HBCU Legends

Aeneas Williams Award Announces Three Finalists For 2025

Voters will select the best defensive back in HBCU Division I college football.
HBCU Legends Sports Newswire|
Nov 21, 2022; Mexico City, MEX; Former Arizona Cardinals cornerback Aeneas Williams looks on prior to the NFL International Series Monday Night Football game against the San Francisco 49ers at Estadio Azteca. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Nov 21, 2022; Mexico City, MEX; Former Arizona Cardinals cornerback Aeneas Williams looks on prior to the NFL International Series Monday Night Football game against the San Francisco 49ers at Estadio Azteca. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

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Bethune-Cookman WildcatsHoward BisonSouth Carolina State BulldogsSouthern University Jaguars

The Aeneas Williams Award has announced its three finalists from the eleven semifinalists reported in November. Voters will select the best defensive back in HBCU Division I college football. The voting period will end at 11:00 a.m. CT / 12:00 p.m. ET on Wednesday, Dec. 10. The winner will be announced via a press release on Thursday, Dec. 11, at 11:00 a.m. CT/12:00 p.m. ET and on the Paycom Jim Thorpe social media accounts.

The winner will be presented with the award at the Aeneas Williams Banquet, in conjunction with the annual Paycom Jim Thorpe Award Banquet, in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, on Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026.

The committee will honor the top defensive back who demonstrates the best character, athletic ability, and sportsmanship in all of HBCU football.

One of the three finalists will be the recipient of the Aeneas Williams Award, selected by the Aeneas Williams Award National Selection Committee. This committee consists of distinguished members from the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame, former Aeneas Williams Award recipients, as well as HBCU sportswriters and college football journalists from across the country.

Several players have distinguished themselves in their defensive backfields and have achieved remarkable results in HBCU Division I college football throughout the entire 2025 season.

The current finalists from the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) conferences, specifically the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) and the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC), are as follows:

  1. Jarod Washington, CB, South Carolina State, Sr.
  2. Zuri Watson, CB, Howard, R-Fr.
  3. Johnny Harris III, CB, Bethune-Cookman, R-Sr.

Johnny Harris III, Bethune-Cookman University, Cornerback, R-Sr.

Redshirt senior cornerback Johnny Harris III has been a force all season for Bethune-Cookman, anchoring the Wildcats' secondary with consistency and big-play production. Harris posted a 71.8 PFF Defensive Coverage Grade, finishing the regular season with 28 tackles (21 solo), nine pass breakups, two interceptions, and three touchdowns, showcasing his ability to impact games at every level of the field. His blend of coverage discipline and scoring ability made him one of the nation's most dynamic defensive backs.

Jarod Washington, South Carolina State University, Cornerback, Sr.

Senior cornerback Jarod Washington has been a steady force for South Carolina State all season through his consistent production and shutdown ability. Washington owns a strong 75.2 PFF Defensive Coverage Grade and has totaled 33 tackles, including 32 solo stops, showcasing his reliability in space. He's added seven pass breakups, two interceptions, and a defensive touchdown, making him one of the nation's most dependable and disruptive playmakers on the back end.

Zuri Watson, Howard University, Cornerback, R-Fr. 

Redshirt freshman cornerback Zuri Watson put together an impressive debut campaign for Howard, emerging as one of the nation's most explosive young playmakers. Watson posted 28 tackles with 25 solo stops, added four pass breakups, and notched one interception while turning defense into offense with two touchdowns on the season. Backed by a strong 75.2 PFF Defensive Coverage Grade, he consistently demonstrated sharp instincts, closing speed, and a flair for momentum-shifting plays, solidifying himself as a rising star.

SEMIFINALISTS

  • Tomondrey Braxton, CB, North Carolina Central, So.
  • Aaron Harris, CB, North Carolina A&T, Gr. Sr.
  • Johnny Harris III, CB, Bethune-Cookman, R-Sr.
  • Markel Linzer, CB, Grambling State, So.
  • Jadarrius Perkins, CB, Delaware State, Sr.
  • Tyrell Raby, CB, Grambling State, Gr. Sr.
  • Kam Sallis, S, Jackson State, R-So.
  • Jarod Washington, CB, South Carolina State, Sr.
  • Zuri Watson, CB, Howard, R-Fr.
  • Gabe White, CB, Bethune-Cookman, R-So.
  • Edric Whitley, CB, Texas Southern, Sr.

The Aeneas Williams Award is named after the Southern University Jaguars legend and Pro Football Hall of Famer, Aeneas Williams. He hails from New Orleans, Louisiana, and began his college career as a junior walk-on at Southern University. The following year, he tied the NCAA Division I-AA single-season interception record.

In the 1991 NFL Draft, he was selected in the third round by the Arizona Cardinals and later joined the St. Louis Rams in 2001. Throughout his remarkable 14-year NFL career, which culminated in his induction into the Hall of Fame, Aeneas made a Super Bowl appearance, was selected to eight Pro Bowls, and earned four All-Pro selections. During this time, he often supported his teammates through personal challenges.

These experiences helped Aeneas realize that true unhappiness stems not from our circumstances but from what is missing in our lives. During his junior year at Southern University, he made a personal commitment to Jesus Christ and has since devoted his life off the field to sharing the wisdom and teachings of the Word of God.

Pastor Aeneas Williams has a deep love for people and a passion for helping individuals reach their full potential. In 2007, he and his wife of 23 years, Tracy, founded The Spirit Church in St. Louis, Missouri, where he serves as Senior Pastor. Aeneas, Tracy, and their three daughters — Saenea, Tirzah, and Cheyenne — and their son, Lazarus, reside in Creve Coeur, Missouri.

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