31-07-2025
Record 116 nominees named to 2025 Allstate Wuerffel Trophy Watch List, College Football's Premier Award for Community Service
ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Wuerffel Foundation today announced a record 116 nominees to the 2025 Allstate Wuerffel Trophy Watch List, recognizing college football players from across the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) who exemplify community service, academic excellence and athletic achievement.
Widely regarded as college football's premier award for community service, the Allstate Wuerffel Trophy celebrates student-athletes who use their platforms to serve others and create positive change. Named after 1996 Heisman Trophy winner and University of Florida quarterback Danny Wuerffel, who turned his football success into a lifelong mission of service, the award reflects his legacy of leadership and humanitarianism. This year marks the 21 st anniversary of the trophy's founding.
'Every year, I'm deeply moved by these student-athletes,' said Danny Wuerffel. 'They lead with their heart. Each of our nominees is making a real difference in the lives of others, and their stories remind us what true greatness looks like.'
For the second consecutive year, the Wuerffel Foundation is partnering with Allstate to unite college football's top community service honors through the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team®. Eleven student-athletes from the Watch List will be named to the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team and serve as semifinalists for the Allstate Wuerffel Trophy.
The 2025 Allstate Wuerffel Trophy finalists and recipient will be selected by a national voting committee, with input from a fan vote. The 2025 recipient will also serve as Captain of the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team and will be announced live on The Home Depot College Football Awards show December 12th, airing on ESPN. The Allstate Wuerffel Trophy Presentation Gala will follow on January 31, 2026, at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta.
Penn State's Nick Dawkins, the 2024 recipient, joined Wuerffel in New York City for the 2024 Heisman Trophy ceremonies – a tradition the 2025 recipient will continue.
The 2025 Allstate Wuerffel Trophy Watch List nominees from Football Bowl Subdivision are (alphabetically by college):
Keylen Davis
Akron
OL
R-JR
LT Overton
Alabama
DL
SR
Ethan Johnson
App State
CB
SR
Genesis Smith
Arizona
DB
JR
Coben Bourguet
Arizona State
WR
R-SR
Cam Ball
Arkansas
DL
R-SR
Corey Rucker Jr.
Arkansas State
WR
R-SR
Jeremiah Wright
Auburn
OG
5th
Kiael Kelly
Ball State
QB
R-SR
Sawyer Robertson
Baylor
QB
R-SR
Marco Notarainni
Boise State
LB
R-SR
Alex Broome
Boston College
RB
R-JR
Drew Pyne
Bowling Green
QB
Grad
Red Murdock
Buffalo
LB
Grad
Tanner Wall
BYU
NB/S
R-SR
Jeffrey Johnson
Cal
TE
R-SR
Michael Heldman
Central Michigan
DE/Edge
SR
Braden Mullen
Charlotte
DE/Edge
R-SR
Gavin Gerhardt
Cincinnati
C
6th Year
Adam Randall
Clemson
RB
Grad
Jayden Jackson
Coastal Carolina
NB/S
R-SR
Charlie Offerdahl
Colorado
RB
SR
Jake Thaw
Delaware
WR
Grad
Chandler Rivers
Duke
CB
SR
Marlon Gunn Jr.
East Carolina
RB
SR
Jefferson Adam
Eastern Michigan
DL
SR
Shamir Sterlin
FIU
NB/S
R-FR
DJ Lagway
Florida
QB
SO
Caden Veltkamp
Florida Atlantic
QB
R-JR
Richie Leonard IV
Florida State
OL
R-SR
Jordan Brown
Fresno State
WR
SR
Jordan Hall
Georgia
DL
JR
Pichon Wimbley
Georgia Southern
OG
SR
Haynes King
Georgia Tech
QB
R-SR
Kenenna Odeluga
Illinois
LB
SR
Fernando Mendoza
Indiana
QB
R-JR
Gennings Dunker
Iowa
OL
SR
Rocco Becht
Iowa State
QB
R-JR
Blake Kendall
James Madison
QB
R-JR
Leyton Cure
Kansas
TE
R-SR
Damian Ilalio
Kansas State
DT
SR
JeRico Washington, Jr.
