A&T’s Raynard, NCCU’s Reynolds headline preseason All-MEAC squad

NORFOLK, Va. – North Carolina A&T State University quarterback Lamar Raynard was selected as the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Preseason Offensive Player of the Year, while N.C. Central defensive back Davanta Reynolds was selected as the Preseason Defensive Player of the Year. All votes were submitted by the MEAC’s 11 head football coaches and sports information contacts.

Raynard passed for a MEAC-best 2,932 yards and 27 touchdowns en route to an unbeaten (12-0) 2017 season which included a postseason win in the Celebration Bowl. The redshirt senior from High Point, N.C. has compiled a 27-0 record as a starter and led the MEAC in six (6) statistical categories while shattering the Aggie record books as he broke the North Carolina A&T State single-season school records for touchdowns responsible, passing, total offense, touchdown passes and completions in a season. Nationally, Raynard ranked sixth in passing efficiency (140.8), seventh in yards per pass attempt (8.94), ninth in completion percentage (64.6%), 11th in passing TDs (27), 13th in both points responsible for (14.03) and points responsible per game (15.7) and 16th in completion percentage (63.7%).

Reynolds ranked second nationally in interceptions per game (.06) while finishing the 2017 campaign ranked fifth amongst FCS defenders with six interceptions.

The Tucker, Ga. native broke up a pass, returned an interception for a touchdown, recovered a fumble, defended seven passes and forced a fumble which led to an 85-yard fumble recovery for a touch-down. In addition to his success in the secondary, the FCS All-American also finished fourth on the team in tackles with 54 stops and 2.5 tackles for loss.

North Carolina A&T State led the way on the 2018 preseason team with a total of eight first team members and nine players overall. A total of 11 players from Howard University were represented on all three teams while N.C. Central had nine student-athletes selected.

FIRST TEAM OFFENSE
QB Lamar Raynard Sr. North Carolina A&T State High Point, N.C.
RB Marquell Cartwright Sr. North Carolina A&T State High Point, N.C.
RB Isaiah Totten So. N.C. Central Apex, N.C.
WR Elijah Bell Jr. North Carolina A&T State Wheeling, W. Va.
WR Jequez Ezzard Jr. Howard Union City, Ga.
TE Leroy Hill Sr. North Carolina A&T State Smithfield, N.C.
C James Holmon Sr. Howard Augusta, Ga.
OL Marcus Pettiford Jr. North Carolina A&T State Durham, N.C.
OL Dwayne Brown Sr. Bethune-Cookman Indianapolis, Ind.
OL Nick Leverett Sr. N.C. Central Concord, N.C.
OL Tyrone Ramsey Jr. Howard Detroit, Mich.

FIRST TEAM DEFENSE
DL Darryl Johnson, Jr. Jr. North Carolina A&T State Kingsdale, Ga.
DL Kawuan Cox Jr. N.C. Central Summerville, S.C.
DL Malachi Washington Sr. Morgan State Waldorf, Md.
DL Stefen Banks Sr. Savannah State Columbus, Ohio
LB Nigel Chavis Jr. Norfolk State Richmond, Va.
LB Brian Cavicante Jr. Delaware State Portsmouth, Va.
LB Rico Kennedy Jr. Morgan State Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
DB Davanta Reynolds Sr. N.C. Central Tucker, Ga.
DB Timadre Abram Sr. North Carolina A&T State Lakeland, Fla.
DB Frank McCain So. North Carolina A&T State Greensboro, N.C.
DB Keyjuan Selby Sr. Delaware State Bear, Del.

SPECIAL TEAMS
PK Uriel Hernandez Sr. Bethune-Cookman Homestead, Fla.
P Fidel Romo-Martinez Jr. Delaware State Banning, Calif.
RS Marcus Taylor Sr. Norfolk State Highland Springs, Va.

SECOND TEAM OFFENSE
QB Caylin Newton Sr. Howard Atlanta, Ga.
RB Devin Bowers Sr. Florida A&M St. Petersburg, Fla.
RB Brycen Alleyne Sr. Delaware State Wilmington, Del.
WR Kyle Anthony Jr. Howard Miami, Fla.
WR Marcus Taylor Sr. Norfolk State Highland Springs, Va.
TE Josh McCoy Sr. N.C. Central Sharon, S.C.
C Wes Jones Sr. Norfolk State Wilmington, Del.
OL Kenneth Kirby Jr. Norfolk State Newport News, Va.
OL Andrew Dale Jr. N.C. Central Morehead City, N.C.
OL Loubens Polinice Sr. Florida A&M Palm Coast, Fla.
OL Kendrick Hair Sr. South Carolina State Orlando, Fla.

SECOND TEAM DEFENSE
DL Julian McKnight Sr. North Carolina A&T State Conyers, Ga.
DL Todney Evans Sr. Bethune-Cookman Delray Beach, Fla.
DL Randy Anyanwu Sr. N.C. Central Clayton County, Ga.
DL Antonio Miller Sr. Florida A&M Lakeland, Fla.
LB Jibreel Hazly Sr. Florida A&M Akron, Ohio
LB Damu Ford Sr. S.C. State Dillon, S.C.
LB Marcellus Allison Sr. Howard Durham, N.C.
DB Bryan Cook So. Howard Cincinnati, Ohio
DB J.T. Wahee Jr. Norfolk State Norfolk, Va.
DB Orlando McKinley Sr. Florida A&M Atlanta, Ga.
DB Terry Jefferson Jr. Florida A&M Miami, Fla.

SPECIAL TEAMS
PK Giovanni Lugo Jr. Savannah State Belle Glade, Fla.
P Chris Faddoul So. Florida A&M Wesley Chapel, Fla.
RS Jequez Ezzard Jr. Howard Union City, Ga.

THIRD TEAM OFFENSE
QB Ryan Stanley Jr. Florida A&M Pembroke Pines, Fla.
RB Tupac Isme Jr. Bethune-Cookman Naples, Fla.
RB Aaron Savage Jr. Norfolk State Baltimore, Md.
WR Manasseh Bailey Jr. Morgan State Capital Heights, Md.
WR Xavier McKoy Jr. N.C. Central Charlotte, N.C.
TE Paris Baker Sr. Savannah State Savannah, Ga.
C Matthew Thompson Sr. Morgan State Perry Hall, Md.
OL Obinna Nwanko Jr. Florida A&M Miramar, Fla.
OL Joshua Miles Sr. Morgan State Baltimore, Md.
OL Robbie Stephenson Sr. South Carolina State Fairburn, Ga.
OL Khalil Harris Jr. Florida A&M Gulfport, Miss.

THIRD TEAM DEFENSE
DL Brandon Carswell Sr. Savannah State Mt. Vernon, Ga.
DL Kevin Thompson Sr. Bethune-Cookman Baltimore, Md.
DL Deshaywn Middleton Sr. Norfolk State Winston-Salem, N.C.
DL Aaron Motley So. Howard Highland Springs, Va.
LB Ian McBorrough Jr. Morgan State Essex, Md.
DB Carl Garnes Sr. Morgan State Columbus, N.J.
DB De’Mario Evans Sr. N.C. Central Columbia, S.C.
DB Kendrick Gathers Sr. S.C. State Columbia, S.C.
DB Alex Brown Sr. S.C. State Holly Hill, S.C.

SPECIAL TEAMS
PK Dakota Lebofsky Gr. Howard Overland Park, Kan.
P Clifford Benjamin, Jr. Jr. S.C. State Holly Hill, S.C.
RS JaMichael Baldwin So. Savannah State Conyers, Ga.