NORFOLK, Va. – After finishing the season as co-champions of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, North Carolina Central University topped the league with 12 All-MEAC selections, the conference office announced on Saturday (Nov. 29).
 
Leading the way for the Eagles as First-Team All-MEAC honorees are junior wide receiver Adrian Wilkins (Forest City, N.C.), junior offensive lineman Clevonne Davis (Miramar, Fla.) and sophomore Michael Jones (Baltimore, Md.), as both a defensive back and return specialist.
 
Earning Second-Team All-MEAC recognition are sophomore quarterback Malcolm Bell (Richmond, Va.), senior running back Andre Clarke, junior wide receiver Quentin Atkinson (Raleigh, N.C.), senior offensive lineman Christopher Pressley (Upper Marlboro, Md.), senior defensive end Ty Brown (Charlotte, N.C.), senior defensive end Felix Small (Brooklyn, N.Y.) and senior defensive back C.J. Moore (Raleigh, N.C.).
 
Rounding out the conference-high 12 all-conference picks for NCCU is freshman tight end Jvon Simmons (La Plata, Md.) on the All-MEAC Third Team.
 
"I am extremely proud of these young men," said NCCU head football coach Jerry Mack, who guided the Eagles to a 7-5 record in his first year. "It shows the time and commitment they put in over the summer and throughout the season; not only earning all-conference honors, but ending the season as co-champions."
 
Wilkins repeated on the All-MEAC First Team after ending the season second in the conference with a team-high 50 receptions for 540 yards and three touchdowns.
 
Davis topped the Eagles' offensive front by grading 92 percent on blocking assignments with more than 60 knockdown blocks this season.
 
Jones led the MEAC and ranked fifth in the NCAA Division I-FCS with 18 passes defended, including five interceptions and 13 pass break-ups. He also collected 40 tackles (30 solo) with 2.5 hits for a loss. As a return specialist, Jones ranked second in the NCAA Division I-FCS with a 19.1-yard punt return average, while also averaging 22.3 yards per kickoff return.
 
Bell was the second-leading passer in the MEAC with an average of 180.2 passing yards per game. He completed 177 of 286 passes (61.9%) for 1,982 yards and 15 touchdowns with a pass efficiency rating of 133.9.
 
Clarke tied for the league lead with 15 rushing touchdowns, which ranks second on the NCCU single-season list. He topped the Eagles with 723 rushing yards for an average of 4.6 yards per carry and 60.2 yards per game.
 
Atkinson placed third in the MEAC with a team-high 51.2 receiving yards per game. He recorded 49 receptions for 615 yards and a NCCU-best five receiving touchdowns.
 
Pressley graded out at 89 percent of his blocking assignments with more than 35 knockdowns.
 
Brown tied for sixth in the MEAC with 15.0 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks, both team-highs. He also tallied 47 total tackles (30 solo) with five quarterback hurries and a forced fumble.
 
Small led the nation (NCAA Division I-FCS) with seven forced fumbles, which is a NCCU single-season record. He also collected 60 total tackles (33 solo), including 14.0 hits for a loss with 7.0 sacks, three quarterback hurries and two pass deflections.
 
Moore topped the Eagles and ranked 12th in the MEAC with 90 total tackles (48 solo), including 6.5 hits for a loss, five pass break-ups, an interception, three recovered fumbles (TD at ECU), two forced fumbles and a blocked punt that he recovered for the game-winning touchdown at Norfolk State.
 
Simmons caught 11 passes for 101 yards and a touchdown in his rookie season.
 
For a complete list of All-MEAC selections, visit www.MEACSports.com.