A list of 43 student-athletes from across the nation have been nominated for the 2024 Harlon Hill Trophy as the Division II college football player of the year. A total of nine nominees hail from Super Region One, 12 from Super Region Two, 11 from Super Region Three and 11 from Super Region Four
Central Missouri’s Zach Zebrowski, the 2023 Hill recipient and a 2024 nominee from Super Region Three, could become the fifth repeat winner in award history. Slippery Rock quarterback Brayden Long, Valdosta State quarterback Sammy Edwards and Central Washington safety Tanner Volk return after reaching the finalist stage. Running back Jada Byers, a 2022 finalist from Virginia Union, also appears on the initial ballot.
Harlon Hill Trophy: An essential guide to the DII football award
The sports information directors at their respective schools initially nominate candidates. The SIDs in those Super Regions vote for their top five candidates. The winner is then determined in a nationwide vote of the Division II sports information directors. The sports information directors at the 159 NCAA Division II football-playing institutions nominate and vote on the award. The 43 initial candidates will be placed on regional ballots and the top two players from each of the four NCAA regions will advance to the national ballot when regional voting concludes on Monday, December 2.
The group of 43 candidates includes 16 quarterbacks, nine running backs, six wide receivers, four defensive linemen, three defensive backs, two linebackers, a fullback, a return specialist and a kicker. The list features 24 seniors, 17 juniors and two sophomores.
FLASHBACK: What we learned in the first round of the 2024 DII football championship
The winner of the 2024 award will be announced on Friday, December 20.
Super Region One
| Player | Position | School | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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
| Player | Position | School |
|---|---|---|
| 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
| Player | Position | School |
|---|---|---|
| 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
| Player | Position | School |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
