As Alabama prepares for Monday’s national championship game, multiple Crimson Tide players were honored with individual awards at the Home Depot College Football Awards on Thursday.
As expected, Heisman Trophy winner DeVonta Smith won the Fred Biletnikoff Award (best receiver), while quarterback Mac Jones (Davey O’Brien), left tackle Alex Leatherwood (Outland), and running back Najee Harris (Doak Walker) were also honored for their excellent seasons.
Here is the list of individual prizes whose winners were announced on Thursday:
Price Davey O’Brien: Jones, an Associated Press All-American first team, threw for 4,036 yards with 36 touchdowns and only four interceptions. Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence, who finished ahead of Jones in the Heisman Trophy vote, and Florida’s Kyle Trask were also finalists.
Fred Biletnikoff Prize: It was fitting that Smith, who was the first wide receiver to win the Heisman since Desmond Howard who won when he played for Michigan in 1991, also took home the Biletnikoff. The other two finalists, Ole Miss’ Elijah Moore and Florida’s Kyle Pitts, were also finalists. Smith has packed 105 passes for 1,641 yards with 20 touchdowns with the championship game still to be played.
Doak Walker Prize: Harris ran for 1,387 yards (6.1 yards per carry) with a country-best 24 touchdowns. He combined for 303 yards in Alabama’s last two wins, against Florida in the SEC Championship (178) and Notre Dame in the semifinals of the College Football Playoff (125). Iowa State’s Breece Hall, the nation’s leading rusher, and Clemson’s Travis Etienne were also finalists.
Outland Trophy: Leatherwood is the third member of the Crimson Tide to win the Outland since 2016, alongside Quinnen Williams (2018) and Cam Robinson (2016). Leatherwood, one of the NFL’s top lefts, defeated Liam Eichenberg of Notre Dame and Daviyon Nixon of Iowa. Last season’s winner, Oregon’s Penei Sewell, has opted out prior to the season.
Chuck Bednarik Award: Tulsa’s Zaven Collins won the award given to the nation’s best defensive player, ahead of Notre Dame’s Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah and Alabama’s Patrick Surtain II. In eight games, Collins finished with 53 tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss, four sacks and four interceptions. Collins was also honored with the Bronko Nagurski Award two weeks ago.
Lou Groza Prize: Jose Borregales from Miami was named the best kicker in the country after an almost perfect season. He converted 20 of 22 field goals – including 2 of 2 over 50 yards – and converted all 37 extra-point attempts. Alabama’s Will Reichard and BYU Jake Oldroyd were the other finalists.
Ray Guy Prize: Georgia Tech’s Pressley Harvin III made history as the first African American to win the prize, which was awarded to the best gambler in the country. He averaged 48.0 yards per kick and 18 of his 45 kicks were downed within the opponent’s 20-yard line. He beat Jake Camarda from Georgia and Lou Hedley from Miami.