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NEW YORK, NY – College Sports Communicators in association with The Associated Press (AP) and the Fiesta Bowl Organization, today released a “Watch List” of 100 college football student-athletes from 67 different schools currently under consideration for the
2023 Comeback Player of the Year Award.
Since 2018, the award has recognized college football student-athletes from all divisions of college football for overcoming injury, illness, or other circumstances. At the conclusion of each season, in a vote by a panel of college football writers, editors, and sports information directors, three college football student-athletes are honored as
Comeback Player of the Year Award winners at the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl.
College athletic communications professionals working with football programs are encouraged to nominate deserving candidates at
www.Comeback-Player.com. Here’s a look at the initial Comeback Player of the Year Watch List.
| CONFERENCE |
PLAYER |
SCHOOL |
POSITION |
| AAC |
Rahjai Harris |
East Carolina |
RB |
| AAC |
Dashaun Peele |
Navy |
CB |
| AAC |
Tai Lavatai |
Navy |
QB |
| AAC |
Anthony Watkins |
Tulsa |
RB |
| ACC |
Christian Mahogany |
Boston College |
OL |
| ACC |
Shitta Sillah |
Boston College |
DE |
| ACC |
Bless Harris |
Florida State |
RT |
| ACC |
Jaylon King |
Georgia Tech |
DB |
| ACC |
Jermayne Lole |
Louisville |
DL |
| ACC |
British Brooks |
Miami |
RB |
| ACC |
Elijah Arroyo |
Miami |
TE |
| ACC |
Tyler Van Dyke |
Miami |
QB |
| ACC |
Savion Jackson |
NC State |
DE |
| ACC |
Stefon Thompson |
Syracuse |
LB |
| ACC |
Terry Lockett |
Syracuse |
DL |
| ACC |
Malachi Fields |
Virginia |
WR |
| ACC |
Mike Hollins |
Virginia |
RB |
| BIG TEN |
Ezekiel Holmes |
Illinois |
OL |
| BIG TEN |
Josh McCray |
Illinois |
RB |
| BIG TEN |
Cam Camper |
Indiana |
WR |
| BIG TEN |
Dexter Williams II |
Indiana |
QB |
| BIG TEN |
Cade McNamara |
Iowa |
QB |
| BIG TEN |
Erick All |
Iowa |
TE |
| BIG TEN |
Jermari Harris |
Iowa |
CB |
| BIG TEN |
Blake Corum |
Michigan |
RB |
| BIG TEN |
William Wagner |
Michigan |
LS |
| BIG TEN |
Darius Snow |
Michigan State |
LB |
| BIG TEN |
Chris Autman-Bell |
Minnesota |
WR |
| BIG TEN |
Jeff Sims |
Nebraska |
QB |
| BIG TEN |
Thomas Fidone II |
Nebraska |
TE |
| BIG TEN |
Evan Pryor |
Ohio State |
RB |
| BIG TEN |
Mitchell Melton |
Ohio State |
LB |
| BIG TEN |
Damarjhe Lewis |
Purdue |
DT |
| BIG TEN |
Garrett Miller |
Purdue |
TE |
| BIG TEN |
Aaron Young |
Rutgers |
RB |
| BIG TEN |
Mohamed Toure |
Rutgers |
DL |
| BIG TEN |
Samuel Brown V |
Rutgers |
RB |
| BIG TEN |
Jake Renfro |
Wisconsin |
OL |
| Big 12 |
Malik Moore |
BYU |
DB |
| Big 12 |
Malik Vann |
Cincinnati |
DE |
| Big 12 |
Daniel Hishaw Jr. |
Kansas |
RB |
| Big 12 |
Keagan Johnson |
Kansas State |
WR |
| Big 12 |
Alan Bowman |
Oklahoma State |
QB |
| Big 12 |
Jaden Bray |
Oklahoma State |
WR |
| Big 12 |
Jalen Catalon |
Texas |
DB |
| Big 12 |
Isaiah Neyor |
Texas |
WR |
| Big 12 |
Bryce Ramirez |
Texas Tech |
LB |
| Big 12 |
Cole Spencer |
Texas Tech |
OL |
| Big 12 |
CJ Donaldson Jr. |
West Virginia |
RB |
| Big 12 |
Alex Hogan |
Houston |
S |
| C-USA |
De'Corian Clark |
UTSA |
WR |
| Independent |
Tyrell Robinson |
Army |
RB |
| Independent |
Eli Raridon |
Notre Dame |
TE |
| Independent |
Jadarian Price |
Notre Dame |
RB |
| MAC |
Davon Ferguson |
Bowling Green |
CB |
| MAC |
Terion Stewart |
