FORT VALLEY, Ga. – The Wildcats put fear in each foe when they had to punt or kick the ball with the return weapon they had to stop. Fort Valley State's Dejuan Bell earned 2024 HBCU College Football All-America acclaim at punt returner announced by BOXTOROW.
There was not another more dangerous punt returner than Bell across all the gridiron playing HBCU teams this fall. Bell was rewarded with all his explosive return work, which resulted in four FVSU touchdowns, with the highest honors of All-America.
One of the NCAA DII premier punt returners, Bell, was already named D2 CCA All-South Region Second Team and All-Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference First Team for the second year in a row for both awards.
The grad student from North Augusta, S.C., helped FVSU to its third winning record in as many years at 6-4 with one loss coming to one of the top HBCU DI teams of South Carolina State.
The Wildcat returned three punts and one kick-off for touchdowns. In 10 games, Bell returned 19 punts for 399 yards for a 21.0-yard per return average with those three for scores. He also ran back 15 kick-offs for 364 yards, including a 95-yard one for a final touchdown. On the FVSU offense, Bell pulled in 26 passes for 467 yards for an 18.0-yard average with three touchdowns. He also rushed the ball six times for another 49 yards.
Full BOXTOROW Release
The 2024 HBCU college football All-America team
OFFENSE
QB: Eric Phoenix, South Carolina State, Gr. Savannah, Ga.
RB: Jada Byers, Virginia Union, Sr., Hammonton, N.J. #
RB: Irv Mulligan, Jackson State, Gr., Beaufort, S.C.
OL: Eric Brown Jr., South Carolina State, Sr., Hartsville, S.C.
OL: D'Andre Townes-Blue, Jackson State Jr., Willow Grove, Pa.
OL: Trevon Humphrey, North Carolina Central, r-Soph., Greensboro, N.C.
OL: Nick Taiste, South Carolina State, Sr., West Columbia, S.C.
OL: Cam Johnson, South Carolina State, r-Sr., Irmo, S.C.
TE: Tavarious Griffin, Alcorn State, Sr., Tallassee, Ala.$
WR: JaVonnie Gibson, Arkansas-Pine Bluff, r-Jr., Opelousas, La.
WR: Reginald Vick Jr., Virginia Union, r-Soph., Wendell, N.C.
DEFENSE
DL: Ckelby Givens, Southern, Jr., Shreveport, La.$
DL: Treqwan Thomas, Alabama State, r-Jr. Orlando, Fla.
DL: Ashad Hall, South Carolina State, Jr., St. Petersburg, Fla.
DL: Malachi Bailey, Alcorn State, Sr., Atlanta, Ga.*
DL: Elijah Williams, Morgan State, Sr., Jersey City, N.J.*
LB: Andrew Jones, Grambling, r-Jr., Marrero, La.
LB: Benari Black, Johnson C. Smith, Sr., Charlotte, N.C.
LB: Rico Dozier, Alabama State, Jr., Abbeville, La.$
DB: Lashon Young, Miles, Soph., Sweetwater, Ala.
DB: Kenny Gallop, Howard, Sr., Portsmouth, Va.#
DB: Nick Blake, West Virginia State, Jr., New York, N.Y.
DB: James Burgess, Alabama State, Sr., Center Point, Ala. *
DB: Amon Scarbrough, Alabama State, Sr., Birmingham, Ala.*
DB: Boogie Trotter, Tennessee State, Jr., Nashville, Tenn.*
DB: Jarod Washington, South Carolina State, Sr. Fredericksburg, Va.*
DB: Ke'Vric Wiggins Jr., Jackson State, Sr. Houston, Texas*
SPECIALISTS
P: Juan Velarde North Carolina Central, Sr., Anderson, S.C.
PK: Guillermo Garcia Rodriguez, Prairie View A&M, Gr., Dickison, Texas
PR: DeJuan Bell, Fort Valley State, Gr., North Augusta, S.C.
KR: CJ Evans, Tennessee State, r-Sr., Mobile, Ala.
RS: Travis Terrell, Jackson State, Fr., Atlanta, Ga.
Honorable Mention
QB: Daniel Richardson, Florida A&M; David Wright III, Clark Atlanta
RB: Ike Brown, Lane; Jaden Sutton, Delaware State; J'Mari Taylor, North Carolina Central
OL: Arelious Dunn, Alabama State; Darius Fox, Howard; Ashton Grable, Florida A&M; Larry Jones, Jr., Virginia Union; Connor
Meadows, Tennessee State; Bruno Onwuazor, Virginia State; Jason Stovall, Miles; Christian Twymon, Miles, Carson Vinson Alabama A&M
TE: Kameron King, Fayetteville State; Keshawn Toney, South Carolina State
WR: Brevin Caldwell, Johnson C. Smith; Caden High, South Carolina State; Nathan Rembert, Mississippi Valley State; Justin Smith-Brown, South Carolina State
DL: Jayden Broughton, South Carolina State; Roc Dowdell, Miles; Joshua Nobles, Jackson State;
LB: Jaki Brevard, North Carolina Central; DeMarkus Cunningham, Alabama State; Aaron Smith, South Carolina State
DB: Malcolm Reed North Carolina Central
P: Anthony Frederique, Bethune-Cookman
KR: Jaxon Williams,Benedict
RS: DeJuan Bell, Fort Valley State
*Tie
#2022 and 2023 HBCU All-American
$2023 HBCU All-American
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