by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

February 28, 2023

Shedeur Sanders Announced as Top HBCU Football Player for 2022 Season

The legacy of NFL Hall of Famer Deion Sanders continues, not only with his college coaching record, but through his own son, Shedeur, who picked up a notable award.

The Black College Football Hall of Fame announced that the former Jackson State University quarterback, Sheduer, has been named the 2022 Black College Football Player of the Year. 

According to The Mississippi Clarion Ledger, the Deacon Jones Trophy was given to Sanders because of his record-breaking season at JSU.

The quarterback set single-season records during his last year attending Jackson State University. He set records throwing 40 touchdown passes as he ended with a record 344 completions while also throwing for 3,752 yards and rushing for six touchdowns, which is a career-high for Sanders. On Sep. 24, he passed for a career-high 438 yards against Mississippi Valley State. Sanders also threw a career-high five touchdown passes in two games during the past season.

Sanders is joining his father at Colorado next season after passing for 70 touchdowns and 6,983 yards in the two seasons he spent at Jackson State.

He seems destined to follow in his father’s footsteps, as he also won the Jerry Rice Award in his first season. That achievement is given to the most outstanding freshman player in the FCS (NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision). This past season, he was selected as the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) offensive player of the year in 2022.

In two years as the starting quarterback, Sanders led Jackson State to the SWAC title for two straight seasons, while going undefeated in division play. His team made it to the Celebration Bowl both times. But, after having a perfect 2022 season, they lost the chance to end the season undefeated after losing to North Carolina Central 41-34 in overtime.


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