BALTIMORE, Md. (July 22, 2025) – Morgan State football is generating significant buzz heading into the upcoming season, largely due to its impressive haul of preseason individual accolades within the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC). The Bears made a clean sweep of the conference's top individual honors, with standout linebacker Erick Hunter earning the prestigious title of Preseason MEAC Defensive Player of the Year, and dynamic running back Jason Collins Jr. securing the Preseason Offensive Player of the Year nod.
This impressive individual recognition was further underscored by a total of eleven Morgan State football players being named today to the 2025 MEAC's preseason team, a selection determined by votes from the conference's head coaches and sports information directors. The momentous announcement took place in front of a live audience during the MEAC Football Media Show, broadcast live on ESPN+ from the iconic M&T Bank Stadium in downtown Baltimore, Maryland.
Collins Jr. made an immediate impact in his debut season, rushing for 634 yards and eight touchdowns on 114 carries to earn 2024 MEAC Rookie of the Year honors. His breakout performance came against Delaware State, where he exploded for a 75-yard touchdown and totaled 152 rushing yards on 24 carries.
A dual-threat out of the backfield, Collins also recorded 17 receptions for 143 yards. He ranked fifth in the MEAC in rushing yards, seventh in all-purpose yards (69.9 ypg), 10th in scoring (4.0 ppg), and 11th in total offense (52.8 ypg). Capping off his standout season, Collins was named a finalist for the 2024 Jerry Rice Award, honoring the top freshman in FCS football.
Despite missing most of the 2024 season, Hunter made a strong return in the final two games, capping the year with a standout performance against Howard that included seven tackles and one sack.
Hunter, who ranks ninth on Morgan State's all-time tackles list with 196, has already established himself as one of the top defenders in the FCS. In 2023, he earned BOXTOROW Impact Player of the Year honors, was named to the FCS Football Central All-American Third Team, received All-MEAC First Team recognition, and was a finalist for the Buck Buchanan Award.
Other players who earned first-team selections alongside Hunter are sophomore defensive lineman Dashawn Fields, senior defensive back Jadon Carter, junior punter Shane Messenger, redshirt sophomore Sahr Gbundema, and redshirt sophomore Malique Leatherbury.
Collins was joined by a strong group of talented teammates who also received honors as second-team selections. This notable group included Leatherbury, who showcased his versatility by earning a second-team nod at wide receiver in addition to his first-team recognition. Completing this impressive roster were senior center Daniel Casillas, fellow offensive linemen redshirt junior Kahari Finley and senior Treyvon Branch, and senior linebacker Arturo Mattocks.
The Bears, under the direction of fourth-year head coach Damon Wilson, are predicted to finish third in the MEAC standings, according to the poll of the conference head coaches and sports information directors.
Listed below are the 2025 MEAC Preseason Predicted Order of Finish.
For complete 2025 Preseason All-MEAC teams, click here.
Predicted Order of Finish
| School (First-Place Votes) |
Points |
| 1. South Carolina State (5) |
63 |
| 2. North Carolina Central (4) |
61 |
| 3. Morgan State (1) |
39 |
| 4. Norfolk State (1) |
36 |
| 5. Howard (1) |
33 |
| 6. Delaware State (1) |
20 |
2025 Preseason All-MEAC Team
First Team
Second Team
Morgan is set to open its 2025 football season on the road Saturday, August 30, with a challenging out-of-conference matchup against the University of South Alabama Jaguars. This highly anticipated season-opening showdown for Morgan will kick off at 7 p.m., taking place on the Jaguars' home turf at Hancock Whitney Stadium.
Season tickets for the 2025 campaign are now available. Click here to purchase.
For more information on MEAC football, visit MEACsports.com.
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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.
