In the brief history of the Deacon Jones trophy, established in 2016 by the Black College Football Hall of Fame and given to the best player in HBCU football, quarterbacks have dominated the award.
Seven of the first nine and each of the last five winners have been quarterbacks, including last year’s co-winners Davius Richard and Jeremy Moussa.
However, that could change this year, with players in a multitude of positions presenting a strong case for the award.
Here are the top 10 candidates for the 2024 Deacon Jones trophy and their best performance this season.
10. Brevin Caldwell WR, Johnson C. Smith
Best Performance: vs. Morehouse
We begin this list with Johnson C. Smith wide receiver Brevin Caldwell, who was the heartbeat of his team’s offense.
Caldwell compiled 1,090 receiving yards on 85 receptions and scored eight receiving touchdowns. This includes accounting for each of his team’s first six receiving touchdowns and 47% of the team’s total receptions.
In addition, Caldwell is one of only three Division II receivers to average over 8.0 receptions per game and 100 receiving yards per game.
His best performance came in his second outing against Morehouse, catching nine passes for 140 yards and scoring three touchdowns.
9. Javonnie Gibson WR, Arkansas-Pine Bluff
Best Performance: vs. Alcorn State
Although Arkansas-Pine Bluff finished the season with a disappointing 3-9 overall record, wide receiver Javonnie Gibson was a major bright spot, cementing himself among the top wide receivers in FCS.
Gibson caught 70 passes for 1,215 yards (fourth in FCS) and scored nine touchdowns. He is one of only five FCS wide receivers to average over 100 receiving yards per game.
The redshirt sophomore opened conference play by combining 363 yards and four touchdowns in his first two touchdowns.
This includes his best performance of the year against Alcorn State, in which he caught seven passes for 180 yards and accounted for all three of the team’s receiving touchdowns.
Only one wide receiver has won the Deacon Jones trophy, and his team also finished with a 3-9 overall record (Chris Rowland, Tennessee State).
8. Draylen Ellis QB, Tennessee State
Best Performance: vs. Southeast Missouri State
This was a banner year for the Tennessee State Tigers football team, which claimed its first share of a conference title since 1999 and its first FCS playoff berth since 2013.
Playing a big part in that was quarterback Draylen Ellis, who had a bounce-back year after seeing his numbers slightly drop in his 2023 campaign.
Ellis threw for a career-high 3,029 passing yards and 24 touchdowns while also scoring three rushing touchdowns.
The Tigers’ quarterback is one of two HBCU quarterbacks to throw for over 3,000 yards while completing over 60% of his passes.
Though he has had games with better numbers, his overall best performance came against Southeast Missouri.
In the game that Tennessee State clinched a share of the Big South/OVC title, Ellis threw for 232 yards, completing 65% of his passes and scoring three touchdowns.
7. Lashon Young DB, Miles
Best Performance: vs. Lane
SIAC Defensive Player of the Year Lashon Young was, without question, the best defensive player in Division II HBCU football and is deserving of consideration for the Deacon Jones trophy.
Young was a heavy contributor on a Miles defense that finished second in Division II in turnover margin and interceptions.
The Golden Bears’ defensive back recorded 53 total tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, eight interceptions (most in Division II), six pass breakups, and a forced fumble.
Young was one of two HBCU defenders to record at least five interceptions and five pass breakups (Nick Blake, West Virginia State).
His most impactful performance of the season came against Lane. He snatched two interceptions in the fourth quarter, including one on the final possession that sealed the Golden Bears’ win.
6. J’Mari Taylor RB, North Carolina Central
Best Performance: vs. Howard
Although North Carolina Central finished short of its goal of winning a second MEAC title in three years, this does not diminish running back J’Mari Taylor’s fantastic season.
After spending years as a backup behind All-MEAC running back Latrell “Mookie” Collier, Taylor made the most of his opportunity to be the Eagles’ starter.
He finished the year with 1,146 rushing yards and 15 rushing touchdowns, 30 receptions for 271 yards and two touchdowns.
This made Taylor the first North Carolina Central running back to rush for over 1,000 yards in a season since 2005.
His best all-around performance of the year undoubtedly came against Howard. He posted a season-high 206 rushing yards and three touchdowns. He also caught six receptions for 78 yards.