Bowling Green |
RB |
| MAC |
Keegan Smith |
Central Michigan |
OL |
| MAC |
Marion Lukes |
Central Michigan |
RB |
| MAC |
Myles Bailey |
Central Michigan |
RB |
| MAC |
O'Shaan Allison |
Ohio University |
RB |
| Mountain West |
Markel Reed |
Boise State |
CB |
| Mountain West |
Ryan Davis |
New Mexico |
WR |
| Mountain West |
Tavian Combs |
New Mexico |
S/LB |
| Mountain West |
Trace Bruckler |
New Mexico |
TE |
| Mountain West |
Kyle Van Leeuwen |
Utah State |
WR |
| Mountain West |
Brandon Talton |
Nevada |
K |
| Mountain West |
Sabastian Harsh |
Wyoming |
DE |
| Pac 12 |
Jordyn Tyson |
Arizona State |
WR |
| Pac 12 |
Brett Johnson |
Cal-Berkeley |
DL |
| Pac 12 |
Mason Starling |
Cal-Berkeley |
WR |
| Pac 12 |
Demouy Kennedy |
Colorado |
IL |
| Pac-12 |
Alton McCaskill |
Colorado |
RB |
| Pac 12 |
Jestin Jacobs |
Oregon |
LB |
| Pac 12 |
E.J Smith |
Stanford |
RB |
| Pac 12 |
Romello Height |
USC |
RE |
| Pac 12 |
Briton Allen |
Utah |
S |
| Pac 12 |
Edefuan Ulofoshio |
Washington |
LB |
| SEC |
Justin Eboigbe |
Alabama |
DL |
| SEC |
Tyler Buchner |
Alabama |
QB |
| SEC |
Andrew Paul |
Georgia |
RB |
| SEC |
Devin Leary |
Kentucky |
QB |
| SEC |
Jalen Geiger |
Kentucky |
DB |
| SEC |
Ramon Jefferson |
Kentucky |
RB |
| SEC |
Chris Hilton Jr. |
LSU |
WR |
| SEC |
Maason Smith |
LSU |
DT |
| SEC |
Warren Burrell |
Tennessee |
DB |
| SEC |
Ainias Smith |
Texas A&M |
WR |
| SEC |
Max Johnson |
Texas A&M |
QB |
| SEC |
Miles Capers |
Vanderbilt |
DB |
| Sun Belt |
Corey Rucker |
Arkansas State |
WR |
| Sun Belt |
Braydon Bennett |
Coastal Carolina |
RB |
| Sun Belt |
Dre Pinckney |
Coastal Carolina |
S |
| Sun Belt |
Sam Kenerson |
Georgia Southern |
WR |
| Sun Belt |
Ben Wooldridge |
Louisiana |
QB |
| Sun Belt |
Rasheen Ali |
Marshall |
RB |
| Sun Belt |
Stephen Dix Jr. |
Marshall |
LB |
| Sun Belt |
Beau Corrales |
Texas State |
WR |
| (FCS) Missouri Valley |
Myles Harden |
South Dakota |
CB |
| (FCS) Patriot League |
Jacob Dobbs |
Holy Cross |
LB |
| (FCS) Southland |
Tyler Vander Waal |
Northwestern State |
QB |
Previous winners of the
Comeback Player of the Year Award include
: 2022 -
Mohamed Ibrahim (Minnesota);
Laiatu Latu (UCLA);
Michael Penix Jr. (Washington);
2021 –
Aidan Hutchinson (Michigan);
McKenzie Milton (Florida State);
J.J. Weaver (Kentucky);
2020 –
Jarek Broussard (Colorado);
Kenneth Horsey (Kentucky);
Silas Kelly (Coastal Carolina);
2019 –
Jake Luton (Oregon State);
Drew Wilson (Georgia Southern);
Octavion Wilson (Salisbury);
2018 - Antwan Dixon (Kent State),
Seth Simmer (Dartmouth);
Antonio Wimbush (Carson-Newman). For a complete list of past honorees, visit
www.Comeback-Player.com.
About College Sports Communicators: The second oldest management association in intercollegiate athletics, College Sports Communicators was founded in 1957 and rebranded in August 2022. The organization, now in its 67th year as an organization, was previously known as College Sports Information Directors of America, or CoSIDA. Today, College Sports Communicators is a vibrant 4,200-plus member international association, composed of the athletic communications, media relations, digital and creative professionals throughout all levels of intercollegiate athletics in the United States and Canada. CSC’s signature program is the Academic All-America® program, honoring thousands of outstanding scholar-athletes annually.
Media Contact: Doug Drotman (
doug@drotman-pr.com or 631-462-1198)