Ten ACC Players Up For National Man of the Year Award

Ten ACC Players Up For National Man of the Year Award

Ten players from the ACC are on the watch list for the National Man of the Year award. The Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year panel has released it first list of the 2024 process and 10 ACC players have made the cut.

The Award

The award, named after the former Dallas Cowboys tight end, is designed to focus primarily on a player’s leadership skills on and off the field. Statistics play only a minor role in the consideration, according to the SCORE Foundation, Witten’s organization in charge of the award.

When Witten was with the Cowboys, he became the first player ever to win the Bart Starr Award and the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award in the same season, (2012).

ACC Nominees

The ACC players on the watchlist are:

Fernando Mendoza, Cal, Quarterback

Phil Mafah, Clemson, Running back

Kevin Knowles II, Florida State, Defensive back

Kaimon Rucker, North Carolina, Edge Rusher

Brandon Cleveland, NC State, Defensive tackle

Brandon George, Pitt, Linebacker

Tristan Sinclair, Stanford, Linebacker

Justin Barron, Syracuse, Defensive back

Jaylin Lane, Virginia Tech, Wide receiver

Taylor Morin, Wake Forest, Wide receiver

The Process

There are 50 players on this first list of nominees. The last two winners of the award have come from the ACC. Running back Mike Hollins from Virginia won it in 2023. Deslin Alexandre, the defensive end from Pitt won it in 2022. This will be the eighth year the award is presented. The winner will get a $10,000 contribution made in his name to his school’s athletic scholarship fund.

The watch list will be pared down to 20 semifinalists that will be announced on Tuesday, October 22. Three finalists will be named for the award on Monday, December 16. The winner will be announced at the award ceremony at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on Wednesday, February 12, 2025.

Ten ACC Players Up For National Man of the Year Award
Photo courtesy: Ken Ruinard-Imagn Images

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