Atlanta, Ga. | With the 2026 season just days away, Morehouse College football continues to earn national recognition as Zach Underwood, Sean Johnson and Seve Spruill were honored on a pair of prominent HBCU football preseason lists announced last week.
Underwood highlighted the week by earning a spot on the 2026 Black College Football Hall of Fame Black College Football Player of the Year Award Watch List, placing the Maroon Tiger defensive standout among 52 players nationally in contention for the Deacon Jones Trophy. He was one of just seven Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference players selected to the watch list.
The Black College Football Hall of Fame selected players based on previous accomplishments and their potential impact during the upcoming season. Four finalists will be announced following the season, with the winner receiving the Deacon Jones Trophy at halftime of the 2027 Allstate HBCU Legacy Bowl on February 27, 2027, in Atlanta. The Black College Football Hall of Fame watch list features only 52 student-athletes from 24 HBCU programs, with the SIAC accounting for seven selections.
Morehouse also placed three student-athletes on the inaugural Black College Football Poll (BCFP) Division II Preseason All-America Teams, which recognize the top returning HBCU players at the NCAA Division II level. The teams were selected by a panel of HBCU football coaches and selected media members.
Zach Underwood — Deacon Jones Trophy Watch List/BCFP Second-Team All-American
Underwood's selection to the Deacon Jones Trophy Watch List came in addition to being named a BCFP Division II Preseason Second-Team All-American on the defensive line.
The Montgomery, Alabama, product made an immediate impact for Morehouse in 2025. Underwood finished the season with 38 tackles, eight tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks and three forced fumbles while appearing in all 10 games.
His performance also earned him an SIAC Newcomer of the Week award during the 2025 campaign. Underwood enters his junior season after previously being named to the 2026 Preseason All-SIAC First Team.
Seve Spruill — BCFP First-Team All-American
Senior punter Seve Spruill earned BCFP Division II Preseason All-America First-Team honors, making him Morehouse's highest selection on the inaugural national team.
Spruill handled the majority of Morehouse's punting duties during the 2025 season, recording 44 punts for 1,660 yards and a 37.7-yard average. He placed 13 punts inside the opponent's 20-yard line, had six punts of 50 yards or longer and registered a season-long 60-yard punt. He also handled 35 kickoffs for the Maroon Tigers.
The Conshohocken, Pennsylvania, native enters 2026 as one of the most experienced specialists in the SIAC and was previously selected to the 2026 Preseason All-SIAC Second Team.
Sean Johnson — BCFP Second-Team All-American
Senior linebacker Sean Johnson joined Underwood on the BCFP Division II Preseason All-America Second Team, continuing a string of preseason recognition for one of the leaders of the Morehouse defense.
Johnson led the Maroon Tigers in 2025 with 88 total tackles, including 45 solo stops. He added eight tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, an interception, three quarterback hurries and a forced fumble. His 17 tackles against Johnson C. Smith were the highest single-game total by a Morehouse defender last season.
The Newnan, Georgia, native was also selected to the 2026 Preseason All-SIAC First Team after earning second-team preseason conference recognition entering the 2025 campaign.
Scott Also Receives National Consideration
Morehouse quarterback Miles Scott also received significant consideration during the Black College Football Poll voting. The Division II quarterback race was among the closest on the ballot, with Clark Atlanta's Xzavier Jackson narrowly earning the Second-Team position ahead of Scott.
The recognition comes after Scott was selected to the 2026 Preseason All-SIAC Second Team and adds to a growing list of Maroon Tigers receiving preseason attention entering the first season under head coach Brad Sherrod. Morehouse led the SIAC with 10 players selected to the conference's preseason first and second teams.
National Recognition Ahead of Week Zero
The preseason honors provide another indication of the returning talent Morehouse will carry into the 2026 campaign, particularly on defense and special teams.
The Maroon Tigers open the season Saturday, August 29, against the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff in the inaugural Natural State Kickoff Classic at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock, Arkansas. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET. Morehouse then returns to Atlanta for its SIAC opener against rival Clark Atlanta on September 5 at B.T. Harvey Stadium.
For up-to-date athletic information on the Maroon Tigers, follow them on social media or online at www.morehouseathletics.com or Maroon Tiger football on Instagram @morehousefootball.
