- Alabama’s Minkah Fitzpatrick Wins Chuck Bednarik Award and Jim Thorpe Award
Oklahoma senior quarterback Baker Mayfield won the night at The Home Depot College Football Awards presented by GILDAN on Thursday, taking home the Davey O’Brien National Quarterback Award and the Maxwell Award for college player of the year. Mayfield also won the Walter Camp Player of the Year Award, announced live on SC6 with Michael and Jemele prior to the show. Minkah Fitzpatrick, junior defensive back for the Alabama Crimson Tide, was awarded both top honors for a defensive player: The Chuck Bednarik Award for college defensive player of the year and the Jim Thorpe Award for nation’s best defensive back.
Mayfield is the first from the University of Oklahoma to win the Maxwell Award and joins Sam Bradford, Jason White (two-time winner) and Billy Sims on the list of Sooners to take home the Davey O’Brien National Quarterback Award. Fitzpatrick is the first player from Alabama to take home the Chuck Bednarik award and the first member of the Crimson Tide to receive the Jim Thorpe Award since Antonio Langham in 1993.
Additional winners announced during The Home Depot College Football Awards presented by GILDAN: James Washington from Oklahoma State won the Biletnikoff Award for outstanding receiver; Matt Gay from Utah won the Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award; Michael Dickson from Texas won the Ray Guy Award for college punter of the year; Ed Oliver from Houston won the Outland Trophy for the nation’s most outstanding interior lineman; Bryce Love from Stanford won the Doak Walker Award for the nation’s premier running back.
The Home Depot College Football Awards presented by GILDAN Full List of Winners:
*winners in bold
| AWARD | FINALISTS |
| Chuck Bednarik Award College Defensive Player of the Year |
Bradley Chubb, NC State (Sr.) Minkah Fitzpatrick, Alabama (Jr.) Roquan Smith, Georgia (Jr. ) |
| Biletnikoff Award Outstanding Receiver |
Michael Gallup, Colorado State (Sr.) David Sills V, West Virginia (Jr.) James Washington, Oklahoma State (Sr.) |
| Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award Nation’s Outstanding Placekicker |
Daniel Carlson, Auburn (Sr.) Dominik Eberle, Utah State (So.) Matt Gay, Utah (Jr.) |
| Ray Guy Award College Punter of the Year |
Michael Dickson, Texas (Jr.) JK Scott, Alabama (Sr.) Mitch Wishnowsky, Utah (Jr.) |
| Maxwell Award College Player of the Year |
Saquon Barkley, Penn State (Jr.) Bryce Love, Stanford (Jr.) Baker Mayfield, Oklahoma (Sr.) |
| Davey O’Brien National Quarterback Award Nation’s Best Quarterback |
J.T. Barrett, Ohio State (Sr.) Baker Mayfield, Oklahoma (Sr.) Mason Rudolph, Oklahoma State (Sr.) |
| Outland Trophy Nation’s Most Outstanding Interior Lineman |
Orlando Brown, Oklahoma (Jr.) Quenton Nelson, Notre Dame (Sr.) Ed Oliver, Houston (So.) |
| Jim Thorpe Award Nation’s Best Defensive Back |
DeShon Elliott, Texas (Jr.) Minkah Fitzpatrick, Alabama (Jr.) Josh Jackson, Iowa (Jr.) |
| Doak Walker Award Nation’s Premier Running Back |
Saquon Barkley, Penn State (Jr.) Bryce Love, Stanford (Jr.) Jonathan Taylor, Wisconsin (Fr.) |
Other Awards Recognized During The Home Depot College Football Awards:
| The Home Depot Coach of the Year | Scott Frost UCF |
| NCFAA Contributions to College Football Award | Brent Musburger |
| Disney Spirit Award | The Kinnick Wave University of Iowa |
| William V. Campbell Trophy Academic Success |
Micah Kiser Virginia |
| The Allstate AFCA Good Works Team Captain | Patrick Mohorcic College of Wooster |
The following players were also announced for the Walter Camp All-America Team:
| POSITION | PLAYER | SCHOOL |
| Wide Receiver | James Washington | Oklahoma State |
| Wide Receiver | Michael Gallup | Colorado State |
| Tight End | Mark Andrews | Oklahoma |
| Offensive Lineman | Orlando Brown | Oklahoma |
| Offensive Lineman | Quenton Nelson | Notre Dame |
| Offensive Lineman | Cody O’Connell | Washington State |
| Offensive Lineman | Mike McGlinchey | Notre Dame |
| Center | Billy Price | Ohio State |
| Quarterback | Baker Mayfield | Oklahoma |
| Running Back | Bryce Love | Stanford |
| Running Back | Saquon Barkley | Penn State |
| Placekicker | Daniel Carlson | Auburn |
| Defensive Lineman | Bradley Chubb | North Carolina State |
| Defensive Lineman | Ed Oliver | Houston |
| Defensive Lineman | Hercules Mata’afa | Washington State |
| Defensive Lineman | Sutton Smith | Northern Illinois U |
| Linebacker | Roquan Smith | Georgia |
| Linebacker | Josey Jewell | Iowa |
| Linebacker | Obgonnia Okoronkwo | Oklahoma |
| Defensive Back | Minkah Fitzpatrick | Alabama |
| Defensive Back | Johshua Jackson | Iowa |
| Defensive Back | DeShon Elliott | Texas |
| Defensive Back | Jalen Davis | Utah State |
| Punter | Michael Dickson | Texas |
| Kick Returner | Dante Pettis | Washington |
| Kick Returner | Tony Pollard | Memphis |
Three Additional Awards were announced as part of The Home Depot College Football Awards Red Carpet Special presented by Daltile.
- John Mackey Award (nation’s outstanding tight end): Mark Andrews, Oklahoma
- Rimington Award (outstanding center): Billy Price, Ohio State
- Wuerffel Trophy (community service): Courtney Love, Kentucky
National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA)
The NCFAA encompasses the most prestigious awards in college football. The 21 awards boast 678 years of tradition-selection excellence. Visit www.NCFAA.org to learn more about our story.
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