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FCS: Which Players From Current MEAC Schools Had The Best NFL Careers?

Brian McLaughlin by Brian McLaughlin
April 10, 2020
FCS Betting Lines: Week 11 – EKU-UCA, WCU-Liberty, Gardner-Webb-Charlotte

The FCS has had hundreds of standout players move on to have special NFL careers, and a good number have made it to the NFL Hall of Fame. We decided to break down the “FCS-to-NFL” ranks by conference … leading up to a final national ranking of the top FCS products to finish a career in the NFL. We only ranked individuals who played for current FCS conference schools (no Appalachian States or Marshalls, for instance … and just because the player may have actually played D-2 football when they were in college, that doesn’t disqualify).

This ranking will be using the Pro Football Reference criteria for AV – “Approximate Value”, which uses an algorithm that measures a player’s statistics, honors, awards, you name it — on an annual basis dating back to 1960 when all of this statistical material was more easily attainable/tracked. It takes into account that an offensive lineman can’t put up stats like a quarterback, obviously, but an O-lineman with Pro Bowl credentials and being a cornerstone on a Super Bowl team will be rewarded too. Then … the annual points are added up to create a “career AV” which is a total reflecting the “Approximate Value” of a player’s career.

Obviously, Hall of Fame players do well in this rating, but you may be surprised at times at the rating given to a player who had a long career … with some true highlights … who did not make the Hall of Fame. It happens. See the list below.[divider]

TOP NFL CAREERS: Each Conference Linked

TOP NFL CAREERS – MEAC

(according to Pro-Football-Reference.com)

ABBREVIATIONS: PB — Career Pro Bowls; AV — site’s “Approximate Value” point system used by Pro Football Reference to quantify a player, based on statistics, honors, etc awarded by year back to 1960 – and taking position into consideration; YRS — Total years in the league

RKFCS SCHOOLPOSPLAYERPBAVYRSSPANSTATS
1BETHUNE-COOKMANOLLarry Little (*)5130141967-1980183 career games
2FLORIDA A&MDBKen Riley0127151969-198365 career INTs
3S.C. STATEDBDonnie Shell (*)5120141974-198751 career INTs
4S.C. STATELBHarry Carson (*)9119131976-1988173 career games
5S.C. STATEDLDeacon Jones (*)8119141961-1974191 career games
6NORTH CAROLINA CENT.OLDoug Wilkerson3115151970-1984204 career games
7MORGAN STATELBWillie Lanier (*)8108111967-197727 career INTs
8FLORIDA A&MOLNate Newton6107141986-1999198 career games
9MORGAN STATERBLeroy Kelly (*)6102101964-19739,555 total yds, 87 TDs
10FLORIDA A&MWRBob Hayes (*)396111965-19757,414 rec yds, 71 TDs
11S.C. STATEWRJohn Gilliam491111967-19777,056 rec. yds, 48 TDs
12S.C. STATEDLBarney Chavous091131973-1985183 career games
13NORTH CAROLINA A&TDLElvin Bethea (*)890161968-1983191 career starts
14HOWARDDBAntoine Bethea386142006-20191,333 career tackles
15FLORIDA A&MOLHenry Lawrence285131974-1986187 career games
16S.C. STATEDLRobert Porcher384121992-200395.5 career sacks
17BETHUNE-COOKMANDBRashean Mathis183132003-2015649 tackles, 32 INTs
18FLORIDA A&MLBEarl Holmes070101996-2005957 tackles
19DELAWARE STATEWRJohn Taylor26891987-19955,598 rec yds, 43 TDs
20NORTH CAROLINA CENT.DBCharles Romes066111977-198728 career INTs
21FLORIDA A&MDBGlen Edwards265111971-198139 career INTs
22MORGAN STATETERaymond Chester465121970-19815,013 rec yds, 48 TDs
23NORFOLK STATEDBKen Reaves164121966-197737 career INTs
24NORTH CAROLINA CENT.DBLouis Breeden064101978-198733 career INTs
25BETHUNE-COOKMANDLLee Williams263101984-199382.5 career sacks
26S.C. STATEOLEdwin Bailey062111981-1991139 career games
27NORTH CAROLINA A&TDBMel Phillips060121966-1977147 career games
28FLORIDA A&MDBGene Atkins059101987-1996614 tackles, 25 INTs
29S.C. STATEDBDwayne Harper059121988-1999572 career tackles
30MORGAN STATEOLRoosevelt Brown (*)956131953-1965162 career games
31FLORIDA A&MRB-TEHewritt Dixon45581963-19705,909 total yds, 28 TDs
32NORTH CAROLINA A&TDLDwaine Board055101979-1988121 career games
33NORFOLK STATEDBRon Bolton054111972-198235 career INTs
34MORGAN STATERBDave Meggett252101989-199813,996 all-purpose yds
35NORTH CAROLINA A&TOL-DLTom Day15291960-1968117 career games

(*) – Denotes an NFL Hall of Famer[divider]​​

MEAC – TOP CURRENT NFL PLAYERS

ABBREVIATIONS: PB — Career Pro Bowls; AV — site’s “Approximate Value” point system used by Pro Football Reference to quantify a player, based on statistics, honors, etc and taking position into consideration; YRS — Total years in the league

RKFCS SCHOOLPOSPLAYERPBAVYRSSPANSTATS
1HOWARDDBAntoine Bethea386142006-20191,333 career tackles
2S.C. STATELBDarius Leonard13022018-2019284 tackles, 19 TFLs
3S.C. STATEDTJavon Hargrave02742016-2019168 tackles, 22 TFLs
4DELAWARE STATEDTRodney Gunter02252015-2019126 tackles, 26 TFLs
5NORTH CAROLINA A&TRB-RSTarik Cohen12132017-20194,171 all-purpose yds
6S.C. STATELBJoe Thomas01162014-2019157 tackles
7NORTH CAROLINA CENT.CBRyan Smith0842016-2019113 tackles
8NORTH CAROLINA A&TOTBrandon Parker0722018-201926 games, 15 starts
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