Atlanta, GA – The Black College Football Hall of Fame (BCFHOF) announced today the 2019 Watch List for the Black College Football Player of the Year Award. The award is presented annually to the most outstanding football player from a Historically Black College & University. Former North Carolina A&T, and current Chicago Bears running back Tarik Cohen was selected as the inaugural recipient of the award in 2016; Bowie State quarterback Amir Hall was the 2017 and 2018 recipient.
The winner of the 2019 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 15, 2020, in Atlanta. Four finalists will be unveiled on December 3, 2019.
“There are many gifted football players competing at Historically Black Colleges and Universities right now,” said Super Bowl XXII MVP and BCFHOF co-founder Doug Williams. “This award is a way for the Black College Football Hall of Fame to recognize these talented student-athletes.”
“The Deacon Jones Trophy is the most coveted individual award a football player from an HBCU can receive,” said BCFHOF co-founder and 2012 inductee James Harris. “I enjoy monitoring the progress of these young men throughout the season.”
The Watch List candidates have been selected based on past performance and future potential. Additions to the list may be made as the 2019 season progresses. The finalists and the winner will be chosen by a selection committee.
| First Name | Last Name | Position | School | Class | Conference |
| Kyle | Anthony | WR | Howard | Senior | MEAC |
| Solomon | Bassett | DL | Lincoln (PA) | Senior | CIAA |
| Elijah | Bell | WR | North Carolina A&T | Senior | MEAC |
| Jordan | Bentley | RB | Alabama A&M | Senior | SWAC |
| Traviontae | Brown | DB | Benedict | Senior | SIAC |
| Brian | Cavicante | LB | Delaware State | Junior | MEAC |
| Qwynnterrio | Cole | DB | Alcorn State | Junior | SWAC |
| Santo | Dunn | RB | Morehouse | Junior | SIAC |
| Jequez | Ezzard | WR | Howard | Senior | MEAC |
| Marques | Ford | DL | Bethune-Cookman | Senior | MEAC |
| Deondre | Francois | QB | Hampton | Senior | MEAC |
| Aqeel | Glass | QB | Alabama A&M | Junior | SWAC |
| Stevie | Green | RB | Fayetteville State | Senior | CIAA |
| Kevin | Greenhow | WR | Central State | Junior | SIAC |
| Sterling | Hammond | DB | Virginia Union | Senior | CIAA |
| Joseph | Harris, Jr. | LB | Saint Augustine’s | Soph | CIAA |
| Marquis | Hendrix | LB | Bethune-Cookman | Senior | MEAC |
| Devon | Hunt | LB | Shaw University | Senior | CIAA |
| Noah | Johnson | QB | Alcorn State | Senior | SWAC |
| Rico | Kennedy | LB | Morgan State | Senior | MEAC |
| Ian | McBorrough | LB | Morgan State | Junior | MEAC |
| Mac | McCain III | DB | North Carolina A&T | Junior | MEAC |
| Joseph | McWilliams | DB | Grambling State | Senior | SWAC |
| Trevor | Merritt | DB | Bethune-Cookman | Senior | MEAC |
| Javen | Morrison | DB | Alcorn State | Senior | SWAC |
| Jalen | Morton | QB | Prairie View A&M | Senior | SWAC |
| Solomon | Muhammad | LB | Alcorn State | Senior | SWAC |
| Anfernee | Mullins | DL | Grambling State | Senior | SWAC |
| Caylin | Newton | QB | Howard | Junior | MEAC |
| Ju’Anthony | Parker | DB | Prairie View A&M | Senior | SWAC |
| Dedrick | Parson | RB | Howard | Soph | MEAC |
| Taeyler | Porter | RB | Arkansas-Pine Bluff | Senior | SWAC |
| Joshua | Pryor | DL | Bowie State | Soph | CIAA |
| Jimmie | Robinson | WR | Bethune-Cookman | Senior | MEAC |
| Chris | Rowland | WR | Tennessee State | Senior | OVC |
| Michael | Sims | QB | Morehouse | Junior | SIAC |
| Daryus | Skinner | DB | Winston-Salem State | Senior | CIAA |
| Xavier | Smith | WR | FAMU | Soph | MEAC |
| Brandon | Smith | KR | Fayetteville State | Junior | CIAA |
| Austin | Stephens | LB | Miles | Senior | SIAC |
| Tabyus | Taylor | RB | Virginia Union | Soph | CIAA |
| Davoris | Thomas | LB | Tuskegee | Senior | SIAC |
| Isaiah | Totten | RB | North Carolina Central | Junior | MEAC |
| Dawonya | Tucker | RB | Prairie View A&M | Senior | SWAC |
| Leonard | Tyree | WR | Miles | Senior | SIAC |
| De’Shawn | Waller | RB | Alcorn State | Senior | SWAC |
| Camron | Young | DB | Fort Valley State | Senior | SIAC |
No one from SU made the 1st or 2nd team. Really