FRANKFORT, Ky.  —  Kentucky State wide receiver Darius Cyprian has been named to the 2026 Deacon Jones Player of the Year Watch List, the Black College Football Hall of Fame announced.
 
The Deacon Jones Trophy is presented annually by the Black College Football Hall of Fame to the most outstanding football player from a Historically Black College or University.
 
Cyprian enters the 2026 season following a standout campaign for the Thorobreds in which he recorded 42 receptions for 903 yards and eight touchdowns across 12 games. He averaged 21.5 yards per reception and led Kentucky State in receiving yards.
 
His 903 receiving yards rank third in Kentucky State's recorded single-season history since 1990, while his eight receiving touchdowns are among the program's top single-season totals during that span. Cyprian also contributed 89 kickoff-return yards to finish the season with 990 all-purpose yards.
 
The latest recognition adds to a growing list of preseason accolades for Cyprian. He was previously named a First-Team Preseason All-SIAC selection, earned BOXTOROW HBCU College Football Preseason All-America honors and was selected to the D2Football.com Elite 100 Watch List.
 
Cyprian helped Kentucky State produce one of the strongest seasons in program history in 2025 as the Thorobreds finished 9-3 and earned the program's first NCAA Division II playoff appearance.
 
The Deacon Jones Trophy is named in honor of Pro Football Hall of Famer and HBCU legend Deacon Jones, who attended South Carolina State and Mississippi Vocational College, now Mississippi Valley State University. The award recognizes the top player in Black college football.
 
The Black College Football Hall of Fame will continue evaluating candidates throughout the 2026 season before selecting the Deacon Jones Trophy recipient.
 
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