NORFOLK, Va. – The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) announced its 2023 All-MEAC Football teams today, highlighting the conference football programs’ hard work and talented players. North Carolina Central headlines the First Team All-MEAC honorees with ten recipients. Howard follows with seven, while Morgan State and South Carolina State received four selectees.
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 Hall of Fame as a part of the 65th NFF Annual Awards Dinner on Tuesday, Dec. 5, at the Aria Resort in Las Vegas, Nev.
North Carolina Central’s Torricelli Simpkins II was named the Offensive Lineman of the Year, while South Carolina State’s Jawarn Howell earned Rookie of the Year honors. North Carolina Central head coach Trei Oliver was named MEAC Coach of the Year for the second straight year.
Simpkins III is North Carolina Central’s second straight offensive lineman to earn the conference’s top spot in as many years. Simpkins III anchored the Eagles’ offensive line that amassed the conference-best total passing yards (2354), passing average (214.00 avg/g), scoring offense (36.6 avg/g), and rushing touchdowns (25), seventh-best in the football championship subdivision (FCS). The Eagles ranked second in the conference in total offense with 4138 yards. Simpkins III has received three MEAC Weekly Offensive Lineman honors this year.
Howell leads the MEAC in rushing with 808 yards (80.9 ypg) on 102 carries, and 7 TDs. He also recorded ten receptions for 149 yards, 2 TDs in nine games. He was named the FedEx Ground FCS National Offensive Player of the Week following a 283-yard rushing performance on 27 carries and three touchdowns in the Bulldogs’ win over Howard. In addition to the national honors, Howell earned MEAC Rookie of the Week honors for four straight weeks.
Coach Oliver led the Eagles to a 9-2 overall record and a 4-1 mark in conference play. The Eagles fell short of repeating as conference champions this season, however, they earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Division I FCS playoffs, the program’s first NCAA appearance. NCCU posted non-conference FCS wins over No. 25 Elon, Campbell, North Carolina A&T, and Mississippi State. Under Coach Oliver’s leadership, the Eagles are ranked 13 in the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) poll and 16th in the Stat Perform FCS poll. This season, the Eagles were ranked as high as No. 7 (Nov. 6).
See below for the entire list of All-MEAC team selectees.
2023 All-MEAC Football Postseason Awards
Coach of the Year – Trei Oliver, North Carolina Central
Offensive Lineman of the Year – Torricelli Simpkins III, North Carolina Central
Rookie of the Year – Jawarn Howell, South Carolina State
| First Team Offense | ||||
| Pos. | Name | Cl. | School | Hometown |
| QB | Davius Richard | Sr. | North Carolina Central | Belle Glade, Fla. |
| RB | Latrell Collier | R-Sr. | North Carolina Central | Bluefield, W.Va. |
| RB | Jawarn Howell | Fr. | South Carolina State | Mooresville, N.C. |
| WR | Kasey Hawthrone | Sr. | Howard | Sebring, Fla. |
| WR | Devin Smith | Jr. | North Carolina Central | Durham, N.C. |
| TE | Keshawn Toney | Gr. | South Carolina State | Williston, S.C. |
| C | Torricelli Simpkins III | Jr. | North Carolina Central | Charlotte, N.C. |
| OL | Anim Dankwah | Gr. | Howard | Ontario, Canada |
| OL | Nick Taiste | R-Jr. | South Carolina State | West Columbia, S.C. |
| OL | Da’Quan Thomas | R-Jr. | North Carolina Central | West Palm Beach, Fla. |
| OL | Da’Metrius Weatherspoon | R-So. | Howard | Clairton, Penn. |
| First Team Defense | ||||
| Pos. | Name | Cl. | School | Hometown |
| DL | Darrian Brokenburr | Gr. | Howard | Manassas, Va. |
| DL | Jaden Taylor | R-Jr. | North Carolina Central | Durham, N.C. |
| DL | Elijah Williams | Jr. | Morgan State | Jersey City, N.J. |
| DL | Patrick Godbolt | Gr. | South Carolina State | Blythewood, S.C. |
| LB | Erick Hunter | Jr. | Morgan State | Capitol Heights, Md. |
| LB | Terrance Hollon | Jr. | Howard | Cleveland, Ohio |
| LB | Jayden Flaker | So. | North Carolina Central | Scarborough, Maine |
| DB | Kenny Gallop, Jr. | Sr. | Howard | Portsmouth, Va. |
| DB | Jordan Toles | Sr. | Morgan State | Baltimore, Md. |
| DB | Jason Chambers | So. | North Carolina Central | Charlotte, N.C. |
| DB | Jae’Veyon Morton | Gr. | Morgan State | Detroit, Mich. |
| P | Aaron Bickerton | So. | Howard | Stoke-on-Trent, England |
| PK | Adrian Olivo | Sr. | North Carolina Central | Plant City, Fla. |
| RS | Brandon Codrington | Sr. | North Carolina Central | Raleigh, N.C. |
| Second Team Offense | ||||
| Pos. | Name | Cl. | School | Hometown |
| QB | Quinton Williams | Sr. | Howard | Upper Marlboro, Md. |
| RB | Eden James | So. | Howard | Port St. Lucie, Fla. |
| RB | Jarett Hunter * | Sr. | Howard | Mineral, Va. |
| RB | Marquis Gillis * | R-So. | Delaware State | MIlford, Del. |
| WR | Andre Pegues | Gr. | Norfolk State | Raeford, N.C. |
| WR | Justin Smith-Brown | R-Jr. | South Carolina State | Coco, Fla. |
| TE | Edward Core | Jr. | Delaware State | Waldorf, Md. |
| C | Eric Brown, Jr. | Jr. | South Carolina State | Hartsville, S.C. |
| OL | Darius Fox | Jr. | Howard | Washington, D.C. |
| OL | Cam Johnson | R-Jr. | South Carolina State | Irmo, S.C. |
| OL | Trevon Humphrey | R-Fr. | North Carolina Central | Greensboro, N.C. |
| OL | Treyvon Branch | Jr. | Morgan State | White Plains, Md. |
| * Indicates a tie | ||||
| Second Team Defense | ||||
| Pos. | Name | Cl. | School | Hometown |
| DL | Trey Middleton | R-Jr. | North Carolina Central | Marietta, Ga. |
| DL | Naejuan Barber | R-So. | South Carolina State | Hopkins, S.C. |
| DL | Jamel Stewart | Jr. | Howard | Richmond, Va. |
| DL | Keshawn Lynch | R-So. | Norfolk State | Newport News, Va. |
| LB | Aaron Smith | R-Jr. | South Carolina State | Manning, S.C. |
| LB | Lawrence Richardson | Sr. | Morgan State | Philadelphia, Penn. |
| LB | Daylan Long * | R-So. | Norfolk State | Cincinnati, Ohio |
| LB | AJ Richardson * | Fr. | Norfolk State | Kings Mountain, N.C. |
| DB | Kole Jones | Jr. | North Carolina Central | Chesapeake, Va. |
| DB | Devon Allen | Jr. | Norfolk State | Virginia Beach, Va. |
| DB | Caron Hinton | Sr. | Howard | Detroit, Mich. |
| DB | R.J. Coles | R-Jr. | Norfolk State | Richmond, Va. |
| P | Jonathan Cardoza-Chicas | Sr. | Delaware State | Rahway, N.J. |
| PK | Aaron Bickerton | So. | Howard | Stoke-on-Trent, England |
| RS | Keith Jenkins Jr. * | So. | Morgan State | Gainesville, Va. |
| RS | Ian Wheeler * | Gr. | Howard | Houston, Texas |
| * Indicates a tie | ||||