K-State's 2025 NCFAA Watch List Members

MANHATTAN, Kan. – The National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA) unveils its preseason watch lists for 16 of its awards from Monday, July 28 through Monday, August 11. Below is a running list of K-State's watch list members.

K-State's 2025 Watch List Members
Award	Player(s)	Award Description
Maxwell Award	Dylan Edwards and Avery Johnson	Outstanding player in college football
Bronko Nagurski Trophy	Austin Romaine	Defensive Player of the Year
Outland Trophy	Sam Hecht	Standout interior linemen
Butkus Award	Austin Romaine	Nation's top linebacker
Wuerffel Trophy	Damian Ilalio	Community service, academic excellence and athletic achievement
Paul Hornung Award	Dylan Edwards	Most versatile player
Jet Award	Dylan Edwards	Most outstanding return specialist
Doak Walker Award	Dylan Edwards	Most outstanding running back
Biletnikoff Award	Jayce Brown	Outstanding receiver
Davey O'Brien Award	Avery Johnson	Nation's best quarterback
Mackey Award	Garrett Oakley	Most outstanding tight end
Rimington Trophy	Sam Hecht	Most oustanding center
Bednarik Award	Austin Romaine	Most outstanding defensive player
Manning Award	Avery Johnson	Nation's best quarterback

MAXWELL AWARD
Presented to the college player of the year by the Maxwell Football Club
2025 Candidates: RB Dylan Edwards and QB Avery Johnson

Previous K-State Candidates
Preseason Candidates: RB Darren Sproles (2004), RB John Hubert (2013), WR Tyler Lockett (2014), QB Jesse Ertz (2017), RB Alex Barnes (2018), RB James Gilbert (2019), QB Skylar Thompson (2020), QB Skylar Thompson (2021), RB Deuce Vaughn (2021), QB Adrian Martinez (2022), RB Deuce Vaughn (2022), QB Will Howard (2024), RB DJ Giddens (2024), QB Avery Johnson (2024)

Semifinalists: QB Jake Waters (2014)

Finalists: QB Michael Bishop (1998), QB Collin Klein (2012)

BRONKO NAGURSKI TROPHY
Presented to the nation's outstanding defensive player by the Football Writers Association of America
2025 Candidate: LB Austin Romaine

Previous K-State Candidates
Preseason Candidates: LB Brandon Archer (2006), DE Ian Campbell (2007 and 2008), LB Arthur Brown (2011 and 2012), DB Allen Chapman (2012), DB Nigel Malone (2012), DB Ty Zimmerman (2013), DE Ryan Mueller (2014), DB Dante Barnett (2015 and 2016), DB Duke Shelley (2016, 2017 and 2018), DT Will Geary (2017), DB D.J. Reed (2017), DE Reggie Walker (2017), DE Wyatt Hubert (2019 and 2020), DE Felix Anudike-Uzomah (2022), S Kobe Savage (2023)

Finalists: CB Chris Canty (1995 and 1996), LB Jeff Kelly (1998 runner up), CB Terence Newman (2002)

OUTLAND TROPHY
Presented to the nation's most outstanding interior lineman by the Football Writers Association of America
2025 Candidate: C Sam Hecht

Previous K-State Candidates
Preseason Candidates: C Randall Cummins (2000), DT Tank Reese (2002), C Nick Leckey (2003), OT Jeromey Clary (2005), C B.J. Finney (2013 and 2014), OT Cornelius Lucas (2013), OT Cody Whitehair (2014 and 2015), DT Will Geary (2016 and 2017), OL Dalton Risner (2017 and 2018), OL Cooper Beebe (2022), OL KT Leveston (2023)

Finalists: OL Cooper Beebe (2023)

BUTKUS AWARD
Presented to the nation's top linebacker by the Butkus Foundation
2025 Candidate: Austin Romaine

Previous K-State Candidates
Preseason Candidates: Brooks Barta (1992), Percell Gaskins (1994), Travis Ochs (1996, 1997 and 1998), Mark Simoneau (1997 and 1998), Ben Leber (2000 and 2001), Terry Pierce (2001 and 2002), Ted Sims (2004), Brandon Archer (2005 and 2006), Arthur Brown (2011 and 2012), Elijah Lee (2016), Charmeachealle Moore (2016)

Semifinalists: Percell Gaskins (1995), Jeff Kelly (1998), Josh Buhl (2003)

Finalists: Mark Simoneau (1999 runner up)

WUERFFEL TROPHY
Presented to the FBS player who exemplifies community service, academic excellence and athletic achievement by the Wuerffel Foundation.
2025 Candidate: DT Damian Ilalio

