��ݮ��վ���߿�

While D2 Football puts out their , it is more on an All-American team than a player-of-the-year watchlist. We don’t typically see the first watchlist for the Harlon Hill Trophy — the DII equivalent of the Heisman Trophy — until late November or December, and the other DII football awards may come even later than that.

RANKINGS: 📊 The preseason Power 10

So, consider this the first-ever officially unofficial preseason Harlon Hill Trophy watchlist. The official Harlon Hill Trophy watchlist pulls players from each of the four super regions. Last year, there were 43 total nominees — that’s a lot. Since there are now eight tournament teams per super region, let’s focus our list on eight Harlon Hill hopefuls from each super region. Will some people be left off? It is very likely — we haven’t even seen a pass thrown yet, and there are slews of breakout stars every year. I will also focus on just one player per program, although I will give a nod if said player has a teammate (or two) that could find his way on the watchlist as well. So, this list relies heavily on player history and is focused on some of the top returners around the division.

Super Region One

Seton Hill Athletics Ky’Ron Cragette breaks another big run for Seton Hill.

Curtis Allen, Virginia Union: His numbers don’t jump off the page, but remember, he was running behind Jada Byers the past three years. You know, the same three years Byers ran for more than 5,000 yards? The Panthers always have a tough lead back, and I’d expect Allen to be next.

Bobbie Boyd Jr., Cal (PA): If the Vulcans want to stay in the hunt, Boyd will play a large part in that. The junior running back was a breakout star last year, rushing for 938 yards and seven scores.

Rashon Bradford, Bentley: There was a lot of change in the NE10, but Bentley should be the team to beat. The quick and shifty wide receiver broke out big-time in 2024 on his way to the NE10 MVP award, posting his first 1,000-yard season with his 13 touchdowns a top-10 mark in DII football.

Brevin Caldwell, Johnson C. Smith: Caldwell is already bringing in preseason nods, named to the HBCU preseason All-American squad made up of players across all divisions. He had a nice season last year, as the receiver brought in 1,090 yards and eight scores. Kelvin Durham, the Golden Bulls’ new quarterback from Fort Valley State, should help Caldwell build on those numbers.

Ky’Ron Cragette, Seton Hill: Cragette’s breakout came in 2023, when he nearly doubled his numbers from his freshman 2022 debut. Last year, the 5-foot-10 running back exploded onto the scene as one of DII football’s leading rushers. He totaled 1,287 rushing yards on just about 5.0 yards per carry while scoring 13 touchdowns on the ground. He also now has 28 touchdowns over the past two seasons.

Maurice Massey, Indiana (PA): Massey was a Harlon Hill hopeful in 2024, nominated on the first watchlist in December. He is a big target at wide receiver, listed at 6-foot-4 and 215 pounds, which helped in a five-game touchdown streak earlier in the year. Don’t be afraid of his modest numbers (610 yards and eight touchdowns) from 2024; you should expect a jump in stats this year.

Judd Novak, Kutztown: All Novak does is win. Since his 2023 PSAC freshman-of-the-year campaign, he has been a key figure in the back-to-back conference championships for Kutztown. The quarterback was shockingly not among the Harlon Hill candidates last year, perhaps because he is a dual-threat quarterback and you have to look at the total picture. He threw for 2,004 yards and ran for more than 400 more, throwing 20 touchdowns, running for four and committing only five turnovers.

Adrian Parker, Franklin Pierce: Parker is the second returning 2024 Harlon Hill candidate, and his numbers tell the story. He was the NE10 offensive player of the year, throwing for 2,888 yards, 22 touchdowns and seven interceptions, and his 288.80 yards per game were sixth-best in DII football.

Super Region Two

West Florida Athletics Corey Scott is off to the races for West Florida.

Ahmari Coats, North Greenville: Coats is a bit of a sleeper because he wasn’t one of the top wide receivers in 2024. But he did look good and North Greenville is expected to compete in the new Conference Carolinas. He is a reliable target and could turn into a playmaker in 2025 coming off a 574-yard, three-touchdown season.

Armone Harris, Clark Atlanta: Harris had quite the offseason, but the electric wide receiver is back in Atlanta, albeit with a new quarterback. Harris was one of David Wright III’s favorite targets last year, reeling in 75 receptions for 1,004 yards and 14 touchdowns. Expect big things in 2025.

