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HBCU Football's Best Begin Race for Deacon Jones Trophy
The race for HBCU football's top individual honor is officially on. The Black College Football Hall of Fame (BCFHOF) has released its 2025 Watch List for the Black College Football Player of the Year Award, spotlighting 50 of the most talented HBCU football players today. Presented annually to the most outstanding college football player from a Historically Black College or University, the award comes with one of the sport's most prestigious prizes - the Deacon Jones Trophy.
This year's Watch List features talent from across the HBCU football landscape:
SWAC – 18 playersMEAC – 11 playersSIAC – 10 playersCIAA – 8 playersOVC – 2 playersCAA – 1 player
Since its creation in 2016, the award has been claimed by some of the biggest names in recent HBCU football history. Former North Carolina A&T and NFL running back Tarik Cohen was the inaugural winner, followed by two-time Bowie State QB Amir Hall, Tennessee State WR Chris Rowland, and Alabama A&M QB Aqeel Glass - who claimed both the Spring and Fall 2021 awards. Shedeur Sanders took home the 2022 honor before heading to the NFL, while Davius Richard (North Carolina Central) and Jeremy Moussa (Florida A&M) shared the award in 2023. Last year, Jada Byers of Virginia Union stood alone as the 2024 winner.
Four finalists will be named at the end of the 2025 season, and the winner will be revealed during halftime of the 2026 Allstate HBCU Legacy Bowl at Tulane University's Yulman Stadium on February 21, 2026. The event - broadcast live on NFL Network - will also celebrate Black culture, history, and opportunity, highlighted by the country's largest HBCU Career Fair.
BCFHOF co-founder and NFL legend Doug Williams says the award carries more than just a stat sheet's worth of weight.
"The Black College Football Player of the Year Award honors the talent, dedication, and spirit of today's HBCU football players. These young men uphold a proud legacy and inspire future generations to dream bigger and aspire for greatness."
Fellow co-founder James Harris connected the trophy to the man it's named after - Hall of Fame pass-rusher David "Deacon" Jones.
"Deacon's greatness wasn't just in his dominance on the field, but in the way he inspired others through his leadership, integrity, and commitment to excellence."
In the ever-growing spotlight on HBCU football, being on this list is more than another preseason accolade. It's a signal to NFL scouts, media outlets, and fans that these players are the best of the best. With talent spread across every conference - from powerhouse SWAC programs to rising CIAA and SIAC squads - the 2025 race for the Deacon Jones Trophy is shaping up to be one of the most competitive yet.
The stage is set. The watch is on. And for HBCU football's elite, the chase for Player of the Year just became very real.
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