Previous K-State Candidates
Preseason Candidates: DB Dante Barnett (2015 and 2016), OL Dalton Risner (2017), DB Denzel Goolsby (2019), QB Skylar Thompson (2020 and 2021), QB Will Howard (2022 and 2023), LB Austin Moore (2024)

Finalist: OL Dalton Risner (2018)

PAUL HORNUNG AWARD
Presented to the most versatile player in major college football by the Louisville Sports Commission
2025 Candidate: RB Dylan Edwards

Previous K-State Candidates
Preseason Candidates: RB Daniel Thomas (2010), WR Tyler Lockett (2013 and 2014), WR Tramaine Thompson (2013), WR Byron Pringle (2017), WR Philliip Brooks (2021 and 2023), WR Malik Knowles (2022), RB Dylan Edwards (2024)

JET AWARD
Presented to the most outstanding return specialist in college football by The Jet Award Foundation
2025 Candidate: Dylan Edwards

Previous K-State Candidates
Winner: Tyler Lockett (2014)

DOAK WALKER AWARD
Presented to the nation's most outstanding college running back by the PwC SMU Athletic Forum
2025 Candidate: Dylan Edwards

Previous K-State Candidates
Preseason Candidates: Eric Gallon (1992), J.J. Smith (1993 and 1994), Mike Lawrence (1997), Eric Hickson (1998), David Allen (2000), Josh Scobey (2001), Darren Sproles (2004), Daniel Thomas (2009), John Hubert (2012 and 2013), Charles Jones (2016), Alex Barnes (2017 and 2018), Justin Silmon (2017), Treshaun Ward (2023)

Semifinalists: Daniel Thomas (2010), Deuce Vaughn (2021 and 2022), DJ Giddens (2024)

Finalist: Darren Sproles (2003)

BILETNIKOFF AWARD
Presented to the nation's most outstanding receiver by the Tallahassee Quarterback Club
2025 Candidate: Jayce Brown

Previous K-State Candidates
Preseason Candidates: Kevin Lockett (1994 and 1995), Darnell McDonald (1998), Aaron Lockett (1999, 2000 and 2001), Jordy Nelson (2006), Tyler Lockett (2013)

Semifinalists: Kevin Lockett (1996), Quincy Morgan (2000), Tyler Lockett (2014)

Finalist: Jordy Nelson (2007)

DAVEY O'BRIEN AWARD
Presented to the nation's best quarterback by the Davey O'Brien Foundation
2025 Candidate: Avery Johnson

Previous K-State Candidates
Preseason Candidates: Jesse Ertz (2017), Will Howard (2023), Avery Johnson (2024)

Semifinalists: Jake Waters (2014)

Finalist: Chad May (1994), Matt Miller (1995), Collin Klein (2012)

Winner: Michael Bishop (1998)

JOHN MACKEY AWARD
Presented to the nation's most outstanding tight end by the Nassau County Sports Commission
2025 Candidate: Garrett Oakley

Previous K-State Candidates
Preseason Candidates: Brian Casey (2004), Jeron Mastrud (2009), Dayton Valentine (2017)

Semifinalists: Ben Sinnott (2023)

RIMINGTON TROPHY
Presented to the nation's premier center by the Boomer Esiason Foundation
2025 Candidate: Sam Hecht

Previous K-State Candidates
Preseason Candidates: Jordan Bedore (2008), Wade Weibert (2010), BJ Finney (2012 and 2013), Dalton Risner (2016), Reid Najvar (2017), Adam Holtorf (2018 and 2019)

Finalist: Nick Leckey (2003), BJ Finney (2014)

BEDNARIK AWARD WATCH LIST
Presented to the nation's most outstanding defensive player the Maxwell Football Club
2025 Candidate: LB Austin Romaine

Previous K-State Candidates
Preseason Candidates: DB Nigel Malone (2012), DB Ty Zimmerman (2013), DE Ryan Mueller (2014), DB Dante Barnett (2015 and 2016), LB Elijah Lee (2016), DB D.J. Reed (2017), DE Wyatt Hubert (2020), S Kobe Savage (2023), LB Austin Moore (2024)

Semifinalists: LB Arthur Brown (2012), DE Felix Anudike-Uzomah (2022)

Finalist: CB Chris Canty (1996)

MANNING AWARD WATCH LIST
Presented to the nation's best quarterback by the Allstate Sugar Bowl
2025 Candidate: Avery Johnson

Previous K-State Candidates
Preseason Candidates: Jake Waters (2014), Skylar Thompson (2020 and 2021)

Finalist: Collin Klein (2012)

Kansas State University Athletics

Players Mentioned

Jayce Brown

Dylan Edwards

DJ Giddens

Sam Hecht

Damian Ilalio

Avery Johnson

Austin Moore

Garrett Oakley

Austin Romaine

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