Jah-Maine Martin'sawesome football season for North Carolina A&T State could culminate in multiple postseason awards. On Friday, the Black College Football Hall of Fame (BCFHOF) announced Martin as one of four finalists for the Black College Football Player of the Year Award.
Earlier this month, Martin also made the Walter Payton Award Watch List for the best offensive player in the Division I-Football Championship Subdivision (FCS).
The award is presented annually to the most outstanding football player from a Historically Black College & University (HBCU) that embodies the rich tradition of athletic excellence and integrity associated with HBCUs. Former North Carolina A&T State University, and current Chicago Bears Running Back Tarik Cohen was the inaugural recipient of the Award in 2016. Former N.C. A&T quarterback Lamar Raynard was a finalist in 2017.
The other past winner was former Bowie State quarterback Amir Hall who won the award in 2017 and 2018. The other 2019 finalists include Alcorn State quarterback Felix Harper, RB Tennessee State wide receiver Chris Rowland and Florida A&M QB Ryan Stanley.
The Finalists were chosen by a five-member selection committee, which is composed of Black College Football Hall of Fame founders James "Shack" Harris and Doug Williams, longtime SBN Broadcaster and Director of News and Sports for the Power News Radio Network Ty Miller, former USA Today sportswriter Roscoe Nance and ESPN College Football Analyst Jay Walker.
"The Black College Football Player of the Year Award showcases the immense talent of our HBCU student-athletes today," said Doug Williams, BCFHOF Co-Founder and 2011 Inductee. "Each finalist has had an incredible season and we are excited to celebrate their success."
The winner of the 2019 Black College Football Player of the Year Award will be announced on February 22, 2020 at the 11th Annual Black College Football Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, Presented by the Atlanta Falcons in Atlanta.
He will be presented with the Deacon Jones Trophy, named in honor of the football legend and inaugural BCFHOF inductee. "On behalf of the Black College Football Hall of Fame Trustees, we congratulate the Black College Football Player of the Year Finalists," said James "Shack" Harris, Co-Founder and 2012 Inductee. "These student-athletes represent the very best of HBCU football."
The Finalists will also be recognized at the Celebration Bowl in Atlanta on December 21 along with the BCFHOF Class of 2020, which will be televised on ABC. Martin will be participating in the game for the second straight season.
This season, Martin has proven to be one of the best running backs in the nation. He has nine touchdown runs of 50 yards or more. He leads the nation in yards per carry at 7.81. The first-team All-Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) running back and candidate for MEAC offensive player of the year was the only MEAC player this season to rush for more than 1,000 yards as he enters the Celebration Bowl with 1,336 yards and a single-season school record 21 touchdowns (21).
"Jah-Maine runs the ball extremely hard," said N.C. A&T coach Sam Washington. "He is very physical and that's the style of ball I love. But at the same time, he has breakaway speed in the open field which makes him the dynamic type of player I love.
He also plays well without the ball in his hand. That's very important too. That determines the type of player you relay are. When you can play without the ball in your hand and you still play hard and you still give max effort that makes you a complete football player. He's special and it's a joy to watch him play."