• Complete Jerry Rice Award Watch List Release

Two OVC football players have been named to the Watch List for the Jerry Rice Award, awarded by Stats Perform to the National Freshman of the Year in the FCS.

The selections were Gardner-Webb defensive lineman Zalen Watkins and UT Martin quarterback Tate Surber. The duo were two of 30 players nationally on the list.

The Jerry Rice Award is named after the legendary Hall of Fame wide receiver who starred in the FCS at Mississippi Valley State University. True and redshirt freshmen are eligible for the Jerry Rice Award. A national media panel will select the winner after the regular season from a group of finalists.

The Jerry Rice Award is one of six awards that comprise the Stats Perform FCS National Awards. The others 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), HBCU National Player of the Year and Doris Robinson Scholar-Athlete of the Year. 

2026 Jerry Rice Award Watch List
Bryce Allen, Richmond, WR, Fr., 6-3, 206 (Patriot League)
Nate Bailey, Harvard, WR, Fr., 5-8, 175 (Ivy League)
Rashon Brown, Bethune-Cookman, RB, R-Fr., 5-10, 185 (Southwestern Athletic Conference)
Khalid Bueno, Stony Brook, DE, R-Fr., 6-3, 215 (CAA Football)
Isaiah Champagne, UIW, WR, R-Fr., 5-10, 180 (Southland Conference)
Treynor Cleeland, UC Davis, QB, R-Fr., 6-2, 215 (Big Sky Conference)
Bryce Coleman, Columbia, WR, Fr., 6-4, 180 (Ivy League)
Carter Dahlke, Montana State, WR, Fr., 5-9, 175 (Big Sky Conference) 
Cade Ellis, William & Mary, DB, Fr., 6-0, 195 (Patriot League)
Trehsyn Fesili, Idaho State, DE, Fr., 6-2, 217 (Big Sky Conference)
Donovan Frederick, North Carolina A&T, LB, R-Fr., 6-2, 230 (CAA Football)
Da'Jean Golmond, Norfolk State, QB, Fr., 6-2, 210 (Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference)
Denver Harper, Austin Peay, WR, R-Fr., 5-8, 161 (United Athletic Conference)
Emmanuel Harris, Stephen F. Austin, DE, Fr., 6-4, 242 (Southland Conference)
Xavier Johnson, North Alabama, WR, R-Fr., 6-0, 190 (United Athletic Conference)
Kamerin McDowell-Moore, Elon, RB, Fr., 6-0, 183 (CAA Football)
Mason Mims, ETSU, QB, R-Fr., 6-3, 211 (Southern Conference)
Austyn Modrzewski, South Dakota, QB, R-Fr., 6-5, 215 (Missouri Valley Athletic Conference)
Ashton Pannell, Chicago State, QB, Fr., 6-3, 190 (NEC Football/Independent)
Braylon Peebles, Furman, S, Fr., 5-10, 184 (Southern Conference)
Byron Perrilliat, Alabama A&M, RB, Fr., 5-11, 182 (Southwestern Athletic Conference)
Nick Peipert, St. Thomas, QB, R-Fr., 6-1, 211 (Pioneer Football League) 
Jadyn Reed, Indiana State, WR, Fr., 6-0, 175 (Missouri Valley Football Conference)
Davon Smith Jr., Central Connecticut State, RB, R-Fr., 6-0, 190 (NEC Football)
Tate Surber, UT Martin, QB, R-Fr., 6-3, 200 (Ohio Valley Conference)
Parker Vance, Southern Utah, S, R-Fr., 6-2, 200 (Big Sky Conference)
Zalen “Aki” Watkins, Gardner-Webb, DL, R-Fr., 6-3, 290 (Ohio Valley Conference)
Jamarius Wilson, South Carolina State, OL, Fr., 6-3, 280 (Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) 
Dax Wiskur, Drake, S, Fr., 6-2, 200 (Pioneer Football League)
Mason Wuenschel, Lamar, LB, R-Fr., 6-2, 231 (Southland Conference)