The Morgan State Bears are making headlines ahead of the 2025 MEAC football season, sweeping the conference’s top individual preseason accolades.
Sophomore running back Jason Collins Jr. was named the Preseason Offensive Player of the Year. At the same time, veteran linebacker Erick Hunter garnered Preseason Defensive Player of the Year recognition at MEAC Media Day.
Collins Jr. Shines After Breakout 2024 Season
During his freshman campaign, Collins Jr. wasted no time establishing himself as a force in the backfield. Rushing for 634 yards and eight touchdowns on just 114 carries, Collins turned heads throughout the MEAC and earned 2024 MEAC Rookie of the Year honors. His signature performance came in a win over Delaware State, where he broke free for a 75-yard touchdown en route to a career-best 152 yards on 24 carries.
A true dual-threat contributor, Collins also added 17 receptions for 143 yards. His 2024 season rankings included:
-
5th in the MEAC in rushing yards
-
7th in all-purpose yards (69.9 yards per game)
-
10th in scoring (4.0 points per game)
-
11th in total offense (52.8 yards per game)
Collins capped an outstanding debut year as a finalist for the 2024 Jerry Rice Award, presented to the nation’s top freshman in FCS football.
🐻🏈Building a legacy on both sides of the ball💪
Congratulations to @JasonCollinsJr & @ErickHunter04👏#MorganStateFB@meacsports | @underarmour#MEACMD25 #CharmCity#GoBears🔷🔶 pic.twitter.com/rX3owJEo1R
— Morgan State Bears (@MorganStBears) July 22, 2025
Hunter Returns from Injury, Earns Top Defensive Honor
Senior linebacker Erick Hunter’s journey to 2025 preseason acclaim is one marked by resilience. After missing most of the 2024 season due to injury, Hunter returned to anchor the Bears’ defense in the final two games, punctuating his comeback with a standout effort against Howard—recording seven tackles and a sack.
Hunter is no stranger to accolades, already ranking ninth on Morgan State’s all-time tackles list with 196. His resume includes:
-
BOXTOROW Impact Player of the Year (2023)
-
FCS Football Central All-American Third Team
-
All-MEAC First Team honors
-
Buck Buchanan Award finalist
Bears Poised for a Big Season
With Collins Jr. and Hunter leading the charge, the Bears enter the 2025 season with expectations at an all-time high. Both players exemplify Morgan State’s tradition of excellence, blending athleticism, determination, and leadership that has the Bears aiming for MEAC supremacy and postseason success.
As the new season approaches, all eyes will be on Baltimore to see if Collins and Hunter can build on their decorated careers and carry Morgan State to new heights. Morgan State was in the hunt for the conference title before a late season slide knocked them out of contention.
Despite the respect Morgan State’s top offensive and defensive players earned, the Bears were picked to finish third in the MEAC standings behind South Carolina State and North Carolina Central.
“I feel good about them,” Bears coach Damon Wilson said of his team that feature 11 All-MEAC players. “They put in a tremendous amount of work. Our coaches did a great job of recruiting and bringing in talent to the ballclub. I’m excited about the product we are going to put on the field.”