Top Candidates for the 2024 Deacon Jones Award in HBCU Football

The race for the prestigious Deacon Jones trophy, presented in conjunction with the Black College Football Hall of Fame, is heating up as the top candidates for the 2024 award emerge. In recent years, the trophy has been dominated by SWAC quarterbacks, but this year, the tradition is facing stiff competition from rising stars in other conferences.

Among the top contenders is Jada Byers, the standout running back from Virginia Union. Byers has been a force on the field, leading his team to victory with impressive performances, including a 211-yard rushing game against Kentucky State. He is on track to record his third straight 1,000-yard season and is looking to become just the second running back to ever win the Deacon Jones trophy.

Darius Ocean, the quarterback from Johnson C. Smith, is also making a strong case for the award. With his accurate passing and leadership on the field, Ocean has helped his team secure a spot in the AFCA Top 25 rankings for the first time in school history. He is trending upward in the discussion for the trophy.

Other notable contenders include Daniel Richardson from Florida A&M, J‘Mari Taylor from North Carolina Central, and David Wright from Clark Atlanta. These players have been putting up impressive numbers and leading their teams to success on the field.

As the competition heats up, football fans eagerly await to see who will emerge as the winner of the 2024 Deacon Jones trophy, solidifying their place in HBCU football history.