Atlanta, GA—The 2010 Boxtorow.com/BASN preseason HBCU All-American team was announced and it featured three players from the SIAC, including two players from Tuskegee in wide receiver Antoine Mitchell and offensive lineman Michael Stevens along with Albany State defensive back Mario Fuller.
The preseason team is made up of 27 of the top black college football players in the country. The voters are comprised of some of America's top writers and media members who cover HBCU football.
Mitchell, a 5-11 senior from Atlanta, GA, had an impressive 2009 campaign with 800 yards receiving and seven touchdowns, both of which led the SIAC. He helped lead the Golden Tigers to a record of 10-2 (8-1 in the SIAC) in 2009, a season that ended with a victory in Pioneer Bowl XI against Elizabeth City State (21-7).
Stevens, a 6-6 398 pound senior, returns this year after suffering a season-ending injury in the opening game of 2009. In 2008, Stevens was one of the top offensive linemen in the country earning several postseason honors, including the Boxtorow/BASN and Sheridan Broadcasting Network (SBN) All-American teams as well as the Daktronics All-Region team.
Fuller, a 6-0 226 pound senior, led the Golden Rams in tackles with 67 (50 solo) last season and is one of the top returning tacklers in the SIAC. The Jesup, GA native was a key member on the SIAC’s top scoring defense, which gave up just 14.8 points per contest in 2009.
In its fourth year, The BoxToRow.com/BASN HBCU Preseason All-American team is collaboration between DWCommunications, LLC (the parent company of www.boxtorow.com) and The Black Athlete Sports Network (www.blackathlete.com). The companies also collaborate on a weekly top 10 HBCU football media poll, an HBCU football top 10 Division I coaches poll and HBCU basketball Division I and Division II/NAIA baseball teams.
Below is a complete list of the Boxtorow.com/BASN 2010 Preseason HBCU All-American Team:
Offense
(Name, School, Height., Weight., Year., Hometown)
QB: K.J. Black (Prairie View A&M) 6-4, 225, Sr., Louisville, Ky.
RB: Donald Babers (Prairie View A&M) 5-9, 170, Sr., Houston, Tx.*
RB: Frank Warren (Grambling State) 6-0, 200, Sr., Pleasant Grove, Ala.
OL: Ramon Chinyoung (Southern) 6-1, 295, Sr., Houston, Tx.
OL: Johnny Culbreath (South Carolina State) 6-6, 310, r-Jr., Monroe, Ga.*
OL: Josh Harrison (South Carolina State) 6-4, 290, Sr., Lake City, S.C.
OL: Michael Stevens (Tuskegee) 6-6, 398, Sr., Montgomery, Ala.
OL: Tim Tusey (Prairie View A&M) 6-3, 280, r-Soph., Houston, Tx.
TE: Lamont Bryant (Morgan State) 6-6, 210, Jr., Newport News, Va.
WR: Dexter Manley (Elizabeth City State) 6-5, 200, Sr., Virginia Beach, Va.***
WR: Antoine Mitchell (Tuskegee) 5-11, 187, Soph., Atlanta, Ga.
Defense
DL: Christian Anthony (Grambling State) 6-4, 246, Sr., Birmingham, Ala.**
DL: Kendrick Ellis (Hampton) 6-5, 340, r-Sr., West Palm Beach, Fl.
DL: Quinton Spears (Prairie View A&M) 6-4, 240, r-Sr., Montgomery, Tx.
DL: Malcolm Jenkins (Elizabeth City State) 6-4, 245, Sr., Florence, N.J.
LB: David Erby (South Carolina State) 6-1, 215, r-Sr., Rock Hill, S.C.
LB: Cliff Exama (Grambling State) 6-0, 230, Jr., North Miami Beach, Fl.
LB: Julio Sanchez (Hampton) 6-0, 225, Sr., Miami, Fl.
DB: Chris Adingupu (Prairie View A&M) 6-1, 180, Sr., Miami, Fl.
DB: Eugene Clifford (Tennessee State) 6-2, 195, Sr., Cincinnati, Oh.
DB: Mario Fuller (Albany State) 6-0, 226, Sr., Jessup, Ga.
DB: Jason House (Southern) 6-0, 190, r-Sr., Laurel, Miss.*
Specialists
PK: Ari Johnson (Grambling State) 5-11, 180, Soph.,Corona, Ca.*
P: Pedro Ventura (Prairie View A&M) 5-9, 170, Sr., Houston, Tx.
RS: Kiare Thompson (Grambling State) 6-0, 185, Sr., Sacramento, Ca.
* -- 2009 Boxtorow.com/BASN All-American
** -- 2009 Boxtorow.com/BASN Defensive Player of the Year
*** -- 2008 Boxtorow.com/BASN All-American