The Black College Football Hall of Fame is set to give out the second annual Deacon Jones Trophy in Feburary, and has announced its initial list of 50 candidates.
The list is composed of 15 players each from the MEAC and SWAC, 10 from the SIAC, eight from the CIAA and two from non-HBCU conferences. Former North Carolina A&T star and current Chicago Bears running back Tarik Cohen was named the inaugural winner last winter.
The winner of the 2017 Black College Football Player of the Year Award will be honored with the Deacon Jones Trophy during the Black College Football Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, which takes place on February 10, 2018 in Atlanta. Four finalists will be unveiled on December 12.
“This is a way to recognize the tremendous talent in HBCU football today,” said Super Bowl MVP quarterback Doug Williams, a BCFHOF co-founder and 2011 inductee. “Through this Award, the Black College Football Hall of Fame is proud to showcase outstanding student-athletes.”
“The Deacon Jones Trophy has become the most prestigious football award for HBCUs,” said BCFHOF co-founder and 2012 inductee James Harris. “Deacon Jones was a pioneer and an icon, and still to this day represents the very best of Black College Football.”
The Watch List candidates have been selected based on past performance and future potential. Additions to the list may be made as the 2017 season progresses. The finalists and the winner will be chosen by a Selection Committee.
| First Name | Last Name | School | Position | Class |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Keontre | Anderson | Jackson State | DL | Senior |
| Kyle | Anthony | Howard | WR | Sophomore |
| Sam | Baptiste | Alabama State | OL | Senior |
| Jason | Baxter | South Carolina State | DB | Senior |
| Dillon | Beard | Southern University | TE | Senior |
| Elijah | Bell | North Carolina A&T | WR | Sophomore |
| Jordan | Bentley | Alabama A&M | RB | Sophomore |
| Jarell | Bright | Winston-Salem State | DL | Sophomore |
| Michael | Brooks | Alcorn State | DL | Senior |
| Antonio | Brown | North Carolina Central | DL | Senior |
| Trenton | Cannon | Virginia State | RB | Senior |
| Martez | Carter | Grambling State | RB | Senior |
| Tedrick | Cofield | Albany State | OL | Senior |
| Lenorris | Footman | Alcorn State | QB | Senior |
| Khris | Gardin | North Carolina A&T | WR/KR | Senior |
| Timothy | Gardner | Alcorn State | OL | Senior |
| Amir | Hall | Bowie State | QB | Sophomore |
| Leroy | Hill | North Carolina A&T | TE | Junior |
| Marcus | Holliday | Lane | RB | Junior |
| Austin | Howard | Southern University | QB | Senior |
| Daris | Johnson | Bowie State | OL | Senior |
| Yahkee | Johnson | Hampton | RB | Senior |
| Danny | Johnson | Southern University | DB | Senior |
| Rodriquez | Jones | Kentucky State | DL | Senior |
| Lavatiae | Kelly | Virginia Union | WR | Junior |
| DeVante | Kincade | Grambling State | QB | Senior |
| Edward | Kirkland | Benedict | DB | Senior |
| Darius | Leonard | South Carolina State | LB | Senior |
| Brandon | Lynch | Virginia State | LB | Senior |
| Alden | McClellon | North Carolina Central | DB | Junior |
| Johnathon | McCrary | Clark Atlanta | QB | Senior |
| Jonah | McCutcheon | Tuskegee | DB | Senior |
| Okechi | Ntiasagwe | Benedict | WR | Junior |
| Ebenezer | Ogundeko | Tennessee State | DL | Senior |
| Brandon | Parker | North Carolina A&T | OL | Senior |
| Anthony | Philyaw | Howard | RB | Senior |
| Lamar | Raynard | North Carolina A&T | QB | Junior |
| Diquan | Richardson | Bethune-Cookman | DB | Senior |
| Trent | Scott | Grambling State | OL | Senior |
| Patrick | Smith | Tennessee State | WR | Senior |
| David | Smith | Morehouse | LB | Senior |
| Victor | Tamba, Junior | Bowie State | OL | Senior |
| Dayshawn | Taylor | South Carolina State | LB | Senior |
| Carlo | Thomas | Johnson C. Smith | DB | Senior |
| Osband | Thompson | Tuskegee | LB | Senior |
| Aaron | Tiller | Southern University | DL | Senior |
| Brandon | Varner | Grambling State | DL | Junior |
| Herb | Walker, Jr. | Morgan State | RB | Senior |
| Donovan | Wheaton | Prairie View A&M | OL | Senior |
| Charles | Williams | Benedict | DL | Senior |