Established in 1970, the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference is celebrating its 55th anniversary this year. In honor of this milestone, I thought I would create a list of the 55 best players throughout the conference’s history.
I compiled this list by revisiting the ballot I submitted for the league’s 50th Anniversary All-Time Football Team, which was honored in 2020, making a couple of adjustments, and adding a handful of outstanding student-athletes who have played in the conference since 2021.
To be considered on the original ballot, players must have been to one of the following: First Team All-MEAC, MEAC Offensive Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, Rookie of the Year, Offensive Lineman of the Year, or be a MEAC, Black College Football, or College Football Hall of Fame inductee.
As an act of complete transparency, I give you my amended list, which includes players who made the 50th Anniversary Team that I have eliminated, the players I replaced them with, the players who got in that I didn’t vote for (some of which were embarrassing on my part), and my post-2021 additions.
Players I Eliminated
Tristan Bellamy
South Carolina State, Offensive Lineman (Offensive Lineman of the Year 2013)
Dan Candeloro
Delaware State, Defensive Lineman (First Team All-MEAC 1984, 1985, Defensive Player of the Year 1985)
David Erby
South Carolina State, Linebacker (First Team All-MEAC 2009, 2010; Defensive Player of the Year 2010)
Dwayne Harper
South Carolina State, Defensive Back (First Team All-MEAC 1986, 1987; MEAC Hall Of Fame 2019)
Gene Lake
Delaware State, Running Back (First Team All-MEAC 1983,1984; Offensive Player of the Year 1984; MEAC Hall Of Fame 2009)
Lynden Trail
Norfolk State, Linebacker/Defensive Lineman (First Team All-MEAC 2012, 2013, 2014)
My 55th Anniversary Team
Replacement Players: +
Players I Didn’t Vote For: *
New Additions: ++
Quarterbacks (8)
Patrick Bonner +
Florida A&M, Quarterback (First Team All-MEAC 1998; MEAC Offensive Player of the Year 1998; Black College Football Player of the Year 1998; MEAC Total Pass Completions, Total Passing Yards, and Passing Touchdowns – Season Leader)
Connell Maynor
North Carolina A&T, Quarterback (First Team All-MEAC 1990, 1991; Offensive Player of the Year 1990, 1991; MEAC Hall of Fame 2020)
Greg McGhee
Howard, Quarterback (First Team All-MEAC 2013, 2014; Rookie of the Year 2011; Offensive Player of the Year 2013, 2014; MEAC Passing Attempts – Career Leader)
Davius Richard ++
North Carolina Central, Quarterback (First Team All-MEAC 2022, 2023; MEAC Offensive Player of the Year 2022, 2023; Celebration Bowl Offensive MVP 2022)
Allen Suber
Bethune-Cookman, Quarterback (First Team All-MEAC 2001, 2002, 2003; Offensive Player of the Year 2002, 2003; MEAC Hall of Fame 2021)
Ellsworth Turner
North Carolina A&T, Quarterback (First Team All-MEAC 1975, 1976, 1977; Offensive Player of the Year 1976; MEAC Hall of Fame 2007)
Jay Walker
Howard, (First Team All-MEAC 1992, 1993; Offensive Player of the Year 1993; MEAC Hall of Fame 2018; Black College Football Hall of Fame 2025)
Ted White
Howard, Quarterback (First Team All-MEAC 1996; Offensive Player of the Year 1996; MEAC Hall of Fame 2010; MEAC Total Passing Yards – Career & Single Game Leader)
Running Backs (6)
Tarik Cohen
North Carolina A&T, Running Back (First Team All-MEAC 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016; Rookie of the Year 2013; Offensive Player of the Year 2014, 2015, 2016; MEAC Hall of Fame 2025; MEAC Total Carries and Yards Gained – Career Leader; Celebration Bowl Offensive MVP, 2015)
