Is it possible that Shedeur Sanders will have a better football playing career than his father Deion “Coach Prime” Sanders?
According to Sports Illustrated’s Fan Nation, Shedeur, who played at the quarterback position at Jackson State University, was awarded the 2022 Deacon Jones Award. The Black College Football Hall of Fame gives that honor to the top collegiate player of the year at an HBCU.
Sanders was given the honor while attending the Black College Football Hall of Fame Class of 2023 Induction Ceremony in Atlanta, on June 10.
Earlier in 2023 the Black College Football Hall of Fame announced that the former Jackson State University quarterback, Sheduer, had been named the 2022 Black College Football Player of the Year.
BREAKING NEWS @GoJSUTigersFB QB SHEDEUR SANDERS wins Deacon Jones Trophy as the 2022 Black College Football Player of the Year. pic.twitter.com/tFSoP6kIkc
— BlackCollegeFootball (@BCFHOF) February 25, 2023
Since Sanders started his collegiate career at JSU, he has done a magnificent job of taking his team to a higher level. The quarterback set single-season records during his last year attending Jackson State University. His records include 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. Against Mississippi Valley State on September 24 he passed for a career-high 438 yards. Sanders also threw a career-high five touchdown passes in two games during the past season.
Sanders also won the Jerry Rice Award in his first season, given to the most outstanding freshman player in the FCS (NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision). Most recently, he was selected as the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) offensive player of the year in 2022.
As the starting quarterback at Jackson State for the past two years, Sanders was able to lead the school to the SWAC title for two straight seasons, while going undefeated in division play. His team made it to the Celebration Bowl both times. They finished the 2022 season undefeated but ended up losing to North Carolina Central 41-34 in overtime to miss taking the Celebration Bowl earlier this year.
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.