Kennesaw State
DB
R-SO
Mattheus Carroll
Kent State
DL
Grad
Josh Kattus
Kentucky
TE
SR
Elijah Auguste
Liberty
NB/S
SR
Caden Jensen
Louisiana
TE
R-SO
Eli Finley
Louisiana Tech
TE
JR
Clev Lubin
Louisville
DL
R-SR
Harold Perkins JR
LSU
LB
R-JR
Toby Payne
Marshall
TE
R-JR
Ethan Gough
Maryland
LS
R-SR
Donovan Mathena
Memphis
LB
R-JR
Francis Mauigoa
Miami
OT
JR
Jordan Hall
Michigan State
LB
JR
Nicholas Vattiato
Middle Tennessee
QB
5th Year
Anthony Smith
Minnesota
DL
R-JR
Jacoby Jackson
Mississippi State
OL
SR
Connor Tollison
Missouri
C
Grad
Brandon Cleveland
NC State
DT
SR
Teddy Prochazka
Nebraska
OL
R-SR
Abiathar Curry
NIU
OL
R-JR
Landon Sides
North Texas
WR
JR
Najee Story
Northwestern
DL
Grad
Aamil Wagner
Notre Dame
OL
R-JR
Sonny Styles
Ohio State
LB
SR
Robert Spears-Jennings
Oklahoma
DB
SR
Koa Naotala
Old Dominion
LB
R-JR
Diego Pounds
Ole Miss
OT
SR
Matthew Bedford
Oregon
OL
6th
Dylan Black
Oregon State
LS
R-SR
Cooper Cousins
Penn State
OL
SO
Eli Holstein
Pitt
QB
R-SO
Devin Mockobee
Purdue
RB
JR
Plae Wyatt
Rice
NB/S
R-SR
Jai Patel
Rutgers
K
SR
Taniela Latu
San Jose State
LB
R-SR
Alexander Kilgore
SMU
LB
JR
Devin Voisin
South Alabama
WR
Grad
Oscar Adaway III
South Carolina
RB
Grad
Braylon Braxton
Southern Miss
QB
R-SR
Sam Roush
Stanford
TE
SR
Derek McDonald
Syracuse
LB
R-SR
Paul Oyewale
TCU
DE/Edge
JR
Willy Love
Temple
NB/S
SO
Bryson Eason
Tennessee
DT
R-SR
Michael Taafe
Texas
DB
SR
Albert Regis
Texas A&M
DL
Grad
Lincoln Pare
Texas State
RB
R-SR
Behren Morton
Texas Tech
QB
SR
Matt Hofer
Toledo
OL
R-FR
Ty Thompson
Tulane
TE
R-SR
Stephen Kittleman
Tulsa
QB
R-SR
Denver Warren
UAB
DT
R-SR
Paul Rubelt
UCF
OL
5th
Julian Armella
UCLA
OL
R-JR
Elijah Fisher
ULM
OG
R-SR
Brock Taylor
UMass
OL
R-SO
Will Hardy
UNC
DB
Grad
Cameron Friel
UNLV
QB
SR
Anthony Beavers Jr.
USC
LB
R-SR
Christian Helms
USF
WR
Grad
Devon Dampier
Utah
QB
JR
Bronson Olevao Jr.
Utah State
LB
JR
Tyrone McDuffie III
UTEP
OL
R-SO
Camron Cooper
UTSA
DE/Edge
R-JR
Marlen Sewell
Vanderbilt
NB/S
Grad
Stevie Bracey
Virginia
LB
SR
Tyson Flowers
Virginia Tech
S
R-JR
Zamari Stevenson
Wake Forest
DB
R-JR
Zach Durfee
Washington
DE/Edge
SR
Zevi Eckhaus
Washington State
QB
R-SR
Nicco Marchiol
West Virginia
QB
R-JR
Tyson Lee
Western Michigan
DL
R-SR
Ricardo Hallman
Wisconsin
CB
R-JR
Marshall Jackson
WKU
OT
R-SR
Evan Svoboda
Wyoming
TE
SR
Expand
Past recipients of the Wuerffel Trophy include Rudy Niswanger – LSU – 2005; Joel Penton – Ohio State – 2006; Paul Smith – Tulsa – 2007; Tim Tebow – Florida – 2008; Tim Hiller – Western Michigan – 2009; Sam Acho – Texas – 2010; Barrett Jones – Alabama – 2011; Matt Barkley – USC – 2012; Gabe Ikard – Oklahoma – 2013; Deterrian Shackelford – Ole Miss – 2014; Ty Darlington – Oklahoma – 2015; Trevor Knight – Texas A&M – 2016; Courtney Love – Kentucky - 2017; Drue Tranquill – Notre Dame – 2018; Jon Wassink – Western Michigan – 2019; Teton Saltes – New Mexico – 2020; Isaiah Sanders – Stanford – 2021; Dillan Gibbons – Florida State – 2022; Ladd McConkey – Georgia – 2023; and Nick Dawkins – Penn State – 2024.
The Allstate Wuerffel Trophy is also supported by its corporate partners Dart Container Corporation/Solo Cup and Herff Jones.
About the Allstate Wuerffel Trophy
The Allstate Wuerffel Trophy, a member of the National College Football Awards Association, is college football's premier award for community service. The trophy is presented annually by the Wuerffel Foundation to the FBS player who best combines exemplary community service with leadership and performance on and off the field. Named after Heisman Trophy winner and College Football Hall of Famer, Danny Wuerffel, the award honors his commitment to inspiring greater service and unity in the world. Established in 2005, the Wuerffel Trophy is celebrating its 21st anniversary this year. Wuerffel led the University of Florida to four SEC Championships and the 1996 National Championship. As a humanitarian, he continues to inspire leaders to positively impact their communities. Danny currently serves as President of the Wuerffel Foundation and Executive Director of Desire Street Ministries. An avid pickleball player, he was drafted as a professional within the National Pickleball League and hosts celebrity pro-am 'PickleBowl' tournaments.
About the NCFAA
The Allstate Wuerffel Trophy is a member of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA), which encompasses college football's most prestigious awards. The NCFAA's 25 awards have honored more than 950 recipients since 1935. Visit for more information.
NCFAA Watch List remaining calendar:
Fri., Aug. 1: Lou Groza Award/Ray Guy Award
Mon., Aug. 4: Walter Camp Award
Tue., Aug. 5: Doak Walker Award
Wed., Aug. 6: Biletnikoff Award
Thu., Aug. 7: Davey O'Brien Award
Fri., Aug. 8: Mackey Award/Rimington Trophy
Mon., Aug. 11: Bednarik Award