Alonzo Coleman
Hampton, Running Back (First Team All-MEAC 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006; Rookie of the Year 2003; Offensive Player of the Year 2005; MEAC Rushing Touchdowns – Career Leader)
William Ford
South Carolina State, Running Back (First Team All-MEAC 2007, 2008, 2009; Rookie of the Year 2006; Offensive Player of the Year 2008)
Maurice Hicks +
North Carolina A&T, Running Back (First Team All-MEAC 2000, 2001; Offensive Player of the Year 2001)
Michael Hicks
South Carolina State, Running Back (First Team All-MEAC 1993, 1994, 1995; Offensive Player of the Year 1995; MEAC Average Yards Gained – Career (Min. 1,000 yards) Leader)
Mike Mayhew +
North Carolina A&T, Running Back (First Team All-MEAC 2010, 2011; Rookie of the Year 2009; Offensive Player of the Year, 2011)
Wide Receivers/Tight Ends (6)
Ray Alexander *
Florida A&M, Wide Receiver (First Team All-MEAC 1981, 1982, 1983; Offensive Player of the Year 1983; MEAC Hall of Fame 1995)
Gary “Flea” Harrell
Howard, Wide Receiver/Kick Returner (First Team All-MEAC 1991, 1993; MEAC Hall of Fame 2023)
Shaheer McBride
Delaware State, Wide Receiver/Tight End (First Team All-MEAC 2005, 2006; Rookie of the Year, 2004)
Jacquay Nunnally
Florida A&M, Wide Receiver (First Team All-MEAC 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000; Rookie of the Year 1997; MEAC Hall of Fame 2010; MEAC Total Receptions (Career, Season, Individual Game), Total Receiving Yards and Touchdown Receptions – Career Leader)
Tracy Singleton
Howard, Wide Receiver (First Team All-MEAC 1980, 1981, 1982; Offensive Player of the Year 1981, 1982)
John Taylor
Delaware State, Wide Receiver (First Team All-MEAC 1984, 1985; Offensive Player of the Year 1985; MEAC Hall of Fame 1993; Black College Football Hall of Fame 2019)
Offensive Linemen (6)
Jelani Clement +
Hampton, Offensive Lineman (First Team All-MEAC 2002, 2003, 2004; Offensive Lineman of the Year 2004)
Johnny Culbreath
South Carolina State, Offensive Lineman (First Team All-MEAC 2008, 2009, 2010; Offensive Lineman of the Year 2009)
Josh Harrison +
South Carolina State, Offensive Lineman (First Team All-MEAC 2009, 2010; Offensive Lineman of the Year 2010)
Rod Milstead
Delaware State, Offensive Guard (First Team All-MEAC 1989, 1990, 1991; MEAC Hall of Fame 2021)
Brandon Parker
North Carolina A&T, Offensive Lineman (First Team All-MEAC 2015, 2016, 2017; Offensive Lineman of the Year 2015, 2016, 2017)
Nick Taiste ++
South Carolina State, Offensive Lineman (First Team All-MEAC, 2022, 2023, 2024; MEAC Offensive Lineman of the Year 2024)
Defensive Linemen (10)
Steve Baggs
Bethune-Cookman, Defensive Lineman (First Team All-MEAC 2001, 2002, 2003; Defensive Player of the Year 2003)
Dwaine Board
North Carolina A&T, Defensive Lineman (First Team All-MEAC 1977, 1978; Defensive Player of the Year 1977; MEAC Hall of Fame 1993)
Harry Carson
South Carolina State, Defensive Lineman (First Team All-MEAC 1974, 1975; Defensive Player of the Year 1974, 1975; MEAC Hall of Fame 1981; Black College Football Hall of Fame 2012; College Football Hall of Fame 2002)
Chartric Darby *
South Carolina State, Defensive Lineman (First Team All-MEAC 1996, 1997; MEAC Hall of Fame 2018; MEAC Total Sacks – Season Leader)
Carl Hairston *
Maryland Eastern Shore, Defensive Lineman (First Team All-MEAC 1973, 1974, 1975; MEAC Hall of Fame 2005)
