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Record 116 nominees named to 2025 Allstate Wuerffel Trophy Watch List, College Football’s Premier Award for Community Service

ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jul. 31, 2025-- 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, theAllstate 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 21st 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

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 NCFAA.org 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

Wuerffel Trophy Contact
James Gadsby – Executive Director, Wuerffel Foundation
jg@wuerffelfoundation.org

Source: Allstate