The Black College Football Hall of Fame released their annual Player of the Year watch. list. The list features 49 players from the SWAC, MEAC, SIAC, and CIAA. The award, established in 2016, is given to the most outstanding all-around player in HBCU football. Previous award recipients include North Carolina A&T's Tarik Cohen, Bowie's Amir Hall, Tennessee State's Chris Rowland, Alabama A&M's Aqueel Glass, and Jackson State's Shedeur Sanders. The four finalists for the award will be announced following the season. The winner of the Player of the Year will receive the Deacon Jones Trophy during the 2024 HBCU Legacy Bowl.

Black College Football Hall of Fame Co-Founder Doug Williams said in a statement, “The Black College Football Player of the Year Award showcases the immense talent of our HBCU players today. These student-athletes represent the very best of HBCU football.”

Several players on this list such as North Carolina's Central's Davius Richard and Grambling's Sundiata Gaines are also featured on other preseason watch lists for the Walter Payton Award for best FCS Offensive player and the Buck Buchanan for best FCS Defensive player.

This full list is below.

First LastYearPositionSchoolConference
Colton AdamsGSLBAlabama StateSWAC
Zelly AldridgeJrDBTuskegeeSIAC
Terrell AllenSrDLTennessee StateOVC
Isaac AndersonR. JrDLVirginia UnionCIAA
Sundiata AndersonSrDLGramblingSWAC
Khalil BakerSrDBNCCUMEAC
Andrew BodyJrQBTexas SouthernSWAC
Jay BoydSrDBShawCIAA
Jaki BrevardJrLBNCCUMEAC
Brennan BrownSrTEHowardMEAC
Jada ByersJrRBVirginia UnionCIAA
Brevin CaldwellSophWRJohnson C SmithCIAA
Kentrell CaldwellSophLBFayetteville StateCIAA
Jeremy DeesSrDLTuskegeeSIAC
Loobert DenelusSrDLBenedictSIAC
Willie DrewGSDBVirginia StateCIAA
Ryan DuffSrKTuskegeeSIAC
Kelvin DurhamR. FreshQBFort Valley StateSIAC
Donovan EaglinJrRBAlabama A&MSWAC
Corinthius EdmondsGSWRFort Valley StateSIAC
Draylen EllisSrQBTennessee StateOVC
Matthew FosterSr.OLVirginia StateCIAA
Darius FoxJrOLHowardMEAC
Isaiah FreemanSophQBLincoln (PA)CIAA
Kenny GallopSrDBHowardMEAC
Marquis GillisR. SophRBDelaware StateMEAC
Patrick GodboltGSDLSouth Carolina StateMEAC
Jalen GossGSOLFAMUSWAC
Kasey HawthomeSrWRHowardMEAC
Keshane HinckleyR. SrWRBowie StateCIAA
Jarveon HowardR. SrRBAlcornSWAC
Jacquez JonesJrWRLaneSIAC
Cameron MerrellR. JrDLFayetteville StateCIAA
Derek MortonR. SrWRTexas SouthernSWAC
Jae'Veyon MortonGSDBMorgan StateMEAC
Jeremy MoussaGSQBFAMUSWAC
K'Vaughan PopeGSLBTennessee StateOVC
Davius RichardSrQBNCCUMEAC
Jah'Marae ShereadGSWRFAMUSWAC
Josh SimonSrOLAlbany StateSIAC
Torricelli Simpkins IIIJrCNCCUMEAC
Aaron SmithSrLBSouth Carolina StateMEAC
Devin SmithJrWRNCCUMEAC
Gentry SparksJrTEFort Valley StateSIAC
D.J StevensGSTEJackson StateSWAC
Qwahsin TownselGSLBHamptonCAA
Jaree TurnerJrDBAlbany StateSIAC
Devin VersteegenJrKShawCIAA
TJ. YarbroughSrOLAlcornSWAC