Six players from North Carolina college football programs have been named among the 43 finalists for the 2024 Harlon Hill Trophy, which denotes the Division II player of the year.
Here are the nominees from the Old North State:
- QB Colin Johnson (UNC Pembroke)
- LB Benari Black (Johnson C. Smith)
- DB Justin Fleming (Winston-Salem State)
- DE Marquise Fleming (Wingate)
- QB Christian Peters (Shaw)
- RB LJ Turner (Catawba)
Black earned CIAA Defensive Player of the Year honors, while Fleming earned the same award for the South Atlantic Conference.
Sports information directors from across D2 football nominate players, then SIDs vote for their top five candidates from their school’s Super Region.
The 2024 Harlon Hill Trophy will be awarded on Friday, Dec. 20. The honor is named after Harlon Hill, a former North Alabama player in the 1950s, who later starred in the NFL.
Central Missouri’s Zach Zebrowski won the 2023 Harlon Hill Trophy.
Below is the complete list of 43 nominees, listed by Super Region. This year’s finalists include 16 quarterbacks, nine running backs, six wide receivers, four defensive linemen, three defensive backs, two linebackers, a fullback, one kick returner and one placekicker.
2024 Harlon Hill Trophy Nominees
Super Region One
Davis Black QB California
Rashon Bradford WR Bentley
Kha’lil Eason KR New Haven
Colin Johnson QB UNC Pembroke
Brayden Long QB Slippery Rock
Maurice Massey WR IUP
Chavon Wright RB Charleston
Adrian Prker QB Franklin Pierce
Jackson Ostrosky QB Lock Haven
Super Region Two
Benari Black LB Johnson C. Smith
Jada Byers RB Virginia Union
Sammy Edwards QB Valdosta State
Justin Fleming DB Winston-Salem State
Marquise Fleming DE Wingate
Caleb Grant LB Morehouse
Isaiah Knowles QB Albany State
Trevon Lambert DL West Alabama
Christian Peters QB Shaw
Kelvin Smith RB Delta State
LJ Turner RB Catawba
David Wright III QB Clark Atlanta
Super Region Three
Judd Barton QB Southern Arkansas
Trinidad Chambliss QB Ferris State
Terrill Davis WR Central Oklahoma
Braden Jay RB Harding
Josiah Johnson S Ouachita Baptist
Tyler Kahmann WR Emporia State
Gideon Niboh RB Missouri S&T
Brandon Perez K East Central
Gavin Sukup QB Indianapolis
Shane Watts RB Fort Hays State
Zach Zebrowski QB Central Missouri
Super Region Four
Ron Craten FB Eastern New Mexico
Jarod Epperson RB Augustana
Ricky Freymund DE Western Colorado
Braeden Fuller QB Angelo State
Marcus Hansen DE Bemidji State
Evan Lovett RB Minot State
Reggie Retzlaff WR CSU Pueblo
Flynn Schiele WR Colorado Mines
Jack Strand QB Minnesota Moorhead
Tanner Volk S Central Washington
Kyle Walljasper QB Minnesota Duluth
