Football | 7/22/2025 12:00:00 PM
NORFOLK, Va., July 22, 2025 – The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference unveiled its 2025 preseason football honors during the Countdown to Kickoff Show, broadcast live on ESPN+ as part of the annual MEAC Football Media Day.
Reigning MEAC champion South Carolina State has been selected as the preseason favorite heading into the 2025 football season. The Bulldogs earned 63 points and secured five first-place votes in the poll conducted by the league’s head coaches and sports information directors.
North Carolina Central was projected to finish second with four first-place votes, followed by Morgan State in third. Rounding out the predicted order of finish were Norfolk State (1), Howard (1), and Delaware State (1).
The Morgan State Bears swept the top individual accolades, with sophomore running back Jason Collins Jr. named Preseason Offensive Player of the Year and senior linebacker Erick Hunter earning Preseason Defensive Player of the Year honors.
Collins Jr. made an immediate impact in his debut season, rushing for 634 yards and eight touchdowns on 114 carries to earn 2024 MEAC Rookie of the Year honors. His breakout performance came against Delaware State, where he exploded for a 75-yard touchdown and totaled 152 rushing yards on 24 carries.
A dual-threat out of the backfield, Collins also recorded 17 receptions for 143 yards. He ranked fifth in the MEAC in rushing yards, seventh in all-purpose yards (69.9 ypg), 10th in scoring (4.0 ppg), and 11th in total offense (52.8 ypg). Capping off his standout season, Collins was named a finalist for the 2024 Jerry Rice Award, honoring the top freshman in FCS football.
Morgan State linebacker Erick Hunter has been named the 2025 MEAC Preseason Defensive Player of the Year. Despite missing most of the 2024 season, Hunter made a strong return in the final two games, capping the year with a standout performance against Howard that included seven tackles and one sack.
Hunter, who ranks ninth on Morgan State’s all-time tackles list with 196, has already established himself as one of the top defenders in the FCS. In 2023, he earned BOXTOROW Impact Player of the Year honors, was named to the FCS Football Central All-American Third Team, received All-MEAC First Team recognition, and was a finalist for the Buck Buchanan Award.
North Carolina Central led all programs with eight student-athletes named to the Preseason All-MEAC First Team across offense and defense. Morgan State followed with six selections, while Norfolk State earned five first-team honorees. Howard had four players recognized on the first team, Delaware State recorded two, and South Carolina State had one selection.
The 2025 MEAC football season kicks off on Saturday, August 23, as North Carolina Central University takes on Southern University in the MEAC/SWAC Challenge to officially open the college football season. The game kicks off at 7:30 p.m. from Center Parc Stadium in Atlanta, Ga., and will broadcast live on ABC.
For more information on MEAC Football Media Day, visit www.MEACSports.com or follow the MEAC on social media @MEACSports.
2025 MEAC Football Predicted Order of Finish
As voted on by the league’s head coaches and sports information director
