MURFREESBORO, TN – Conference USA announced its 2024 football all-conference and all-freshman award winners on Tuesday, as voted on by the league's head football coaches. Middle Tennessee had eight players honored.

The Blue Raiders had three first-team selections, one on the second team, two honorable mention picks, and three on the all-freshman team.

Tight end Holden Willis, wide receiver Omari Kelly, and long snapper Brody Butler were the Blue Raiders on the first unit. Kelly was also a second-team pick as a punt returner, while safety Xavier Williams and punter Grant Chadwick were honorable mention selections.

Running back Jekail Middlebrook, defensive end Anthony Bynum, and defensive tackle Shakai Woods were voted to the All-Freshman team.

Willis, a redshirt senior from Greenback, Tenn., enjoyed a career season in 2024 with 53 receptions for 871 yards and six touchdowns. He led the team in touchdown grabs and yards while sharing the team lead in total catches.

Kelly, a junior out of Trussville, Ala., is the first player at MTSU to earn first or second-team honors from two different positions since Damon Nickson in 2006 (DB and returner). Kelly hauled in 53 passes for 869 yards and four touchdowns while adding a 61-yard punt return for a score on special teams.

Butler is the first Blue Raider snapper to earn first-team all-league honors three years in a row and the first player overall since Brandon Westbrook from 2002-2003. Butler was perfect on all 92 attempts this season while playing a key role in the success of MTSU's record-setting freshman punter and accurate kicking game.

Williams earned honorable mention honors after moving from quarterback to safety for the final nine games of the year. Williams, a redshirt junior, finished as the team's leading tackler with 75 stops to go with three TFLs, an interception, and three pass breakups.

Punter Grant Chadwick, a true freshman, turned in a very productive rookie campaign by averaging 43.4 yards a punt and placing 21 of his 51 kicks inside the 20-yard line. His punting average was the highest of any freshman in MTSU history.

Middlebrook earned all-freshman honors after rushing for 273 yards and adding 22 receptions, while teammate Anthony Bynum made the team after a season that saw him come up with 60 tackles, 6.5 TFLs, and 2.5 sacks.

Woods, out of Douglasville, Ga., had 42 tackles, including 3.5 TFLs, a sack, and a hurry to pace all Blue Raider defensive tackles.

First Team

Offense

QB Tyler Huff, Jax State

RB Tre Stewart, Jax State

RB Quinton Cooley, Liberty

WR Eric Rivers, FIU

WR Omari Kelly, MTSU

WR Tru Edwards, LA Tech

TE Holden Willis, MTSU

OL Jordan White, Liberty

OL Clay Webb, Jax State

OL Xavior Gray, Liberty

OL Aaron Fenimore, Liberty

OL Will O'Steen, Jax State

Defense

DE Maurice Westmoreland, UTEP

DT David Blay, LA Tech

DT Hosea Wheeler, WKU

DE Chris Murray, Sam Houston

LB Travion Barnes, FIU

LB Reginald Hughes, Jax State

LB Kavian Gaither, Sam Houston

DB Fred Perry, Jax State

DB Caleb Weaver, Sam Houston

DB Upton Stout, WKU

DB JoJo Evans, FIU

Special Teams

K Lucas Carneiro, WKU

P Jacob Ulrich, Kennesaw State

KR Qua Ashley, Kennesaw State

PR Kam Thomas, UTEP

LS Brody Butler, MTSU

Second Team

Offense

QB Caden Veltkamp, WKU

RB Seth McGowan, NM State

RB Mike Washington, NM State

WR Kisean Johnson, WKU

WR Kenny Odom, UTEP

WR Dean Patterson, FIU

TE Carson Kent, Kennesaw State

OL Ethan Hagler, Sam Houston

OL AJ Vaipulu, NM State

OL James Dawn II, Sam Houston

OL Quantavious Leslie, WKU

OL Marshall Jackson, WKU

Defense

DE J-Rock Swain, Jax State

DT Kyran Duhon, UTEP

DT Jeramy Passmore, FIU

DE TJ Bush, Liberty

LB Joseph Carter, Liberty

LB Kolbe Fields, LA Tech

LB Tyler Martinez, NM State

DB Devonte' Mathews, WKU

DB Geimere Latimer, Jax State

DB JeRico Washington Jr., Kennesaw State

DB Brylan Green, Liberty

Special Teams

K Abraham Montaño, NM State

P George Eberle, NM State

KR C'Quan Jnopierre, FIU

PR Omari Kelly, MTSU

LS Rex Robich, WKU

Honorable Mention

Offense

QB Kaidon Salter, Liberty

RB Jay Ducker, Sam Houston

RB Qua Ashley, Kennesaw State

WR Easton Messer, WKU

WR Simeon Evans, Sam Houston

WR Jimmy Holiday, LA Tech

TE Eli Finley, LA Tech

OL Canaan Yarro, NM State

OL Travon Taylor, WKU

OL Evan Wibberley, WKU

OL Otis Pitts III, UTEP

OL Bert Hale, LA Tech

Defense

DE CJ Bazile Jr., LIberty

DT Dallas Walker, WKU

DT KD Johnson, UTEP

DE Deante McCray, WKU

LB Zach Zimos, LA Tech

LB Darius Thomas, WKU

LB Laletia Hale, Jax State

DB Tyler Hallum, Kennesaw State

DB A'Khori Jones, Liberty

DB Xavier Williams, MTSU

DB Kory Chapman, UTEP

Special Teams

K Austin Welch, Kennesaw State

P Grant Chadwick, MTSU

KR Demarcus Griffin-Taylor, LA Tech

PR Brylan Green, Liberty

LS Bryce Robinson, Kennesaw State

All-Freshman Team

Offense

QB Evan Bullock, LA Tech

RB DJ McKinney, Sam Houston

RB Jekail Middlebrook, MTSU

WR TJ Pride, NM State

WR Cam Vaughn, Jax State

WR Cameron Flowers, WKU

TE Martavious Collins, UTEP

OL Jacob Norcross, Kennesaw State

OL Jaheim Buchanon, FIU

OL Amare Grayson, Jax State

OL Kolt Deiterich, Sam Houston

OL BJ Tolo, NM State

Defense

DE Anthony Bynum, MTSU

DT Shakai Woods, MTSU

DT Malaki Ta'ase, NM State

DE Kyran Duhon, UTEP

LB Stratton Shufelt, UTEP

LB Jaylin Jones, UTEP

LB Lofton Howard, WKU

DB Zechariah Poyser, Jax State

DB JeRico Washington Jr., Kennesaw State

DB Tayden Barnes, NM State

DB Isaac Paul, Kennesaw State

Special Teams

K Garrison Rippa, Jax State

P Jacob Ulrich, Kennesaw State