As Alabama prepares for Monday’s national championship game, multiple Crimson Tide players were honored with individual awards Thursday at the 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) and left tackle Alex Leatherwood (Outland) were honored for their outstanding seasons.
Here is the list of individual awards whose winners were announced Thursday:
Davey O’Brien Award: A first-team AP All-American, Jones threw for 4,036 yards with 36 touchdowns and just four interceptions. Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence, who finished ahead of Jones in the Heisman Trophy voting, and Florida’s Kyle Trask were also finalists.
Fred Biletnikoff Award: It was fitting that the first wide receiver to win the Heisman since Desmond Howard won it while playing 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 caught 105 passes for 1,641 yards with 20 touchdowns with the championship game still to play.
Outland Trophy: Leatherwood is the third member of the Crimson Tide to win the Outland Trophy since 2016, joining Quinnen Williams (2018) and Cam Robinson (2016). One of the NFL’s top left tackle prospects, Leatherwood beat out Notre Dame’s Liam Eichenberg and Iowa’s Daviyon. Last year’s winner, Oregon’s Penei Sewell, opted out prior to the season.
Chuck Bednarik Award: Tulsa’s Zaven Collins won the award given to the nation’s top defensive player ahead of Notre Dame’s Jeremiah Oswusu-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 Award: Miami’s Jose Borregales was named the nation’s top kicker after a near-perfect season. He converted 20 of 22 field goals – including 2 of 2 from 50-plus yards – and converted all 37 extra-point attempts. Alabama’s Will Reichard 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 punter. He average d48.0 yards per punt and 18 of his 45 punts were downed inside the opponent’s 20-yard line. He beat out Georgia’s Jake Camarda and Miami’s Lou Hedley.