Bowie State quarterback Amir Hall and Texas Southern wide receiver Bobby Hartzog were the top vote getters as 34 players were selected to the 12th annual BOXTOROW All-America Team. BOXTOROW has administered the All-America team since 2007 and the voters are comprised of media members from around the nation that cover HBCU football.
Hall was selected to the team for the second straight year after leading Bowie State to a 10-3 record, its first ever CIAA championship and a win in the first round of the NCAA Division II playoffs. Hall became the CIAA’s all-time leading passer, as he finished the season completing 65 percent of his passes for 4,152 yards and 31 touchdowns. He also rushed for 445 yards and seven touchdowns.
Hartzog was selected All-SWAC First Team and averaged a league leading 127.5 receiving yards per game. He caught 56 passes for 1,020 yards, seven touchdowns and averaged 18.2 yards per reception.
Twenty teams are represented as Alcorn State and North Carolina A&T lead all teams with six selections a piece. North Carolina A&T defensive lineman Darryl Johnson was tied for the most votes amongst defensive players. Johnson, a repeat BOXTOROW All-American who was also named MEAC Defensive Player of the Year, leads the MEAC with 10.5 sacks and 18.5 tackles for loss.
Bowie State, Prairie View A&M, Virginia Union, and Grambling had two selections a piece as the Tigers were led by two-time SWAC Defensive Player of the Year and 2017 BOXTOROW All-American linebacker De’Arius Christmas, who tied with Johnson for most votes received by defensive players. Christmas registered 55 tackles (30 solo), 11 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks, two interceptions and two forced fumbles.
Christmas, Johnson and Hall are among the players who could win a BOXTOROW superlative award. The superlative awards will be released on Tuesday.
Other players selected as BOXTOROW All-Americans last year as well include North Carolina A&T running back Marquel Cartwright and North Carolina Central defensive back Davanta Reynolds.
OFFENSE
QB: Amir Hall, Bowie State, Sr., Bowie, Md.$
RB: De’Shawn Waller, Alcorn State, Jr., Atlanta, Ga.
RB: Marquell Cartwright, North Carolina A&T, r-Sr., High Point, N.C.*$
RB: Taeyler Porter, Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Jr., Immokalee, Fla.*
RB: Tabyus Taylor, Virginia Union, Soph., Hopewell, Va.*
OL: Micah Shaw, North Carolina A&T, Sr., Fayetteville, N.C.
OL: Chris McCrea, Alcorn State, r-Sr., St. Petersburg, Fla.
OL: Jean Cyriaque, Morehouse, Jr., Durham, N.C.*
OL: Jodeci Harris, Southern, r-Jr., Plaquemine, La.*
OL: Kevin Hall, Alcorn State, r-Jr., Prentiss, Miss.*
OL: Mustaffa Ibrahim, Alcorn State, Jr., Ridgeland, Miss.*
OL: Marcus Petiford, North Carolina A&T, Jr., Durham, N.C.*
TE: Zarrian Holcombe, Prairie View A&M, Jr., Houston, Texas
WR: Bobby Hartzog, Texas Southern, Gr., Houston, Texas
WR: Jequez Ezzard, Howard, Jr., Union City, Ga.
DEFENSE
DL: Darryl Johnson, North Carolina A&T, Jr., Kingsland, Ga.$
DL: Yurik Bethune, Alabama A&M, Sr., Mobile, Ala.
DL: Marques Ford, Bethune-Cookman, Jr., Gibsontonville, Fla.*
DL: Joshua Pryor, Bowie State, r-Fr., Baltimore, Md.*
DL: Terry Whittington, Alcorn State, r-Jr., Cooper City, Fla.*
LB: De’Arius Christmas , Grambling State, Sr., Vicksburg, Miss.$
LB: Austin Stephens, Miles, Jr., Mumford, Ala.
LB: Devon Hunt, Shaw, Jr., Rockingham, N.C.
DB: Sterling Hammond, Virginia Union, Jr., Caret, Va.
DB: Timadre Abram, North Carolina A&T, Sr., Lakeland, Fla.
DB: Joseph McWilliams, Grambling, r-Jr., Baton Rouge, La.
DB: Qwynnterrio Cole, Alcorn State, Soph., Memphis, Tenn.*
DB: Ju’Anthony Parker, Prairie View A&M, Jr., Dallas, Texas*
DB: Davanta Reynolds, North Carolina Central, Sr., Tucker, Ga.*
SPECIALISTS
P: Chris Faddoul, Florida A&M, Soph., West Chapel, Fla.
PK: Gabriel Ballinas, Albany State, Guadalupe, Mexico
RS: Booker Chambers, Mississippi Valley St., Sr., Greenwood, Miss.
PR: Tyeous Sharpe, Fayetteville State, Soph., Winston-Salem, N.C.
KR: Malik Wilson, North Carolina A&T, Sr., Burlington, N.C.
Honorable Mention
QB: Noah Johnson, Alcorn State, r-Jr., Tampa, Fla.
RB: Santo Dunn, Morehouse; Tyrell Freeman, Chowan
OL: Chidi Okeke, Tennessee State; Donald Boone, Chowan; Justin Brown, Benedict; Tytus Howard, Alabama State
TE: Ryan Edwards, Morehouse; Justin Chaney, Howard
WR: Lansana Seasay, Bowie State
DL: Oluwaleke Ajenifuja, Bowie State; Terrance Leatherwood, Tuskegee; Antonio Miller, Florida A&M
LB: Solomon Muhammad, Alcorn State; Kailen Abrams, Central State; Amari Holloway, Alabama A&M
DB: Mac McCain, III, North Carolina A&T; Dajour Nesbeth, Tennessee State; Daryus Skinner, Winston-Salem State; Travionte Brown, Benedict
RS: Michael Nero, Kentucky State
*indicates tie
$2017 BOXTOROW All-American