Elijah Williams claims AFCA All-American status

football
12/20/2024 8:00:00 am

MSU Athletics Communications

Senior defensive lineman placed on the second team

BALTIMORE, Md. (Dec. 20, 2024) — Elijah Williamsa standout defensive lineman for Morgan State, earned major recognition as he was named to the 2024 AFCA Championship Subdivision Coaches’ All-America Team. Williams earned a spot on Second Team All-America, underscoring his impact in the highly competitive college football landscape. He is just one of three Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) student-athletes named to the All-America team. Full list here.

Williams was recently named the 2024 MEAC Defensive Player of the Year and was a finalist for the Buck Buchanan Award, given to the national defensive player of the year in Division I FCS college football.

The outstanding defensive performance helped Morgan to a 6-6 overall record (3-2 MEAC) and finished with its most wins since the Bears’ 2014 MEAC championship season.

“Agent Zero” continues to rack up accolades and has been named to the All-MEAC First Team, a Buck Buchanan Award finalist, BOXTOROW HBCU All-American, Stats Perform FCS All-American and one of only ten finalists for first HBCU+ National Player of the Year Award from the Urban Edge Network.

Williams emerged as a dynamic force on one of the best defensive units in the country this season (FCS ranked 21st in total defense). With his exceptional performance, he finished 7th in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) with an impressive record of 11.0 sacks. He also recorded 15.0 tackles for loss, ranking second in the MEAC and No. 20 in the country.

In addition to his impressive sack-and-tackle numbers for losses, Williams contributed significantly to several other aspects of the game, collecting 54 tackles (No. 14 in MEAC), including 32 solo stops. His versatility was highlighted by his ability to put pressure on the quarterback, demonstrated by two QB hurries, and his knack for turnovers, including two fumble recoveries and a forced fumble. To add to his contributions, he even showed off his athleticism by blocking a field goal against #20 North Carolina Central.

Williams etched his name into the annals of college football history, concluding his tenure at Morgan State with a remarkable legacy as the institution’s all-time leader in both sacks and tackles for loss. With an impressive record of 31 sacks and 52 tackles for loss, he not only stood out as an impressive defensive player, but also set the standard for future generations of athletes at the university.

His notable contributions on the field have earned him a place in the annals of the MEAC, where his career sack total ranks seventh all-time. Notably, he finds himself in close company with fellow Bear James Dozier, whose impressive record of 31.5 sacks ranked him sixth from 1987 to 1990.

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ABOUT MORGAN
Founded in 1867, Morgan State University is a Carnegie High Research (R2) classified institution that offers nearly 140 academic programs leading to degrees from baccalaureate to doctoral degrees. As Maryland’s preeminent public urban studies university and the only university whose entire campus has been designated a National Treasure by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Morgan serves a multi-ethnic and multi-racial student body and aims to ensure that the doors of higher education are opened as broadly as possible to as many as possible. For more information about Morgan State University, visit www.morgan.edu