5. Ckelby Givens DL, Southern
Best Performance: vs. Prairie View A&M
Arguably, the best season from a defensive player this season came from SWAC Defensive Player of the Year, Ckelby Givens from Southern.
Leading the Jaguars to their second division title in three years, Givens put forth one of the most prolific seasons for a pass rusher in the FCS.
He posted 73 total tackles, 27.5 tackles for loss (most in FCS), 12.0 sacks (tied for third in FCS), and three forced fumbles.
Givens is the only pass rusher to record at least 25 tackles for loss and 10 sacks.
The Jaguars’ defender had his best game against Prairie View A&M, putting up nine total tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, and 2.0 sacks.
If any defender were to become the first to win the Buck Buchanan Award, it would most likely go to Givens.
4. Eric Phoenix QB, South Carolina State
Best Performance: vs. Delaware State
After spending a year at Murray State, Eric Phoenix transferred to South Carolina State, following his former head coach at Benedict Chennis Berry.
Phoenix went on to have a breakout season, producing a MEAC-leading 2,603 passing yards and 20 touchdowns, as well as three rushing touchdowns.
The MEAC Player of the Year presented his case for the award in the Bulldogs’ conference opener against Delaware State.
Phoenix produced his most efficient performance of the season with 332 passing yards, completing 85% of his passes and scoring four touchdowns.
Anchoring the number one pass offense in Division I HBCU football. Phoenix helped lead South Carolina State to a MEAC title and a berth in the Celebration Bowl.
3. Irv Mulligan RB, Jackson State
Best Performance: vs. Bethune-Cookman
Jackson State’s Irv Mulligan hit the ground running after missing the first two games of the season, producing a season worthy of the SWAC Offensive Player of the Year award.
Mulligan tallied 1,245 rushing yards and scored 13 touchdowns, becoming the first running back to win the SWAC Offensive Player of the Year since 2014 (Malcolm Cyrus, Alabama State).
He rushed for over 100 yards in six of his last eight contests, including a four-game stretch in which he averaged 159.5 rushing yards per game and 8.7 yards per carry.
Mulligan had nearly 300 rushing yards more than the second-leading rusher in the SWAC.
Amid that four-game stretch came a game against Bethune-Cookman in which he totaled 171 rushing yards on 18 attempts and two touchdowns.
Mulligan not only led Jackson State to a SWAC championship but powered the team to its first Celebration Bowl in school history, rushing for 71 yards and two touchdowns in the win over South Carolina State.
2. David Wright III QB Clark Atlanta
Best Performance: vs. Fort Valley State
David Wright III was arguably the most exciting player in Black College Football this season, leading a Clark Atlanta team that was the most exciting to watch.
Transferring to Clark Atlanta after winning the SIAC Player of the Year at Allen the previous season, Wright took over a Panthers program that had not won a game in a year and a half.
That all changed from the season opener when Wright stepped on the field for the first time in the black and red, leading the Panthers to a historic victory over Fort Valley State.
The Panthers’ quarterback finished with 423 passing yards, completing 74% of his passes and scoring seven touchdowns in a 45-42 win.
His success continued, compiling 3,271 passing yards on 62% completions and scoring 31 touchdowns. He scored a touchdown in every game this year and threw for over 200 yards in all but one game.
Wright anchored a prolific pass offense that ranked in the top 10 in the country, helping lead the Panthers to a berth in the SIAC championship game for the first time in school history.
1. Jada Byers RB, Virginia Union
Best Performance: vs. Bowie State
My vote to receive the 2024 Deacon Jones Trophy would go to reigning CIAA Offensive Player of the Year and Virginia Union running back Jada Byers.
Coming off a season in which he led the Panthers to their first CIAA championship since 2007, Byers took his game to an entirely new level, breaking records he set in his 2022 campaign.
The two-time conference player of the year finished the season with 2,061 rushing yards and 27 rushing touchdowns, setting new school single-season records in each category.
His 147.4 rushing yards per game average is the second-most in Division II football and more than any player in HBCU football at any level.
Byers became Virginia Union’s all-time leading rusher in his best performance of the season against Bowie State. He finished with 324 rushing yards and six touchdowns, each breaking school single-game records.
His success lent to the Panthers’ success on the field as the team had its deepest Division II playoff run in school history, advancing to the Regional Final.
Byers was the best player in Black College football this season and should be this year’s winner of the Deacon Jones trophy.