Isaiah Knowles, Albany State (GA): Knowles was a Harlon Hill candidate a year ago, so this shouldn’t be too much of a surprise. The former Naval Academy quarterback turned in a big 2024, throwing for 2,555 yards and 32 touchdowns with just eight interceptions at an impressive 65.7% completion rate. The Golden Rams are loaded with talent and expect to be the SIAC team to beat. Knowles will benefit the most.

Kevin Lalin, Catawba: Lalin had a big year for Limestone, breaking out as one of the best running backs DII had to offer. With the Saints closing their doors, Catawba capitalized, keeping Lalin in the SAC and causing a potential nightmare for opposing rushing defenses. Lalin rushed for 1,209 yards and eight scores while averaging 18.7 yards per reception and adding another touchdown as a receiver. He finished 10th in total rushing yards and fourth in rushing yards per game at 120.1. He should help the void left by LJ Turner’s departure.

Darius Ocean, Benedict: Ocean moves from the CIAA to the SIAC, leaving Johnson C. Smith for Benedict. Last year, he threw for 2,301 yards and 16 touchdowns with a minuscule five interceptions. The 6-foot quarterback led the Golden Bulls to their best record ever and just missed a postseason spot. Now he has the chance to return Benedict to the tournament.

Joel Felder, UNC Pembroke: Felder has been quite the enigma the past two seasons. Perhaps it is because the running back was on West Virginia State, a team that doesn’t get a lot of tournament hype, but he has been one of the most consistent backs in DII. One year after rushing for 1,115 yards and 13 scores, he piled on 976 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns. The rushing yards were slightly down, but that was from big improvements in the passing game, adding 576 yards and six more touchdowns. The Braves are projected as the Conference Carolinas winners, and that could make Felder one of DII’s biggest weapons.

Corey Scott, West Florida: Scott didn’t have a monster 2024 statistically speaking, but the numbers were still encouraging. He finished with 629 yards receiving and five scores, but he also averaged 18.5 yards per carry, showcasing his big-play ability. West Florida is a national title contender, and with this offense ready for a big step forward in its second year as a unit, Scott may be the largest recipient of big-time stats.

Jayden Sullins, Carson-Newman: The Eagles ran their way into the 2024 tournament with one of the best rushing offenses in DII football. They piled up 265.8 yards per game, which was fourth-best in the division. Sullins was the main workhorse in the Eagles’ stable, rushing for a SAC-best 1,224 yards and 11 touchdowns, earning him All-American honors.

LJ Turner, Lenoir-Rhyne: Turner was one of the bigger gets of the offseason, transferring from Catawba to the projected SAC champions for 2025. He ran for 1,224 yards and 13 touchdowns… in only eight games. The shortage of carries didn’t allow him to officially qualify, but his 153.0 yards per game were second-most, while his 1,224 yards were a top-10 mark as were his total touchdowns. He could be the player to watch in this entire super region.

Super Region Three

MSU Moorhead Athletics. Jack Strand points for another first down.

Ronald Blackman, Tiffin. Blackman had a monster 2024 and should be ready for more in 2025. The 5-foot-11 running back was solid from start to finish, but closed the 2024 season with three 200-yard rushing days in his final four games. He’s an all-around weapon, rushing for 1,385 yards on 6.0 yards per carry and adding 243 yards receiving on 36 receptions while totaling 17 touchdowns.

Anthony Cardamone, Grand Valley State: I rarely add defensive players to my preseason watchlists. Will a few make it to the initial Harlon Hill watchlist in December? Sure. Will they win? Not likely, as only one defensive player has ever won the award — and that was back in 1995. That speaks to how special Cardamone is as a linebacker. Last year, he recorded 80 tackles with 8.5 for a loss to go with 4.5 sacks, nine quarterback hurries and three forced fumbles. He’s a beast and should be lined up for another monster season.

Eddie Clark, McKendree: Clark is coming off one of the best seasons a running back has ever had in Bearcats history. He ran for 1,146 yards and 14 touchdowns, averaging more than five yards per carry. With his starting quarterback Ty Michael back under center, Clark has someone experienced in what works for the McKendree offense: Getting Clark the ball. A lot.

