By Kyle Serba Deputy Athletics Director for External Affairs North Carolina Central University
DURHAM, N.C. – North Carolina Central University junior defensive back Khalil Baker has made history by becoming the first NCCU Eagle to earn Associated Press FCS All-America First Team honors.
The 2022 MEAC Defensive Player of the Year, Baker (6-0, 185, Winston-Salem, N.C.) was second in the conference with four interceptions, including a touchdown return in a road win over nationally-ranked New Hampshire in September.
A leader of the MEAC champion Eagles, he ranks third on the team with 51 tackles (38 solo), including 2.0 stops for a loss, while also recording five pass break-ups and recovering a fumble during his junior campaign. Baker is also fifth in the MEAC in passes defended with nine.
Baker joins former NCCU defensive back Davanta Reynolds as the only other Eagle to garner All-America recognition from the Associated Press on the Division I-FCS level, with Reynolds receiving a Third Team selection in 2017.
During NCCU’s Division II era, four Eagles earned Associated Press All-America status: offensive lineman Robert Duncan (2006, Second Team), offensive lineman Sam Funches (2006, Second Team), linebacker Tommy Dorsey (1996, First Team), and defensive back Buddy Crutchfield (1996, Third Team).
Baker will suit up with his fellow Eagles on Saturday, Dec. 17, as No. 21 NCCU (9-2) faces No. 5 Jackson State (12-0) in the Cricket Celebration Bowl inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. The game will be televised live on ABC at noon.
2022 Associated Press FCS All-America Teams
FIRST TEAM
Offense
Quarterback — Lindsey Scott, seventh-year, Incarnate Word.
Running backs — Jaleel McLaughlin, fifth-year, Youngstown State; Geno Hess, fifth-year, Southeast Missouri State.
Offensive linemen — Cody Mauch, sixth-year, North Dakota State; Garret Greenfield, fifth-year, South Dakota State; Mason McCormick, fifth-year, South Dakota State; Colby Sorsdal, fifth-year, William & Mary; Nash Jensen, sixth-year, North Dakota State.
Tight end — Ryan Miller, fifth-year, Furman.
Wide receivers — Hayden Hatten, fourth-year, Idaho; Fotis Kokosioulis, fifth-year, Fordham; Xavier Gipson, fourth-year, Stephen F. Austin.
All-purpose player — Dylan Laube, fifth-year, New Hampshire.
Kicker — Skyler Davis, fifth-year, Elon.
Defense
Linemen — David Walker, third-year, Central Arkansas; Spencer Waege, sixth-year, North Dakota State; Jay Person, fifth-year, Chattanooga; Caleb Sanders, fifth-year, South Dakota State.
Linebackers — Zeke Vandenburgh, sixth-year, Illinois State; John Pius, third-year, William & Mary; Johnny Buchanan, fifth-year, Delaware.
Defensive backs — Marte Mapu, sixth-year, Sacramento State; Alijah Huzzie, fourth-year, East Tennessee State; Marcus Hillman, fifth-year, Elon; Robby Hauck, fifth-year, Montana; Khalil Baker, third-year, North Carolina Central.
Punter — Jake Gerardi, third-year, Southern Utah.
SECOND TEAM
Offense
Quarterback — Tim DeMorat, fifth-year, Fordham.
Running backs — Jaden Shirden, fourth-year, Monmouth; Ulonzo Gilliam, sixth-year, UC Davis.
Offensive linemen — McClendon Curtis, sixth-year, Chattanooga; Mark Evans II, fifth-year, Arkansas-Pine Bluff; Ryan Coll, , Richmond; Nick Amoah, , UC Davis; Brandon Weldon, sixth-year, Sacramento State.
Tight end — Martin Marshel, fourth-year, Sacramento State.
Wide receivers — Andrei Iosivas, fifth-year, Princeton; Joey Hobert, third-year, Utah Tech; Xavier Smith, fifth-year, Florida A&M.
All-purpose player — Hunter Luepke, fifth-year, North Dakota State.
Kicker — Matthew Cook, fourth-year, Northern Iowa.
Defense
Linemen — Ty French, third-year, Gardner-Webb; Malik Hamm, fifth-year, Lafayette; Devonnsha Maxwell, sixth-year, Chattanooga; Josiah Silver, second-year, New Hampshire.
Linebackers — Joe Andreessen, fifth-year, Bryant; BJ Davis, fourth-year, South Carolina State; Aubrey Miller Jr., fifth-year, Jackson State.
Defensive backs — Justin Ford, fifth-year, Montana; Kameron Brown, fourth-year, Chattanooga; Maxwell Anderson, fourth-year, Weber State; Eddie Heckard, sixth-year, Weber State; Luke Glenna, fifth-year, St. Thomas.
Punter — Patrick Rohrbach, first-year, Montana.
THIRD TEAM
Offense
Quarterback — Michael Hiers, fifth-year, Samford.
Running backs — ShunDerrick Powell, second-year, North Alabama; Cameron Skattebo, third-year, Sacramento State.
Offensive linemen — Jackson Slater, second-year, Sacramento State; Luke Newman, third-year, Holy Cross; Anderson Tomlin, fifth-year, Furman; Caleb Johnson, fifth-year, Incarnate Word; Tyler Brown, fourth-year, Jackson State.
Tight end — Tucker Kraft, fourth-year, South Dakota State.
Wide receivers — Taylor Grimes, fourth-year, Incarnate Word; Darion Chafin, fifth-year, Incarnate Word; Joshua Tomas, fifth-year, Georgetown.
All-purpose player — Devron Harper, fifth-year, Mercer.
Kicker — Richard McCollum, fifth-year, Western Carolina.
Defense
Linemen — Jake Heimlicher, fifth-year, Penn; Dylan Ruiz, second-year, New Hampshire; Truman Jones, fifth-year, Harvard; Brody Grebe, second-year, Montana State.
Linebackers — John Ford II, sixth-year, Tennessee-Martin; Kelechi Anyalebechi, fifth-year, Incarnate Word; Stone Snyder, fourth-year, VMI.
Defensive backs — Kedrick Whitehead, fifth-year, Delaware; Michael Tutsie, sixth-year, North Dakota State; Rassie Littlejohn, fourth-year, Stetson; Benny Sapp III, fifth-year, Northern Iowa; Demetries Ford, fourth-year, Austin Peay.
Punter — Grant Burkett, fourth-year, Missouri State.