School (first-place votes) Points
1. South Carolina State (5) 63
2. North Carolina Central (4) 61
3. Morgan State 39
4. Norfolk State (1) 36
5. Howard (1) 33
6. Delaware State (1) 20
2025 Preseason All-MEAC Honors
Preseason Player of the Year – Jason Collins Jr., Morgan State
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year – Erick Hunter, Morgan State
| First Team Offense |
| Pos. |
Name |
Cl. |
School |
Hometown |
| QB |
Walker Harris |
R-Sr. |
NCCU |
Wake Forest, NC |
| RB |
Kevon King |
Sr. |
NSU |
Chesapeake, VA |
| RB |
Eden James |
Sr. |
HU |
Port St. Lucie, FL |
| WR |
Kam'Ryn Thomas |
Sr. |
NSU |
Bear, DE |
| WR |
NyGhee Lolley |
R-Sr. |
DSU |
Newark, DE |
| TE |
Luke Bracey |
Sr. |
NCCU |
Rock Hill, SC |
| C |
Noah McKinney |
Sr. |
NCCU |
Duncan, SC |
| OL |
Trevon Humphrey |
R-Jr. |
NCCU |
Greensboro, NC |
| OL |
Tim Artis Jr. |
R-Jr. |
HU |
Cornelius, NC |
| OL |
Vincent Byrd Jr. |
Sr. |
NSU |
Stafford, VA |
| OL |
AC McMoore |
Jr. |
NCCU |
Rock Hill, SC |
|
|
|
|
|
| First Team Defense |
| Pos. |
Name |
Cl. |
School |
Hometown |
| DL |
Noah Miles |
Sr. |
HU |
Tampa, FL |
| DL |
Ishaun Abdul-Ali |
Jr. |
HU |
Charlotte, NC |
| DL |
Dashawn Fields |
So. |
MSU |
Baltimore, MD |
| DL |
Marquise Brunson |
R-Jr. |
DSU |
Dover, DE |
| LB |
Max U’Ren |
R-Sr. |
NCCU |
Winston-Salem, NC |
| LB |
Erick Hunter |
R-Sr. |
MSU |
Capitol Heights, MD |
| LB |
Daylan Long |
R-Sr. |
NSU |
Cincinnati, OH |
| DB |
Malcolm Reed |
Sr. |
NCCU |
Raleigh, NC |
| DB |
Jarod Washington |
Sr. |
SCSU |
Fredericksburg, VA |
| DB |
Jadon Carter |
Sr. |
MSU |
Bryans Road, MD |
| DB |
Jelani Vassell |
R-Sr. |
NCCU |
Tampa, FL |
| P |
Shane Messenger |
Jr. |
MSU |
Alexandria, VA |
| PK |
Sahr Gbundema |
R-So. |
MSU |
Lanham, MD |
| RS |
Jaylen White * |
R-Sr. |
NSU |
Hampton, VA |
| RS |
Malique Leatherbury * |
R-So. |
MSU |
Salisbury, MD |
|
|
|
|
|
| Second Team Offense |
| Pos. |
Name |
Cl. |
School |
Hometown |
| QB |
Ja'Shawn Scroggins |
R-Jr. |
HU |
Las Vegas, NV |
| RB |
Jason Collins Jr. |
R-So. |
MSU |
Washington, DC |
| RB |
Marquis Gillis |
R-Sr. |
DSU |
Milford, DE |
| WR |
Malique Leatherbury |
R-So. |
MSU |
Salisbury, MD |
| WR |
Chance Peterson |
R-So. |
NCCU |
Wake Forest, NC |
| TE |
Edward Core |
Gr. |
DSU |
Waldorf, MD |
| C |
Daniel Casillas |
Sr. |
MSU |
Kissimmee, FL |
| OL |
Kahari Finley |
R-Jr. |
MSU |
Clinton, MD |
| OL |
Treyvon Branch |
Sr. |
MSU |
White Plains, MD |
| OL |
Isaiah Cook |
R-Sr. |
DSU |
Willingboro, NJ |
| OL |
Roger Smith |
Sr. |
SCSU |
Maple Heights, OH |
|
|
|
|
|
| Second Team Defense |
| Pos. |
Name |
Cl. |
School |
Hometown |
| DL |
Anthony Johnson |
So. |
DSU |
Philadephia, PA |
| DL |
Keshawn Lynch |
Sr. |
NSU |
Newport News, VA |
| DL |
Josh Barker |
Jr. |
SCSU |
Kennesaw, GA |
| DL |
Christian Smith |
R-Sr. |
NCCU |
Jacksonville, NC |
| LB |
Terique Miles |
Gr. |
NSU |
Norfolk, VA |
| LB |
Arturo Mattocks |
Sr. |
MSU |
Montgomery Village, MD |
| LB |
Brian Bates |
Jr. |
DSU |
Centreville, VA |
| DB |
Kahleef Jimmison |
Gr. |
NSU |
Newport News, VA |
| DB |
Jayden Smith |
Gr. |
NSU |
Woodbridge, VA |
| P |
Noah Tracey |
Jr. |
NSU |
Springwood, Australia |
| PK |
Kaleb Robison |
So. |
NCCU |
Middleburg, FL |
| RS |
Anthony Reagan Jr. |
So. |
HU |
Woodbury, NJ |
* - indicates tie