• Travis Hunter wins the Heisman: Colorado’s two-way famous person takes dwelling school soccer’s highest particular person honor as a result of his dominance on either side of the ball.
• Ashton Jeanty runs away with the Doak Walker Award: Boise State’s star tailback had one of many best seasons ever by a collegiate operating again.
• Unlock your edge with a PFF+ subscription: Get full entry to all of our in-season fantasy instruments, together with weekly rankings, WR/CB matchup charts, weekly projections, the Start-Sit Optimizer and extra. Sign up now!
Estimated studying time: 7 minutes
Now that the school soccer common season is within the books, it’s time to show our consideration to who deserves school soccer’s highest particular person honors.
Using PFF’s superior metrics, right here’s who we’d give 23 of faculty soccer’s main awards to.
Heisman Trophy/Maxwell Award (Best Player): WR/CB Travis Hunter, Colorado Buffaloes
Simply put, Hunter is the best two-way participant in school soccer historical past. He leads the Power Four with 14 receiving touchdowns this season whereas his 1,152 receiving yards are second to solely Tetairoa McMillan in that group. His 86.2 offensive grade is fifth amongst all wideouts within the nation.
On protection, Hunter’s 90.9 protection grade can be the best amongst all corners within the nation. His 42.0 passer score allowed is eighth amongst Power Four corners whereas his 4 interceptions are tied for third in that very same group.
Chuck Bednarik Award/Bronko Nagurski Trophy (Best Defensive Player): DI Mason Graham, Michigan Wolverines
Not quite a bit went proper for Michigan in its nationwide title protection this season, because the Wolverines completed with only a 7-5 file. Their line of defense stayed dominant, headlined by Graham within the center. His 92.4 run-defense grade led all FBS inside defensive linemen this season whereas his 34 pressures have been tied for third.
Davey O’Brien Award (Best Quarterback): QB Cam Ward, Miami (FL) Hurricanes
Ward launched himself up draft boards with a stellar season for the Hurricanes this season. The projected top-five choose leads all FBS quarterbacks with a 92.6 PFF grade and 36 passing touchdowns whereas putting second with 4,123 passing yards. Ward’s 28 big-time throws are tied for third amongst all signal-callers within the nation as effectively.
Doak Walker Award (Best Running Back): RB Ashton Jeanty, Boise State Broncos
Jeanty is having one of many best seasons we’ve ever seen from a collegiate operating again, whether or not it’s by the normal stats or PFF’s superior metrics. His 2,288 dashing yards are at present fifth all-time whereas his 28 dashing touchdowns are tied for ninth. Jeanty’s additionally already set quite a few PFF College data.
Ashton Jeanty’s historic 2024 season within the PFF College period (Since 2014)
Jeanty’s 1,695 yards after contact are greater than every other FBS operating again’s whole dashing yards this season. Keep in thoughts that he nonetheless has not less than yet one more recreation so as to add to his ridiculous season.
Biletnikoff Award (Best Receiver): WR Tetairoa McMillan, Arizona Wildcats
McMillan was one of many few issues that went proper for Arizona this 12 months in its disappointing 4-8 season. The projected top-five choose within the 2025 NFL Draft leads all Power Four gamers with 1,316 receiving yards whereas his 18 contested catches are tied for essentially the most in that very same group. McMillan was additionally extremely harmful after the catch, putting third amongst FBS wideouts with 28 pressured missed tackles on receptions.
John Mackey Award (Best Tight End): TE Harold Fannin Jr., Bowling Green Falcons
We have been splitting hairs between Fannin and Penn State’s Tyler Warren for this award, as every turned in unbelievable seasons. Bowling Green’s star will get the nod right here as his 1,342 receiving yards are second within the nation, no matter place. That determine can be simply 10 yards away from the all-time single-season file for a decent finish, set by Texas Tech’s Jace Amaro in 2013. Fannin might simply break that file if he decides to play within the Falcons’ bowl recreation.
His 95.8 PFF grade is greater than anybody else in school soccer. And for these questioning Fannin’s degree of competitors, remember the fact that he posted a 94.1 receiving grade with a mixed 282 receiving yards in opposition to Penn State and Texas A&M this season.
Outland Trophy (Best Interior Lineman): DI Mason Graham, Michigan Wolverines
Rotary Lombardi Award (Best Lineman): DI Mason Graham, Michigan Wolverines
Rimington Award (Best Center): C Jake Slaughter, Florida Gators
Slaughter’s had a assassin’s row of a schedule this season, dealing with projected Day 1/Day 2 picks like Walter Nolen, Shemar Stewart, Deone Walker, Omarr Norman-Lott and Alfred Collins.
