Football | 8/17/2022 2:02:00 PM

ATLANTA, Ga. – The Mississippi Valley State University football program has had a student-athlete placed on the Black College Football Player of the Year Award Watch List for the second straight season as Caleb Johnson made the cut as announced by the Black College Football Hall of Fame on Tuesday.

This is Johnson's fifth honor that has been bestowed on him this offseason alone, adding onto his prior selections to the Phil Steele, HBCU Sports, All-SWAC, and BOXTOROW First Teams as he now joins teammate Caleb Brunson (Fall 2021) as active Delta Devils who have made the list.

The Memphis, Tennessee native is currently 14th among all active FCS players in career rushes per game (14.50), was a HERO Sports FCS Sophomore All-American, All-SWAC and Phil Steele Second Teamer on top of a C Spire Trophy finalist in 2021. The conference's leading rusher from a year ago went for 1,004 yards on the ground to become the first Valley back to surpass 1,000 in a season since 1999 while ranking 18th in the nation for yards per game (91.3) and 47th regarding rushing touchdowns (8).

The Watch List makes up 49 players across 26 different black college football programs at both the FCS and NCAA Division II levels.

Four finalists will be selected at the conclusion of the season and the winner of the trophy will be revealed on February 25, 2023, at halftime of the HBCU Legacy Bowl in New Orleans.

The trophy is named after Mississippi Valley football legend and NFL Hall of Famer David "Deacon" Jones.

Previous student-athletes to win the award are former Chicago Bears running back Tarik Cohen (2016), former Bowie State signal caller Amir Hall (2017 & 2018), the USFL's Philadelphia Stars wide receiver Chris Rowland (2019), and two-time SWAC Offensive Player of the Year Aqeel Glass (Spring 2021 & Fall 2021).

To view the full article and entire list of candidates, click here.

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