Justin Meyers: Georgia Southern’s Swiss Army Knife

It was 2nd-and-6 early in the third quarter, with Georgia Southern up by 10. Coastal Carolina, pinned deep in their own territory, called a halfback toss to the right. The play broke wide open—until weak-side safety Justin Meyers sprinted across and down the field to bring down the ball carrier at the 5-yard line, saving a touchdown and giving the Georgia Southern defense a chance for a goal line stand. The Eagles were able to hold Coastal Carolina to a field goal, their only score of the second half. Meyers may have technically only saved four points, but there is no telling how much momentum a 67-yard touchdown might have given Coastal Carolina.

Who is Justin Meyers?

Justin Meyers is a redshirt senior from Washington, Georgia. He earned First-Team All-State as a senior for football. He also excelled at track and field, winning a state championship in the 4×100 relay. Meyers stands at 5-foot-11 and weighs about 200 pounds, a build comparable to NFL Hall of Famer Ed Reed, and was listed as the 143rd athlete in the country via ESPN. He also finished second in the state weightlifting competition. Meyers signed with Georgia Southern during the Early National Signing Period in December of 2020.

Climbing the Ladder

As a freshman in 2021, Meyers played in four games (primarily on special teams) and was able to keep his redshirt. Although opportunity was limited, Meyers still made sure to record his first career tackle on special teams.

In 2022, he played in 11 games. Again, it was mostly on special teams, but he received some defensive snaps and ended the year with six total tackles (three solo) and forced a fumble on special teams.

In 2023, Meyers was finally unleashed. He started five games and played in eight, recording 21 total tackles (14 solo), 1.5 tackles-for-loss, and one recovered fumble. Unfortunately, his season was cut short due to a foot injury against Texas State, and the Eagles would go on to lose every game for the rest of the season.

The Versatile Anchor

In 2024, Meyers was hungrier than ever. He had just shown everyone what he was capable of doing in 2023 and had no plans to slow down. Meyers started the season against Boise State, where he totaled six tackles and a pass breakup, but suffered an injury that took him out of the game and sidelined Meyers for the next three weeks.

His first game back was against Georgia State, and due to injury concerns, he did not start and only mustered two solo tackles. After that game, he was given his starting role back and recorded nine total tackles against Marshall the following week. Meyers’ strongest performance came against South Alabama where he would record 10 tackles and a forced fumble. He also played in the New Orleans Bowl against Sam Houston, where he recorded eight total tackles.

Overall, Meyers tallied up 61 total tackles which was the third-most for any Eagle in 2024 despite missing three games. 36 of the 61 were solo tackles with an additional two and a half tackles-for-loss and a sack and forced fumble.

No position demands more versatility than the safety, and Justin Meyers embodies the athleticism, toughness, and instincts necessary to be elite. Whether it’s flying down hill to stop the run, sprinting downfield to make a game-saving chase down tackle, or reading the quarterback’s eyes to break up the pass, Meyers can do it all.

His performance isn’t just about highlight plays – it’s about consistency and dependability as the last line of defense. As Georgia Southern pursues a Sun Belt Championship, Meyers will remain a cornerstone for a defensive unit that relies on him to be everywhere at once.