Denim Cook, Truman State: Cook had a breakout season for the Bulldogs. He led the team in rushing with 1,131 yards and scored 12 touchdowns, bouncing back in a big way after an injury-riddled 2023. He’s a bruiser of a back, listed 5-foot-9 and 230 pounds, so he will not be easy to take down, which bodes well for another strong season.

Carson Gulker, Ferris State: Gulker returns from a lost season in which he appeared in just two games before his season came to an end from injury. Prior to that, it can be argued that no one loved the end zone more in DII. As a freshman, he ran for 31 touchdowns and threw for four more and followed that up with a 25-total-touchdown sophomore campaign in 2023. If he is fully healthy, it is safe to say that he will once again be among the total touchdown leaders in all DII.

Jack Strand, MSU Moorhead: Here is my way-too-early pick for the winner of the 2025 Harlon Hill Trophy. Strand is a true quarterback, standing at 6-foot-5 and a pocket passer with a cannon of an arm that has been a Harlon Hill nominee before. He’s thrown for at least 3,400 yards in each of the past two seasons and has thrown 68 total touchdowns over that span. He has his top target back in Gage Florence (whose 89 receptions were third in DII) and top red zone target in Brady Perryman (whose 14 touchdowns were fifth in DII) returns as well. No one is set up for a bigger season. He just needs to do it one more time.

Gavin Sukup, UIndy: Sukup has been Captain Consistent for the Greyhounds. He is the two-time GLVC player of the year and was a Harlon Hill candidate a year ago. He is a passing quarterback but, thanks to the help of a usually stacked running game, is very swift of foot with 638 yards rushing and 12 touchdowns from 2023 to 2024. Last year, he threw for 2,621 yards, 21 touchdowns and just four interceptions and has a career 65% completion rate. Sukup is the complete package, and a good one at that.

Kyle Walljasper, Minnesota Duluth: Walljasper is a two-time Harlon Hill candidate in both 2023 and 2024. While he is the Bulldogs’ quarterback — and a very solid one — he has also led the team in rushing in each of the last two seasons, with a 1,000-yard season in 2023. He has 2,582 yards rushing in his three-year career with 35 rushing touchdowns. The scary part is he really came into his own as a passer last year, with his first 2,000-yard season in which he threw 22 touchdowns for the second year in a row. What is more remarkable is that in 325 career passing attempts, Walljasper has thrown just 12 interceptions, or 0.4 per game in his career.

Super Region Four

Western Colorado State Athletics Ricky Freymond gets to the quarterback once again.

Jaylen Cottrell, Central Oklahoma: Okay, here’s the truth of the matter. Bronchos quarterback Jett Huff is one of the — if not the — best quarterbacks in DII. And quarterbacks own this award — a quarterback has won the Harlon Hill the last 10 years in a row. So, Huff is the easy, deserving choice, but Cottrell could be on the cusp of a monster season. The 'Chos running back broke out to the tune of 1,284 rushing yards, 297 receiving yards, and 16 total touchdowns in 2024. With DII’s leading wide receiver Terrill Davis no longer at Central Oklahoma, I can see Cottrell being the team’s third (or maybe even second) receiving option, boosting his stats even more.

Braeden Fuller, Angelo State: Fuller was a Harlon Hill candidate in 2024 and the Rams looked poised for another big year, so why not another accolade for the budding superstar? The reigning LSC player of the year had a monster debut in 2024 (yes, he played sparingly in eight games as a freshman in 2023, but six pass attempts and 14 rushing attempts are not a true debut, it’s cleanup duty). Last year, Fuller threw for 2,318 yards and 19 touchdowns while rushing for 678 yards and 10 touchdowns. Oh, he also threw two interceptions. In 12 games. Two.

Braden Jay, Harding: I am trying to keep it to one candidate per team, but Harding truly has three in Jay, Cole Keylan and Andrew Miller… and maybe even defensive back Ty Dugger, too. So, why Jay? Jay is listed as a running back, but he is a menace everywhere. He ran for 1,080 yards and 13 touchdowns last year. He led the team in receiving with 252 yards and four touchdowns. Oh, and he led the team with 26.4 yards per kickoff return. Jay defines an all-purpose player, and he’s really good at all aspects of it.

