Semifinalists for Aeneas Williams Award announced

The much-anticipated Aeneas Williams Award semifinalists have been revealed per a statement by several HBCUs that have players featured. The list features several defensive stars that have stood out this football season.

The award is named after the legendary football star who played for Southern University from 1998-1990. He was drafted by the Cardinals with the 59th pick in the 1991 NFL Draft.

In his NFL career, Williams amassed 55 interceptions, returning them for a total of 807 yards and 9 touchdowns. He also had 3 sacks and 23 fumble recoveries. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2014.

The award was created in 2022 and is given to the best defensive back in Division I HBCU Football, per a decision by a screening committee in collaboration with DraftHBCUPlayers and the Paycom Jim Thorpe Award.

The Aeneas Williams Award Committee is set to meet at the end of the regular season in November to select three finalists. The three players selected as finalists will be announced on Tuesday, December 5th.

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Last year's inaugural winner was North Carolina Central's Khalil Baker. He's also a semifinalist for this year's honor but faces stiff competition to repeat from several talented defensive backs and their stellar play from this season. He also faces competition from his teammate Jason Chambers, as both have had a standout season for the defending Celebration Bowl champion Eagles.

The full list of semifinalists is below.