Javon Hargrave
South Carolina State, Defensive Lineman (First Team All-MEAC 2014, 2015; Defensive Player of the Year 2014, 2015; MEAC Hall of Fame 2024)
Chris McNeil +
North Carolina A&T, Defensive Lineman (First Team All-MEAC 1997; MEAC Defensive Player of the Year 1997; Buck Buchanan Award (FCS Defensive Player of the Year) 1997; MEAC Total Tackles for Loss – Individual Game Leader)
Bobby Moore +
South Carolina State, Defensive Lineman (First Team All-MEAC 1976, 1977, 1978; Defensive Player of the Year 1978; MEAC Hall of Fame 2016)
Robert Porcher
South Carolina State, Defensive Lineman (First Team All-MEAC 1991; Defensive Player of the Year 1991; MEAC Hall of Fame 2017; Black College Football Hall of Fame 2017)
Elijah Williams ++
Morgan State, Defensive Lineman (First Team All-MEAC 2022, 2023, 2024; Defensive Player of the Year 2024)
Linebackers (7)
Justin Durant *
Hampton, Linebacker (First Team All-MEAC 2004, 2005, 2006; Defensive Player of the Year 2004, 2005, 2006; MEAC Hall of Fame 2015)
Demetrius Harrison
North Carolina A&T, Linebacker (First Team All-MEAC 1987, 1988, 1989; Defensive Player of the Year 1988, 1989; MEAC Hall of Fame 2021)
Earl Holmes +
Florida A&M, Linebacker (First Team All-MEAC 1994, 1995; Defensive Player of the Year 1995; MEAC Hall of Fame 2011; MEAC Total Tackles – Career Leader)
Darius Leonard
South Carolina State, Linebacker (First Team All-MEAC 2015, 2016, 2017; Rookie of the Year 2014; Defensive Player of the Year 2016, 2017)
Keith Pough
Howard, Linebacker (First Team All-MEAC 2010, 2011, 2012; Defensive Player of the Year 2012)
Eugene Simms
Morgan State, Linebacker (First Team All-MEAC 1972, 1973, 1974; Defensive Player of the Year 1973)
Tracy White
Howard, Linebacker (First Team All-MEAC 2000, 2001, 2002; Defensive Player of the Year 2000, 2001; MEAC Hall of Fame 2017)
Defensive Backs (10)
Antoine Bethea
Howard, Defensive Back (First Team All-MEAC 2004, 2005; MEAC Hall of Fame 2015; Black College Football Hall of Fame 2024)
John Bostic
Bethune-Cookman, Defensive Back (First Team All-MEAC 1981, 1983, 1984; Defensive Player of the Year 1984)
Joe Burton
Delaware State, Defensive Back (First Team All-MEAC 1984, 1985, 1986; Defensive Player of the Year 1986)
Barney Bussey
South Carolina State, Defensive Back/Kick Returner (First Team All-MEAC 1981, 1982, 1983; Defensive Player of the Year 1983)
Jermaine Derricott +
South Carolina State, Defensive Back (First Team All-MEAC 1997, 1998; Defensive Player of the Year 1998)
Kenny Gallop Jr. ++
Howard, Defensive Back (First Team All-MEAC, 2022, 2023, 2024; Defensive Player of the Year 2023)
Rashean Mathis
Bethune-Cookman, Defensive Back (First Team All-MEAC 2000, 2001, 2002; Buck Buchanan Award (FCS Defensive Player of the Year) 2002; MEAC Hall of Fame 2017; Black College Football Hall of Fame 2025; MEAC Interceptions – Season and Career Leader)
Donnie Shell
South Carolina State, Defensive Back (First Team All-MEAC 1973; MEAC Hall of Fame 1986; Black College Football Hall of Fame 2015; College Football Hall of Fame 1998; Pro Football Hall of Fame 2020)
Maurice Spencer *
North Carolina Central, Defensive Back (First Team All-MEAC 1972, 1973; MEAC Hall of Fame 1986)
Terrell Whitehead *
Norfolk State, Defensive Back (First Team All-MEAC 2007, 2008, 2009)
Special Teams (2)
Charles Poplos *
Delaware State, Punter (First Team All-MEAC 1991, 1992, 1993)
James Vertuno *
Florida A&M, Placekicker (First Team All-MEAC 1988, 1989, 1990)
