The 2024 HBCU college football season has almost come to an end which means some of the top players in HBCU football will have a chance to decide who the national champion will be.
Jackson State will face Southern in the SWAC championship game this Saturday in Jackson, MS and the winner will face South Carolina State in Atlanta on Saturday, December 14 which will be the final game of the season.
Jackson State and South Carolina State combined for 10 players and are just two of the teams that have multiple players on The HBCU college football All-America team powered by BOXTOROW, released on Thursday.
BOXTOROW has named the All-America team since 2007, based on voting by media who cover HBCU football.
The SCSU Bulldogs led the way with six selections. The JSU Tigers and Alabama State Hornets had four selections a piece, while Alcorn State, North Carolina Central, Tennessee State, and Virginia Union had two apiece.
Jada Byers versus Wingate / Credit: NC Football News
Virginia Union running back Jada Byers, Southern defensive lineman Ckelby Givens, Alabama State defensive lineman Treqwan Thomas, and Prairie View A&M place kicker Guillermo Garcia Rodriguez received the most votes. This is Byers third straight HBCU All-America team accolade and he, along with Howard defensive back Kenny Gallop Jr., are the only players ever to be named to The HBCU All-America team three times. He was named CIAA Offensive Player of the Year and leads the CIAA and is sixth in the nation in rushing yards (1,952), rushing touchdowns (26) and yards per carry (6.3). He has rushed for 100 or more yards in a game nine times and rushed for 200 or more yards in a game three times.
Givens was named SWAC Co-Defensive Player of the Year and leads FCS in tackles for loss (26.5), is second in the SWAC and tied for 8th in FCS in sacks (11), and is tied for third in SWAC and tied for fifth in FCS in forced fumbles (3).
Thomas was named first team All-SWAC and is tied for the lead in FCS in forced fumbles (5), is second in FCS in sacks per game (1.0), is tied for second in FCS in total sacks (12), and is fourth in the SWAC and tied for 13th in FCS in tackles for loss (16.5).
Rodriguez was also named first team All-SWAC. He connected on 20-of-26 field goals and is tied for the SWAC lead and is 23rd in FCS in field goal percentage (.769). His 20 made field goals are tied for the second most in FCS. He is 9-of-10 on field goals of 40-49 yards and 4-of-7 on field goals of 50 or more yards.
Byers, Givens, Thomas, and Rodriguez are just three of the names on the ballot for The HBCU Superlative Awards which will be announced on Tuesday. The awards include players of the year on offense and defense, specialist of the year, rookie of the year, coach of the year, and the impact player award.
In total, 17 programs are represented of the 32 selections.
Jackson State Tigers’ running back Irv Mulligan (5) runs the ball during the game against the Florida A&M Rattlers in Jackson, Miss., on Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024. / Lauren Witte/Clarion Ledger / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
QB: Eric Phoenix, South Carolina State, Gr. Savannah, Ga.
RB: Jada Byers, Virginia Union, Sr., Hammonton, N.J. #
RB: Irv Mulligan, Jackson State, Gr., Beaufort, S.C.
OL: Eric Brown Jr., South Carolina State, Sr., Hartsville, S.C.
OL: D’Andre Townes-Blue, Jackson State Jr., Willow Grove, Pa.
OL: Trevon Humphrey, North Carolina Central, r-Soph., Greensboro, N.C.
OL: Nick Taiste, South Carolina State, Sr., West Columbia, S.C.
OL: Cam Johnson, South Carolina State, r-Sr., Irmo, S.C.
TE: Tavarious Griffin, Alcorn State, Sr., Tallassee, Ala.$
WR: JaVonnie Gibson, Arkansas-Pine Bluff, r-Jr., Opelousas, La.
WR: Reginald Vick Jr., Virginia Union, r-Soph., Wendell, N.C.
Ckelby Givens, Southern / Southern Athletics
DL: Ckelby Givens, Southern, Jr., Shreveport, La.$
DL: Treqwan Thomas, Alabama State, r-Jr. Orlando, Fla.
DL: Ashad Hall, South Carolina State, Jr., St. Petersburg, Fla.
DL: Malachi Bailey, Alcorn State, Sr., Atlanta, Ga.*
DL: Elijah Williams, Morgan State, Sr., Jersey City, N.J.*
LB: Andrew Jones, Grambling, r-Jr., Marrero, La.
LB: Benari Black, Johnson C. Smith, Sr., Charlotte, N.C.
LB: Rico Dozier, Alabama State, Jr., Abbeville, La.$
DB: Lashon Young, Miles, Soph., Sweetwater, Ala.
DB: Kenny Gallop, Howard, Sr., Portsmouth, Va.#
DB: Nick Blake, West Virginia State, Jr., New York, N.Y.
DB: James Burgess, Alabama State, Sr., Center Point, Ala. *
DB: Amon Scarbrough, Alabama State, Sr., Birmingham, Ala.*
DB: Boogie Trotter, Tennessee State, Jr., Nashville, Tenn.*
DB: Jarod Washington, South Carolina State, Sr. Fredericksburg, Va.*
DB: Ke’Vric Wiggins Jr., Jackson State, Sr. Houston, Texas*
Jackson State Tigers’ defensive back Josh Higgins (26) pats running back Travis Terrell, Jr. (0) on the helmet during warmups against the ULM Warhawks in Monroe, La., on Thursday, Aug. 29, 2024. / Lauren Witte/Clarion Ledger / USA TODAY NETWORK
P: Juan Velarde North Carolina Central, Sr., Anderson, S.C.
PK: Guillermo Garcia Rodriguez, Prairie View A&M, Gr., Dickison, Texas
PR: DeJuan Bell, Fort Valley State, Gr., North Augusta, S.C.
KR: CJ Evans, Tennessee State, r-Sr., Mobile, Ala.
RS: Travis Terrell, Jackson State, Fr., Atlanta, Ga.
Florida A&M quarterback Daniel Richardson (10) gets ready to run a play during the Cricket MEAC-SWAC Challenge NCAA college football game against Norfolk State in Atlanta on Saturday, Aug. 24, 2024. / Joshua L. Jones / USA TODAY NETWORK
QB: Daniel Richardson, Florida A&M; David Wright III, Clark Atlanta
RB: Ike Brown, Lane; Jaden Sutton, Delaware State; J’Mari Taylor, North Carolina Central
OL: Arelious Dunn, Alabama State; Darius Fox, Howard; Ashton Grable, Florida A&M; Larry Jones, Jr., Virginia Union; Connor
Meadows, Tennessee State; Bruno Onwuazor, Virginia State; Jason Stovall, Miles; Christian Twymon, Miles, Carson Vinson Alabama A&M
TE: Kameron King, Fayetteville State; Keshawn Toney, South Carolina State
WR: Brevin Caldwell, Johnson C. Smith; Caden High, South Carolina State; Nathan Rembert, Mississippi Valley State; Justin Smith-Brown, South Carolina State
DL: Jayden Broughton, South Carolina State; Roc Dowdell, Miles; Joshua Nobles, Jackson State;
LB: Jaki Brevard, North Carolina Central; DeMarkus Cunningham, Alabama State; Aaron Smith, South Carolina State
DB: Malcolm Reed North Carolina Central
P: Anthony Frederique, Bethune-Cookman
KR: Jaxon Williams,Benedict
RS: DeJuan Bell, Fort Valley State
*Tie
#2022 and 2023 HBCU All-American
$2023 HBCU All-American