Dover, Del. (Nov. 20, 2020) --- Delaware State is represented by eight players on the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference 50^th Anniversary All-Time Football Team.
In celebration of the league's golden anniversary, a nationwide poll was conducted to select the top 50 players in league history.
The Delaware State honorees are led by former NFL standouts John Taylor (WR/KR) and Rod Milstead (OL), along with fullback Gene Lake, one of the MEAC's all-time great rushers.
Taylor, who played nine seasons and won three Super Bowls with the NFL's San Francisco 49ers after  his DSU career, was the 1985 MEAC Offensive Player-of- Year and earned multiple All-America and all-conference awards while competing for the Hornets. He was inducted into the Black College Football Hall of Fame in 2019.
Lake was the 1984 MEAC Offensive Player of the Year after leading all collegiate players with 1,722 yards, then a MEAC single-season record. He also held league records with 336 rushing yards and six touchdowns in a game.
Milstead, the current head coach of the Hornets, was a three-time All-MEAC First Team offensive lineman and earned multiple Division I-AA (now FCS) and Black College All-America honors with the Hornets before embarking on an eight-year NFL career.  He joined Taylor on the 49ers' 1994 Super Bowl championship team.
Also representing the Hornets on the MEAC All-Time Top 50 team are former league defensive players of the year Dan Candeloro (DL) and the late Joe Burton (DB).
Candeloro was a two-time All-MEAC First Team selection and MEAC Defensive Player-of-the-Year in 1985 to help lead the Hornets to their first conference championship.
Burton was a three-time All-MEAC First Team honoree and selected as MEAC Defensive Player-of-the-Year in 1986.
Two members of the Delaware State's 2007 MEAC championship squad are also recognized on the league's top 50 team.
Shaheer McBride (WR), the Hornets' all-time leader in receptions and receiving yards, was the MEAC Rookie-of-the-Year in 2004 and a two-time All-MEAC First Team selection.
Vashon Winton (QB) was the 2005 MEAC Rookie-of-the-Year, and led the Hornets to the MEAC championship and lone NCAA Tournament berth in team history in 2007.
Delaware State three-time All-MEAC First Team (1991, '92, '93) punter Chuck Poplos is also on the league's all-time top 50 list.