BALTIMORE, Md. (Dec. 14, 2022) ⎯ Morgan State freshman return specialist Keith Jenkins Jr. captured another postseason football honor when he was selected to the BOXTOROW All-America Team on Wednesday, December 14, 2022. Teammate Elijah Williams, a defensive lineman, was an Honorable Mention All-America selection.
Jenkins had a sensational 2022 campaign in his first year at Morgan. The freshman is one of the top return specialists in the nation and finished the season with two kickoff returns for touchdowns (T-No. 2 in the FCS). He picked his way through the Hornets for a 90-yard kickoff return touchdown against Delaware State (Nov. 12) and was named the MEAC Specialist of the Week for that performance. He recorded a 96-yard kickoff return for a touchdown at North Carolina Central (Oct. 13) and was named both the MEAC Rookie of the Week and Specialist of the Week for his efforts. Jenkins completed the season ranked No. 6 in the nation in kickoff returns (29.4 avg).
Morgan was picked to finish last (6th) in the MEAC preseason head football coaches and sports information directors, but instead finished in a 3-way tie for second place with a 2-3 mark in league play. In just his first season as a head coach, Damon Wilson has helped Morgan State improve from a 2-9 regular season in 2021 to a 4-7 regular season in 2022.
BOXTOROW lauded Williams for a brilliant 2022 season. The Jersey City (N.J.) product was named to the All-MEAC First Team as a defensive force in the conference for the Bears. He registered 60 total tackles (33 solo, 27 assisted) for the year, including a league-high 19.0 tackles for loss (No. 5 in FCS) and nine sacks (T-No. 13 in FCS). Williams tallied nine total stops to go along with two sacks against Stony Brook (Nov. 5) and finished with nine tackles and two sacks at North Carolina Central (Oct. 13).
2022 BOXTOROW All-America Team
OFFENSE
QB: Shedeur Sanders, Jackson State, Soph., Canton, Texas
RB: Jada Byers, Virginia Union, Soph., Hammonton, N.J.
RB: Jarveon Howard, Alcorn State, r-Sr., Columbia, Miss.
OL: Tyler Brown, Jackson State, Soph., Jackson, Miss.
OL: Jalen Goss, Florida A&M, Gr., Valdosta, Ga.
OL: Dallas Black, Southern, r-Jr., New Orleans, La.
OL: Corey Bullock, North Carolina Central, Jr., Accokeek, Md.
OL: Maurice Campbell, Benedict, Gr., Atlanta, Ga.
TE: Kemari Averett, Bethune-Cookman, Sr., Atlanta, Ga.
WR: Xavier Smith, Florida A&M, Gr., Haines City, Fla.
WR: Shaquan Davis, South Carolina State, r-Jr., Summerville, S.C.
DEFENSE
DL: Loobert Denelus, Benedict, Jr., Naples, Fla.
DL: Isaiah Land, Florida A&M, r-Sr., Buffalo, N.Y.
DL: Kamari Stephens, Florida A&M, r-Jr., Jacksonville, Fla.
DL: Nyles Gaddy, Jackson State, r-Soph., Nashville, Tenn.
LB: Colton Adams, Alabama State, r-Soph., Wetumpka, Ala.
LB: Aubrey Miller, Jr., Jackson State, Sr., Memphis, Tenn.
LB: BJ Davis, South Carolina State, r-Jr., Blair, S.C.
DB: Khalil Baker, North Carolina Central, Jr., Winston-Salem, N.C.
DB: Isaiah Hamilton, Texas Southern, Fr., Channelview, Texas
DB: Cam'Ron Silmon-Craig, Jackson State, Soph., Birmingham, Ala.
DB: Kenny Gallop, Howard, Jr., Portsmouth, Va.*
DB: Corione Harris, Southern, Sr., New Orleans, La.*
DB: Kevin Larkins, Jr., Livingstone, Fr., Fort Lauderdale, Fla.*
SPECIALISTS
P: Chris Faddoul, Florida A&M, r-Sr., Wesley Chapel Fla.
PK: Jose Romo-Martinez, Florida A&M, Gr., Banning, Calif.
PR: Kwincy Hall, Bowie State, r-Jr., Washington, D.C.
KR: Keith Jenkins, Jr., Morgan State, Fr., Gainesville, Va.
Honorable Mention
QB: Davius Richard, North Carolina Central
RB: Bhayshul Tuten, North Carolina A&T; Sy'Veon Wilkerson, Jackson State
OL: Emmanuel Boone, Fort Valley State; Darian Bryant, Virginia Union; Drake Centers, Texas Southern; Mark Evans, II, Arkansas-Pine Bluff; Robert Mitchell, North Carolina Central
WR: Dallas Daniels, Jackson State
DL: Malachi Bailey, Alcorn State; Armonii Burden, Virginia Union; Devin Cowan, Fayetteville State; Patrick Godbolt, South Carolina State; Jermaine McDaniel, North Carolina A&T; Elijah Williams, Morgan State
LB: Tyquan King, North Carolina A&T; Ronnie Thomas, Mississippi Valley State
DB: Jay Boyd, Shaw; Willie Drew, Virginia State; Omari Hill-Robinson, Bethune-Cookman; Tyler Moore, Fort Valley State; Karon Prunty, North Carolina A&T
P: Jacob Young, Fayetteville State
K: Adrian Olivo, North Carolina Central
KR: Darnell Deas, Bethune-Cookman
ABOUT MORGAN
Morgan State University, founded in 1867, is a Carnegie-classified high research (R2) institution offering nearly 140 academic programs leading to degrees from the baccalaureate to the doctorate. As Maryland's Preeminent Public Urban Research University, and the only university to have its entire campus designated as a National Treasure by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Morgan serves a multiethnic and multiracial student body and seeks to ensure that the doors of higher education are opened as wide as possible to as many as possible. For more information about Morgan State University, visit www.morgan.edu.