Ricky Freymond, Western Colorado: You have to keep an eye on quarterback Drew Nash, but Freymond is the rare defensive player that will probably be a two-time Harlon Hill candidate after making the list last season. He is a monster, listed at 6-foot-5 and 265 pounds, and his big season earned him D2 Football’s defensive player of the year honors. He led DII with 24.5 tackles for a loss and two blocked kicks while his 12 sacks ranked second in the division. He has 21.5 sacks in the past two seasons and is simply a machine.

Kory Harris, UT Permian Basin: It feels like Harris was one of the more under appreciated players in DII last year. He was Second Team All-LSC despite a very impressive season. He ran for 1,061 yards and 13 touchdowns a year ago, while adding 151 yards and another touchdown through the air. UTPB is a sleeper for 2025, and Harris will lad the way.

Kennedy McGill, Central Washington: Quarterbacks dominate the world of Harlon Hill, and McGill is just that. His biggest advantage is that he may be one of the best rushers in DII. Last year he was 12th in DII with 1,206 yards rushing — and that was with Wildcats running back Tyler Flanagan putting up a 1,00-yard season of his own. Flanagan is gone, so McGill's numbers may be insane.

Reggie Retzlaff, CSU Pueblo: The accolades speak for themselves. Retzlaff is the best receiver in DII, and as long as he can suit up in 2025, he will be again. He wasn’t simply a Harlon Hill nominee, but a finalist, and considering a wide receiver hasn’t won the award since 1991, that tells you all you need to know. But I’ll tell you more: Retzlaff recorded 6.1 receptions per game to the tune of 1,228 yards and 12 touchdowns, his second straight year with 12 scores. He’s a good route runner and legitimate deep threat, averaging 18.3 yards per reception. He also topped 130 yards in more than half his games (six).

Flynn Schiele, Colorado School of Mines: Max Mcleod was so good for so long, some people forget that statistically Schiele was the Orediggers' top receiver last year, pulling in 1,195 yards and 12 touchdowns. Yes, there is some uncertainty under center this year, but the Orediggers seemingly always have a high-scoring, high-yardage, explosive offense. The targets should come aplenty for the star wideout.

TreShawn Watson, Minnesota State: Watson is another wide receiver that will have a new quarterback throwing him the ball, but that shouldn’t be an issue. He is a massive receiver, listed at 6-foot-4 with the speed and the leaping ability to make plays that many others can’t. The Mavericks have made themselves a powerhouse with a blend of running and passing, so don’t expect record-setting numbers from Watson, but he should build on his 808-yard, nine touchdown season.

Overtime: Gene Upshaw Award watchlist

The Gene Upshaw Award goes the best lineman, either offensive or defensive, in DII. Last year, it was defensive lineman Marquise Fleming from Wingate that had the honors, so there will be a new winner this year. Here’s a list of players to keep an eye on for 2025.

Offensive linemen:

• Joe Cooper, Slippery Rock
• Slade Edwards, Central Washington
• Dylan Horton, Ouachita Baptist
• Ryan Schernecke, Kutztown
• Brett Weaver, Grand Valley State
• Jarvis Windom, Ferris State

Defensive lineman:

• Dylan Christley, Slippery Rock
• Ricky Freymond, Western Colorado
• Owen Seaver, Angelo State
• Michael Shimek, Ashland
• Freddie Retter, Kutztown

Double overtime: Cliff Harris Award hopefuls

The Cliff Harris Award goes to the top small college football defensive player across NAIA, DII and DIII football. Six of the last seven have been from DII, including current NFL players Kyle Dugger and Caleb Murphy. Since we just took a look at linemen, here is a very short list of some linebackers and defensive backs to watch this season, excluding anyone mentioned above.

• Ty Dugger, Harding, DB
• Parker Knutson, Southwest Minnesota State, DB
• Jordan Rogers, Pittsburg State
• Tyler Schultze, Emporia State, DB
• Gary Seidenberger, CSU Pueblo, LB
• Jackson Zimmermann, Colorado School of Mines, LB