By SPEAKIN’ OUT NEWS Staff
Alabama State quarterback Andrew Body has been named the 2025 Stats Perform HBCU National Player of the Year, earning one of the highest honors in Black college football after delivering a historic and resilient season.
The award recognizes the top player from 21 HBCUs competing in FCS football. Body was chosen by an eight-person national panel from a group of 10 finalists. Delaware State running back Marquis Gillis finished as runner-up. Body will receive the honor during the Stats Perform FCS National Awards Show on Jan. 3 in Nashville.
Body, a 6-foot, 205-pound redshirt junior from Corpus Christi, Texas, started eight games before a shoulder injury ended his season early. Still, he completed 70.9% of his passes for 1,770 yards, 20 touchdowns and just one interception, finishing with a 203.6 passer efficiency rating. He also rushed for 518 yards and four touchdowns, anchoring one of the most explosive offenses in the SWAC.
His season was packed with standout performances, including a six-touchdown game against Alabama A&M. In Alabama State’s 52–42 season-opening battle at UAB, Body threw for 312 yards and four touchdowns while rushing for 119 yards and another score — earning HBCU National Player of the Week honors. He later tallied a career-high 442 total yards in a narrow loss to Jackson State.
Body was named Southwestern Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Year, leading the league in touchdown passes (20) and points responsible for (144), and ranking second in completion percentage. He earned SWAC Offensive Player of the Week three times and HBCU National Player of the Week twice.
His journey to the award is even more remarkable considering he overcame three consecutive season-ending injuries. After setting Texas Southern’s single-season yardage record in 2021, he suffered shoulder injuries in both 2023 and 2024. Fully healthy in 2025, he delivered one of the most productive campaigns in Alabama State history.
Body, who plans to return next season, says the award reflects perseverance and faith.
“I’m really at a loss for words,” he said. “Doing the work to get back, only for God to give me everything I asked for — it truly is a blessing.”