He responded by grading because the Power Four’s greatest middle, posting an 82.6 mark this 12 months. Slaughter’s 79.1 run-blocking grade can be the perfect within the Power Four and he’s solely allowed a strain on 2.3% of his pass-blocking snaps.
Ted Hendricks Award (Best Defensive End): EDGE Abdul Carter, Penn State Nittany Lions
Carter is at present a top-five prospect on PFF’s 2025 NFL Draft massive board as a result of his unbelievable season. He’s at present essentially the most beneficial edge defender within the nation in accordance with PFF’s wins above common metric and fourth in pass-rushing grade (91.0). Keep in thoughts that this was Carter’s first season as a full-time edge rusher after spending his first two years as an off-ball linebacker.
Butkus Award (Best Linebacker): LB Jay Higgins, Iowa Hawkeyes
Higgins was each the highest-graded and most useful Power Four linebacker this 12 months in accordance with PFF’s wins above-average metric. He led the nation with a 93.9 protection grade whereas his 4 interceptions have been tied for essentially the most within the Power Four.
Jim Thorpe Award (Best Defensive Back): CB Travis Hunter, Colorado Buffaloes
Paul Hornung Award (Most Versatile Player): WR/CB Travis Hunter, Colorado Buffaloes
Lou Groza Award (Best Placekicker): Okay Ben Sauls, Pittsburgh Panthers
Sauls led the nation with a 95.5 area purpose/further level grade this season. He nailed 5 of his six tries from 50-plus yards whereas changing all 41 of his extra-point tries. Sauls was additionally good from inside 39 yards, making all six of his tries.
Ray Guy Award (Best Punter): P Brett Thorson, Georgia Bulldogs
Thorson’s 93.3 punting grade was over three factors greater than anybody else in America this 12 months. He led the nation with a mean hangtime of 4.53 seconds whereas his common internet yardage of 44.2 yards was fourth within the nation.
Johnny “The Jet” Rodgers Award (Best Return Specialist): WR Keelan Marion, BYU Cougars
Marion was the one Power Four participant and one in every of two gamers in America with a number of return touchdowns this season. He pressured 10 missed tackles on simply 18 returns this season.
Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award (Best Freshman): WR Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State Buckeyes
Considering Smith was the highest-rated extensive receiver recruit ever, it shouldn’t be any shock that he hit the bottom operating in Columbus. The high total recruit within the 2024 highschool class leads all true freshmen with 930 receiving yards and 10 landing catches this 12 months. He’s the eighth-most beneficial receiver in accordance with PFF’s wins above common metric, the one true freshman within the top-10 of his place.
Burlsworth Trophy (Best participant who began his profession as a walk-on): LB Shaun Dolac, Buffalo Bulls
One could make a powerful argument Dolac deserves the Butkus Award as effectively. His 92.2 PFF grade leads all FBS linebackers as do his 5 interceptions and 99 performs the place he made first contact on the ball provider. Dolac’s 21 tackles for loss/no acquire are additionally tied for second amongst all linebackers as effectively.
Joe Moore Award (Best Offensive Line): Texas Longhorns
Texas’ offensive line has a 95.2 offensive line grade this 12 months, six factors greater than every other FBS entrance 5. The Longhorns are additionally sixth amongst Power Four offensive traces with an 80.7 run-blocking grade. Their 11.6% strain fee can be fourth in America. Those numbers are much more spectacular contemplating Texas has confronted some elite defensive fronts like Michigan, Oklahoma, Georgia and Texas A&M.
Home Depot Coach of the Year Award (Best Coach): HC Curt Cignetti, Indiana Hoosiers
From 2021 to 2023, Indiana had only a 9-27 file. In their first 12 months below Cignetti, the Hoosiers are 11-1 and might be within the College Football Playoff. The former James Madison coach utterly remade the roster in a single offseason, bringing in 31 new gamers with many changing into key contributors. Indiana was second amongst FBS colleges in offensive grade, defensive grade, offensive EPA per play and defensive EPA per play.
Frank Broyles Award (Best Assistant Coach): DC Pete Kwiatkowski, Texas Longhorns
Many thought Texas’ offense must carry a protection that misplaced a pair of famous person defensive tackles in Byron Murphy II and T’Vondre Sweat. Instead, it’s been the other. The Longhorns lead the FBS with a 94.6 defensive grade whereas their -0.314 EPA per play determine is definitely the perfect in America as effectively.