BIRMINGHAM, Ala.- The Southwestern Athletic Conference announced its 2022 Football Postseason Honors on Tuesday morning. The all-conference teams and individual award winners were voted on by the league's head coaches and sports information directors.
 
Jackson State's Shedeur Sanders was selected Offensive Player of the Year while fellow teammate Aubrey Miller Jr. was tabbed Defensive Player of the Year. Alcorn State's Jarveon Howard was named Newcomer of the Year. Jackson State's Kevin Coleman Jr. was selected for Freshman of the Year accolades while JSU's Deion Sanders was tabbed Coach of the Year for the second consecutive season to round out the list of individual award winners.
 
Offensive Player of the Year
Sanders led Jackson State football to its first 11-0 record in program history. He tallied seven games with 3+ TD passes this season to go along with four 300-yard passing games. Sanders set single-season school records for touchdown passes (32) and completions (284) while passing for 3,083 yards and rushing for a career-high five touchdowns. He leads the SWAC in completions, completion percentage, passing yards, and touchdowns. Sanders set a career-high with 438 passing yards against Mississippi Valley State and threw a career-high 5 TDs twice in games against Florida A&M and Bethune-Cookman.
 
Defensive Player of the Year
Miller 98 tackles (53 solo) with one sack, three forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, four quarterback hits, five pass breakups, and one touchdown this past season. He recorded eight+ tackles in a game seven times this season, including four 10+ tackle games. He tied a career-high with 19 tackles against Texas Southern. During the Tigers' season opener he recorded nine tackles and returned a fumble 19 yards for a touchdown against Florida A&M.
 
Newcomer of the Year
Howard was named SWAC Newcomer of the Week twice this past season. He leads the league in rushing yards (1,273) while ranking fourth in scoring (78 points). He ranks tied for 20^th in the FCS with 12 rushing touchdowns and is also currently ranked eighth in the FCS in rushing yards. Howard rushed for a season-high 299 yards and four touchdowns against Arkansas-Pine Bluff. He tallied 199 yards and a score on the ground in his debut against No. 10 Stephen F. Austin. Howard contributed five (5) games of 100 yards or more this past season.
 
Freshman of the Year
Coleman caught 24 passes for 324 yards and one touchdown while averaging 25.3 yards on nine kickoff returns and 8.7 yards on six punt returns this past season. He contributed 2+ receptions in a game nine times this season while catching two passes for 76 yards including career-long 64-yard reception versus Mississippi Valley State. Coleman averaged 47.0 yards on two kickoff returns, including a career-long 68-yard return versus Alabama A&M.
 
Coach of Year
Sanders led Jackson State football to its first 11-0 regular season in school history. JSU also completed the first undefeated fall regular season by a league team since 1991. The Tigers tallied 10 wins by margins of 10+ points. Jackson State held 10 opponents to 14 points or less while the defense also leads the FCS in seven defensive categories. JSU has won 17 consecutive conference games and 19 straight games against SWAC opponents.
 
A complete listing of all-conference selections and individual award winners is listed below.
 
2022 SWAC Football Postseason Awards
 
Offensive Player of the Year
Shedeur Sanders, Jackson State

Defensive Player of the Year
Aubrey Miller Jr., Jackson State

Newcomer of the Year
Jarveon Howard, Alcorn State

Freshman of the Year
Kevin Coleman Jr., Jackson State 

Coach of the Year
Deion Sanders, Jackson State 
 
All-SWAC First Team Offense
Quarterback: Shedeur Sanders, Jackson State  
Running Back: Jarveon Howard, Alcorn State  
Running Back: Sy'Veon Wilkerson, Jackson State 
Offensive Lineman: Mark Evans II, Arkansas-Pine Bluff 
Offensive Lineman: Drake Centers, Texas Southern 
Offensive Lineman: Tyler Brown, Jackson State 
Offensive Lineman: Dallas Black, Southern 
Offensive Lineman: Jalen Goss, Florida A&M
Wide Receiver: Xavier Smith, Florida A&M 
Wide Receiver: Dallas Daniels, Jackson State  
Tight End: Kemari Averett, Bethune-Cookman 
 
All-SWAC First Team Defense
Defensive Lineman: Isaiah Land, Florida A&M 
Defensive Lineman: Malachi Bailey, Alcorn State 
Defensive Lineman: Kamari Stephens, Florida A&M
Defensive Lineman: Nyles Gaddy, Jackson State 
Linebacker: Aubrey Miller, Jr., Jackson State 
Linebacker: Ronnie Thomas, Mississippi Valley State 
Linebacker: Colton Adams, Alabama State  
Defensive Back: Isaiah Hamilton, Texas Southern 
Defensive Back: Corione Harris, Southern 
Defensive Back: Omari Hill-Robinson, Bethune-Cookman 
Defensive Back: Cam'Ron Silmon-Craig, Jackson State
 
All-SWAC First Team Specialist
Place Kicker: Jose Romo-Martinez, Florida A&M 
Punter: Chris Faddoul, Florida A&M 
Return Specialist: Darnell Deas, Bethune-Cookman 
Long Snapper: Jason Longcor, Alcorn State
 
All-SWAC Second Team Offense
Quarterback: Jeremy Moussa, Florida A&M 
Running Back: Kayvon Britten, Arkansas-Pine Bluff 
Running Back: Donovan Eaglin, Alabama A&M 
Offensive Lineman: Jermiah Stafford, Southern 
Offensive Lineman: Jonathan Williams, Alabama A&M 
Offensive Lineman: Will Ready, Alcorn State
Offensive Lineman: Cameron Covin, Florida A&M
Offensive Lineman: T.J. Yarbrough, Alcorn State 
Wide Receiver: Shane Hooks, Jackson State 
Wide Receiver: Jah'Marae Sheread, Florida A&M 
Tight End: D.J. Stevens, Jackson State 

All-SWAC Second Team Defense
Defensive Lineman: Sundiata Anderson, Grambling State  
Defensive Lineman: Tahj Brown, Southern  
Defensive Lineman: Justin Ragin, Jackson State
Defensive Lineman: Zareon Hayes, Alabama A&M
Linebacker: Claudin Cherelus, Alcorn State 
Linebacker: Lewis Matthews, Grambling State  
Linebacker: Isaiah Major, Florida A&M 
Defensive Back: Javan Morgan, Florida A&M 
Defensive Back: Isaiah Bolden, Jackson State  
Defensive Back: Irshaad Davis, Alabama State 
Defensive Back: BJ Bohler, Florida A&M 
 
All-SWAC Second Team Specialist
Place Kicker: Alejandro Mata, Jackson State  
Punter: Josh Sanchez, Arkansas-Pine Bluff
Return Specialist: Chaunzavia Lewis, Texas Southern
Long Snapper: Braxston Blackwell, Southern

About the SWAC
The Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) is considered one of the premier HBCU conferences in the country and currently ranks among the elite in the nation in terms of HBCU alumni playing with professional sports teams.
 
Current championship competition offered by the league includes competition for men in Baseball, Basketball, Cross Country, Football, Golf, Indoor Track and Field, Outdoor Track and Field, and Tennis.

Women's competition is offered in the sports of Basketball, Bowling, Cross Country, Golf, Indoor Track and Field, Outdoor Track and Field, Soccer, Softball, Tennis, and Volleyball.
 
Follow the SWAC
For complete coverage of the Southwestern Athletic Conference, please follow the SWAC on social media at @TheSWAC (Twitter), @TheSWAC (Facebook), and @TheSWAC (Instagram) or visit the official home of the Southwestern Athletic Conference at www.swac.org.