There’s hardly been a learning curve for many standout freshmen in the 2024 FCS college football season. The nation’s top freshman will be honored with the 14th annual Jerry Rice Award at the FCS National Awards Banquet in early January.
A standout list of 30 players have been named to the in-season watch list of the Stats Perform 2024 Jerry Rice Award, which honors the FCS freshman player of the year in college football’s Division I subdivision.
The Rice Award, now in its 14th season, is named after legendary Hall of Fame wide receiver Jerry Rice. Past recipients include Cooper Kupp, Chase Edmonds, Trey Lance, Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders.
Players joining the Jerry Rice Award Watch List, which includes both true and redshirt freshmen:
Josh Anglin, North Alabama, LB, 6-0, 215, Buford, Georgia (United Athletic Conference)
David Avit, Villanova, RB, 6-0, 220, Potomac, Maryland (CAA Football)
Charles Battaglia, Stonehill, LB, 6-1, 225, Massapequa, New York (Northeast Conference)
CharMar Brown, North Dakota State, RB, 5-11, 224, Omaha, Nebraska (Missouri Valley Football Conference)
Matt Childs, Brown, RB, 6-0, 200, Medway, Massachusetts (Ivy League)
Jason Collins Jr., Morgan State, RB, 5-9, 185, Washington, D.C. (Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference)
Carson Conklin, Sacramento State, QB, 6-1, 180, Yorba Linda, California (Big Sky Conference)
C.J. Coombes, Wofford, S, 6-0, 208, Bellefonte, Delaware (Southern Conference)
Sanders Ellis, Tennessee State, LB, 6-2, 225, Nashville (Big South-OVC Football Association)
Jalen Fletcher, North Alabama, RB, 5-7, 175, Trinity, Alabama (United Athletic Conference)
Derek Ganter Jr., Eastern Washington, S, 6-0, 188, Pasadena, California (Big Sky Conference)
Steve Hall, Lindenwood, RB, 5-9, 195, St. Louis (Big South-OVC Football Association)
Trey Hedden, Furman, QB, 6-3, 231, Tampa, Florida (Southern Conference)
Jamarie Hostzclaw, Alabama State, RB, 5-9, 176, North Ft. Lauderdale, Florida (Southwestern Athletic Conference)
Collin Hurst, Presbyterian, QB, 5-10, 165, Davie, Florida (Pioneer Football League)
Adam Jones, Montana State, RB, 6-1, 200, Missoula, Montana (Big Sky Conference)
Ayden Jones, Prairie View A&M, LB, 6-2, 215, Houston (Southwestern Athletic Conference)
Finn Lappin, McNeese, P, 5-11, 178, Melbourne, Australia (Southland Conference)
Cole Nilles, Bryant, LB, 6-4, 252, Philadelphia (CAA Football)
Elijah Owens, Indiana State, QB, 6-2, 225, Jacksonville, Illinois (Missouri Valley Football Conference)
AJ Pigford, Princeton, DE, 6-3, 230, Snellville, Georgia (Ivy League)
Brennan Ridley, Hampton, WR, 5-11, 177, Richmond, Virginia (CAA Football)
Jayden Robertson, Southern Utah, CB, 5-10, 180, Henderson, Nevada (United Athletic Conference)
Isaac Saffold, Georgetown, DE, 6-1, 285, Chicago (Patriot League)
Travis Terrell Jr., Jackson State, RB/Returns, 5-8, 165, Atlanta (Southwestern Athletic Conference)
Tariq Thomas, Bucknell, RB, 5-11, 185, Springfield, Massachusetts (Patriot League)
TJ Thomas Jr., Elon, RB, 5-8, 181, Thomasville, Georgia (CAA Football)
Drew VanVleet, Dayton, QB, 6-5, 205, Richmond, Indiana (Pioneer Football League)
Jack Wagner, Idaho, QB, 6-4, 190, Tualatin, Oregon (Big Sky Conference)
Dallas Winner-Johnson, Missouri State, LB, 6-5, 230, St. Louis (Missouri Valley Football Conference)
To be eligible for the Jerry Rice Award, a player must be considered a freshman by his conference in his first academic year or second if he did not surpass four regular-season games played in the true freshman season (the NCAA redshirt rule). More players can join the watch list before a national media panel selects the winner following the regular season.
The 2024 Jerry Rice Award recipient will be announced on Dec. 4 and honored at the Stats Perform National Awards Banquet on Jan. 4 in Frisco, Texas. Other awards at the banquet are the Walter Payton Award (FCS Offensive Player of the Year), Buck Buchanan Award (FCS Defensive Player of the Year), Eddie Robinson Award (FCS Coach of the Year), Urban Edge Network HBCU+ Player of the Year and FedEx Doris Robinson Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
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