.C. State DL Sr. Hopkins, SC
Terrance Hollon Howard LB Sr. Cleveland, OH
Max U'Ren N.C. Central LB R-Jr. Winston Salem, NC
Jadin Jones S.C. State LB Jr. Jacksonville, FL
Robert Jones III Howard DB Sr. Fairwood, MD
Ja'son Prevard Morgan State DB So. Atlantic City, NJ
Terron Mallory Norfolk State DB Gr. New Haven, CT
Diego Addison S.C. State DB Jr. Columbia, SC
Dyson Roberts S.C. State P SR Sumter, SC
Grandin Willcox Norfolk State PK JR Ocala, Fla
Anthony Reagan Jr. Howard RS FR Camden, NJ
 
* Indicates a tie