As Alabama prepares for Monday’s national championship game, several Crimson Tide players were awarded Thursday’s individual Home Depot College Football Awards.
As expected, Heisman Trophy winner DeVonta Smith won the Fred Biletnikoff Award (best receiver), while quarterback Mac Jones (Davey O’Brien), left-back Alex Leatherwood (Outland) and Runner Najee Harris (Doak Walker) were also honored for their exceptional seasons.
Here is the list of individual prizes whose winners were announced on Thursday:
Davey O’Brien Award: Jones, a first-team Associated Press player, threw 4,036 yards with 36 touchdowns and just four interceptions. Trevor Lawrence of Clemson, who finished ahead of Jones in the Heisman Trophy vote, and Kyle Trask of Florida were also finalists.
Fred Biletnikoff Awards: It was fitting that Smith, who was the first wide receiver to win the Heisman since Desmond Howard won it while playing in Michigan in 1991, also took the Biletnikoff. The other two finalists, Elijah Moore of Ole Miss and Kyle Pitts of Florida, were also finalists. Smith has taken 105 passes for 1,641 yards with 20 touchdowns, though the championship game is yet to be played.
Free Walker Award: Harris ran 1,387 yards (6.1 yards per carry) with 24 best national touchdowns. He combined 303 yards in Alabama’s last two wins, against Florida in the SEC Championship (178) and Notre Dame in the College Football Playoff semifinals (125). Iowa State’s Breece Hall, the country’s top runner, 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, joining Quinnen Williams (2018) and Cam Robinson (2016). One of the attacking prospects in the top left of the NFL, Leatherwood defeated Liam Eichenberg of Notre Dame and Daviyon Nixon of Iowa. Last season’s winner, Oregon, Penei Sewell, chose not to participate.
Chuck Bednarik Award: Zaven Collins of Tulsa won the award for the nation’s top defensive player ahead of Notre Dame’s Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah and Alabama’s Patrick Surtain II. In eight games, Collins finished with 53 attacks, 11.5 attacks per loss, four sacks and four interceptions. Collins was also honored with the Bronko Nagurski Award two weeks ago.
Lou Groza Award: Miami player Jose Borregales was named the nation’s top kicker after an almost perfect season. He converted 20 of 22 field goals, including 2 of 2 from over 50 yards, and converted all 37 extra point attempts. Will Reichard of Alabama and BYU Jake Oldroyd were the other finalists.
Ray Guy Award: Georgia Tech’s Pressley Harvin III made history as the first African-American to win the award, given to the nation’s best pointer. He averaged 48.0 yards per point and 18 of his 45 points fell within the opponent’s 20-yard line. He beat Jake Camarda of Georgia and Lou Hedley of Miami.