Who were the top SWAC football players in 2025? What about coach? Our winners

The 2025 SWAC football season was defined by record-breaking offenses, dominant defenses, and a coaching resurgence that reshaped the league’s pecking order.

Dynamic quarterbacks powered high-scoring attacks, while disruptive defenders authored game-changing plays each week.

Special teams units electrified stadiums with precise kicking, booming punts, and breathtaking returns. Steely leadership on the sidelines sparked winning streaks and championship dreams.

With league titles and postseason bids on the line, the year’s top offensive, defensive, and special teams standouts, along with a transformative coaching performance, set new standards for excellence in the SWAC.​

Here are our 2025 SWAC award winners:

Offensive Player of the Year

Alabama State quarterback Andrew Body is the clear frontrunner for SWAC Offensive Player of the Year. Before sustaining a right shoulder injury that limited him to eight games, Body led the SWAC in both total offense per game (352.5 yards) and passing efficiency (202.9).

He threw for 2,112 yards, 24 touchdowns, and just one interception while rushing for 708 yards and four scores, making him the conference’s most productive and efficient offensive player.​

Defensive Player of the Year

Southern defensive end Ckelby Givens finished with 17 tackles for loss and nine sacks in 11 games. No other defender matched Givens’ all-around production, making him the SWAC’s preeminent pass rusher in 2025 and the favorite for Defensive Player of the Year.​

Jackson State defensive lineman Quincy Ivory finished the regular season with a team-high 64 tackles including 31 solo, while also recording 13.5 tackles for loss and 6.0 sacks. He was also named one of 30 finalists for the Buck Buchanan Award given to the top defender in the FCS.

Coach of the Year

Prairie View A&M head coach Tremaine Jackson solidified his credentials as a winning head coach by leading the Panthers to a 9-win season, the most for the program since 2009, and a SWAC West championship. Jackson was also named one of 15 finalists for the Eddie Robinson Award, which recognizes the top coach in the FCS.

Place Kicker of the Year

Florida A&M’s Daniel Porto stands out for both accuracy and volume, connecting on 16 of 20 field goals (80 percent) and all but four extra points. His long kick of 51 yards and 68 total points ranked him fifth among all players in scoring.

Punter of the Year

Demetrion Duvall of Alcorn State was tied for first with 13 punts inside the 20 and drilled 13 attempts of at least 50 yards this season. Duvall’s ball control and leg strength flipped the field all season, separating him from the rest of the pack.​

Return Specialist of the Year

Bethune-Cookman’s Javon Ross is the premier return threat after delivering two kickoff return touchdowns, 506 yards, and a staggering 33.7-yard average. His explosiveness in the return game consistently provided the Wildcats with excellent field position, earning him the nod as the league’s most dynamic return specialist, with 106.7 all-purpose yards per outing.

Freshman of the Year

Prairie View A&M running back Chase Bingmon emerged as a featured piece of the Panthers’ third-ranked ground attack, logging over 130 carries and 857 rushing yards while averaging six yards per attempt.

He has given Prairie View a consistent scoring threat in short-yardage and in explosive-play situations. Bingmon’s workload and efficiency solidify him as one of the primary offensive weapons in the Panthers’ backfield for the SWAC West champions.

Jackson State quarterback Jared Lockhart has filled in nicely in place of the previously injured starter, JaCobian Morgan. The true freshman has gone 5-0 as a starter, throwing for 1,052 yards, seven touchdowns to just two interceptions on 103 attempts.

In helping Jackson State to a 27-21 win over Alcorn State on Saturday to clinch the SWAC East championship, Lockhart completed 15 of 17 passes for 194 yards, including a 55-yard touchdown pass to Nate Rembert. That effort earned him Stats Perform HBCU FCS National Player of the Week honors.

Newcomer of the Year

As a first-year starter at Florida A&M, quarterback R.J. Johnson III completed 173 of 263 passes with a 66% completion rate, throwing SWAC high for 2,314 yards, 16 touchdowns, and just one interception over nine games. He ranked third in total offense, with 223.3 yards per game.

Trey Holly, running back for Southern University in the 2025 SWAC season, is a key offensive weapon for the Jaguars. He compiled 151 carries for 808 rushing yards, averaging an impressive 5.4 yards per attempt.

Holly, an LSU transfer, has scored seven touchdowns and is second in the SWAC with 98.7 all-purpose yards per game. Holly’s combination of efficiency and scoring ability highlighted his value as a reliable and productive player for Southern.