Darren Burton II Named to Aeneas Williams Award Preseason Watch List

HAMPTON, Va. (August 7, 2024) … Hampton's Darren Burton II is one of 18 HBCU football players on the Aeneas Williams Award Preseason Watch List, it was announced. The award, which was established in 2022, recognizes the nation's best defensive back in HBCU Division I college football.

The sophomore from Newark, N.J., played in all 11 games for the Pirates as a freshman, registering 24 total tackles with 15 solo and nine assists. He also had 1.5 tackles-for-loss, intercepted a pass, and broke up three passes.

In addition to Hampton's Burton, the Watch List includes: Devon Allen (Norfolk State), Kendall Bohler (Florida A&M), James Burgess (Alabama State), Carlvainsky Decius (Morgan State), Kenny Gallop (Howard), Calvin Henderson (Grambling State), Carson Hinton (Howard), Horacio Johnson (Southern), Terron Mallory (Norfolk State), Robert McDaniel (Jackson State), Emari Pait (Alabama A&M), Ja'son Prevard (Morgan State), Karon Prunty (North Carolina A&T), Canary Simmons (Texas Southern), Andrew Smith (Alcorn State), B.J. Washington (Jackson State), and Deco Wilson (Florida A&M).

This award is the first of its kind in HBCU history in honor of its namesake, Southern University walk-on and Pro Football Hall of Famer Aeneas Williams. The contribution of HBCUs to the landscape of college football and the NFL has forever left an impact on the game. HBCUs hold an incredibly rich athletic tradition, tied to the game of football, that continue to exemplify the culture of these schools for over the past century.

New Orleans-raised Aeneas Williams was a junior walk-on defensive back at Southern University. The next year, Aeneas tied the NCAA Division I-AA single-season interception record. He was drafted in the third round of the 1991 draft by the Arizona Cardinals and became a St. Louis Ram in 2001.

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Players Mentioned

#24 Darren Burton II: DB; 5' 11"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

#24 Darren Burton II
: 5' 11"; Freshman
: DB

Players Mentioned

#24 Darren Burton II

Players Mentioned

#24 Darren Burton II