James Houston IV Selected as NFLPA’s 2026 Black College Football Pro Player of the Year
ATLANTA -- James Houston IV has been named as the 2026 recipient of the Black College Football Pro Player Award presented by the NFL Players Association (NFLPA). Houston received the award at Saturday's 17th annual Black College Football Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, where he became the 10th player to earn this annual honor presented to a top professional football player who attended a Historically Black College or University (HBCU).
"Being selected as this year's NFLPA Black College Football Pro Player of the Year means a lot to me," Houston said. "My time at Jackson State made me into the man and player I am today, and I'm proud to be a part of the legacy that HBCU players have built and will continue to build on and off the field. Thank you to the NFLPA for their support and investment into HBCU programs and players."
In his fifth NFL season, Houston continued to produce at a notable level, registering 5.5 sacks and 35 total tackles for the Dallas Cowboys. The linebacker attended Jackson State University, where he was named the first-team All-Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) and SWAC Newcomer of the Year in 2021. After being selected by the Detroit Lions in the sixth round of the 2022 NFL Draft, Houston quickly entered the record books as only the third player in NFL history to open his career with a four-game sack streak.
In recognition of Houston's honor, the NFLPA and its Social Justice Task Force presented a $5,000 donation to Jackson State's athletic department to support the university's football program. Houston was also honored alongside this year's Black College Football Hall of Fame class, which included fellow Jackson State alum Jimmy Smith, Eddie Robinson Jr., Nick Collins, Tyrone Poole, Rudy Hubbard and Steve Wyche.
Since the award’s 2018 inception, the NFLPA has recognized one active NFL player who serves as a positive influence in his community, has ties to his HBCU alma mater, exhibits good character and has performed at a high level during the most recent NFL season.
Past winners of the NFLPA Black College Football Pro Player of the Year*:
2025: Cobie Durant (Los Angeles Rams)
2024: Markquese Bell (Dallas Cowboys)
2023: Tytus Howard (Houston Texans)
2022: Grover Stewart (Indianapolis Colts)
2021: Terron Armstead (New Orleans Saints)
2020: Javon Hargrave (Pittsburgh Steelers)
2019: Darius Leonard (Indianapolis Colts) and Tarik Cohen (Chicago Bears)
2018: Antoine Bethea (Arizona Cardinals)
*Denotes player’s team at the time he was honored
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About the NFL Players Association:
The National Football League Players Association (NFLPA) is the union for professional football players in the NFL and headquartered in Washington, D.C. Established in 1956, the NFLPA has a long history of protecting the health, safety and financial future of its more than 2,000 player members, who are the backbone of North America's most popular and highest revenue-generating sport. Through a wide offering of programs, resources and engagement opportunities, the NFLPA provides world-class service to players throughout their career lifecycle and builds solidarity to advocate on their behalf in the areas of healthcare, revenue, compensation and working conditions. The current CBA will govern the sport through the 2030 season. Learn more at nflpa.com.