North Carolina Central football placed 15 players on the 2024 All-Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference honors list, announced earlier this week.
Running back J’Mari Taylor, offensive lineman Trevon Humphrey, kicker/punter Juan Velarde, linebacker Jaki Brevard and defensive backs Kole Jones and Malcom Reed led the way as first-team picks.
Taylor rushed for 1,146 yards and scored 15 touchdowns, finding the end zone at least once in every game. He is one of three players from North Carolina to be named a finalist for the Walter Payton Award and the sixth NCCU standout to reach the 1,000-yard rushing plateau.
Humphrey played a key role an offensive line that produced the MEAC’s best scoring offense (35.5 points per game). He was MEAC Offensive Lineman of the Week in October.
Velarde led the MEAC in punting yardage, averaging 44.8 yards per boot. He also made four field goals, including a 53-yarder that ranks as the longest in Eagles history. Velarde is a finalist for the Doris Robinson Award, which goes to the top scholar-athlete in FCS.
Brevard finished with a team-high 73 tackles this season, including 26 solo stops. His average of 6.6 tackles per game ranked fifth in MEAC. His 10 tackles-for-loss ranked sixth.
Jones had a pick-six in the opener against Alabama State and finished the season with 46 tackles and five pass break-ups.
Reed finished second on the NCCU roster in tackles with 60. He intercepted two passes, broke up nine more and returned a fumble for a touchdown.
Nine North Carolina Central players made the second-team all-conference list: quarterback Walker Harris; wide receivers Joaquin Davis and Markell Quick; tight end Luke Bracey; center Noah McKinney; offensive lineman AC McMoore; defensive linemen Quantez Mansfield and Jaden Taylor; and linebacker Max U’Ren.
Harris stepped into the starting quarterback role this season and threw for 1,882 yards and 18 TD passes, second in the MEAC. Quick (527 yards, 5 TDs) and Davis (489 yards, 4 TDs) led the team in receiving. Bracey caught eight passes, one for a touchdown, from his tight end spot.
McKinney and McMoore joined Humphrey in establishing North Carolina Central’s dominance at the line of scrimmage. The Eagles had at least 350 yards of ‘O’ in seven different games.
Mansfield recorded 10.5 tackles for loss. U’Ren averaged 5.1 tackles per contest. Taylor had 34 tackles and 6.0 tackles-for-loss.
NCCU finished 8-3, 4-1 in the MEAC – second place behind champion South Carolina State. The Eagles were on the cusp of earning an FCS playoff berth but were among the last teams out when the 24-team bracket was released on Sunday.
North Carolina Central has been on a great run the past three seasons, posting 8-3, 9-3 (2023) and 10-2 (2022) records. The Eagles haven’t had a losing season in football since 2019.
The MEAC’s Offensive Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year awards will be announced on Dec. 10 at the National Football Foundation awards press conference.
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.
2024 All-MEAC Football Postseason Awards
| 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
