As the HBCU college football season winds down, BOXTOROW, a media outlet covering HBCU sports, has recognized the top performers with its annual HBCU Superlative Awards. The awards are voted on by media members who cover HBCU football. 

Andrew Body 

Alabama State quarterback Andrew Body was named Offensive Player of the Year, while Livingstone defensive lineman Kenyon Garner earned the Willie Davis Defensive Player of the Year award. Delaware State head coach DeSean Jackson was voted Coach of the Year. 

DeSean Jackson

 

Other honorees include North Carolina A&T kicker Andrew Brown and Bethune-Cookman kick returner Javon Ross, who were named Special Teams Co-Players of the Year, and Clark Atlanta quarterback Xzavier Jackson, voted Rookie of the Year. Delaware State running back James Jones received the Impact Player of the Year award. 

Body, a redshirt junior from Corpus Christi, Texas, also earned SWAC Offensive Player of the Year honors. He leads the conference in total offense (352.5 yards per game), passing yards per game (202.9), passing touchdowns, TD-to-INT ratio (24-1), completion percentage (70.3) and yards per carry (8.3). He is second in the SWAC in rushing yards per game (88.5) and recorded 708 rushing yards and four touchdowns this season. 

Garner, a sophomore from Okeechobee, Florida, and CIAA Defensive Player of the Year, leads the nation in tackles for loss (27) and tackles for loss per game (2.7). He ranks third nationally in sacks (14) and is tied for second in solo sacks (13). Garner has 55 tackles (39 solo), three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. 

Brown, a senior from Lexington, North Carolina, converted all five of his field-goal attempts of 50 yards or more, including a school-record 56-yarder against Towson on Nov. 1. He made 15 of 18 field goals on the season. Ross, a sophomore from DeLand, Florida, leads the FCS in kickoff return average (33.7 yards) and is tied for the national lead in kickoff return touchdowns with two. 

Clark Atlanta freshman Xzavier Jackson led the SIAC in passing yards per game (300.4) and finished the season with 2,103 yards and 18 touchdowns. He completed 60% of his passes and threw for 300 or more yards in three games, including a 425-yard performance versus Kentucky State on Nov. 1. 

Delaware State junior James Jones is part of an FCS-leading rushing attack (290.9 yards per game). Jones leads the FCS in yards per carry (9.8), gaining 958 yards on 98 carries with nine touchdowns, including six 100- yard games. 

DeSean Jackson, in his first season as Delaware State head coach, led the Hornets to an 8-4 record — more wins than the program had over the previous three seasons combined.