By Packy Moore
November 06, 2024
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The Maxwell Football Club announced redshirt freshman linebacker Josiah Trotter has been named as one of 14 semifinalists for the seventh annual Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award presented to the outstanding freshman player in college football.
The Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award has been presented to the college freshman player of the year since 2018 and is named in honor of Shaun Alexander, a former standout at Alabama and the NFL’s Seattle Seahawks.
Semifinalists are listed below alphabetically by school.
| Ryan Williams | Alabama | Wide Receiver |
| Jordan Seaton | Colorado | Offensive Line |
| KJ Bolden | Georgia | Safety |
| Isaac Brown | Louisville | Running Back |
| Koi Perich | Minnesota | Safety |
| Kerry Brown | Minnesota | Safety |
| Dylan Raiola | Nebraska | Quarterback |
| Jeremiah Smith | Ohio State | Wide Receiver |
| Anthony Donkoh | Penn State | Offensive Line |
| Eli Holstein | Pittsburgh | Quarterback |
| Dylan Stewart | South Carolina | Edge |
| Nico Iamaleava | Tennessee | Quarterback |
| Colin Simmons | Texas | Edge |
| Josiah Trotter | West Virginia | Linebacker |
Past winners include Trevor Lawrence (Clemson) – 2018, Kenneth Gainwell (Memphis) -2019, Will Anderson Jr. (Alabama) – 2020, Brock Bowers (Georgia) – 2021, Drake Maye (North Carolina) – 2022 and Caleb Downs (Alabama/Ohio State) – 2023.
The Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award semifinalists will incorporate a broad spectrum of Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) programs and conferences from coast to coast, led by Minnesota with two candidates and 12 schools represented by one candidate.
Finalists for the seventh annual Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year award will be Dec. 4, 2024, and the winner of the award will be announced on Dec. 26, 2024. The formal presentation of this award will be made at the Maxwell Football Club Awards on Friday March 14, 2025, at the College Football Hall of Fame.
ABOUT THE MAXWELL FOOTBALL CLUB – The Maxwell Football Club was founded in 1935 and is the oldest football organization of its kind in America. The Club recognizes excellence in performance at the high school, collegiate and professional levels of the game. The Maxwell Club is also deeply involved and fully vested in the community through programs to promote academic excellence, community volunteerism, and leadership. High school student-athletes around the country have an opportunity to participate in MFC Showcase events, free of charge, through the generosity of our corporate partners. To learn more about our story visit www.maxwellfootballclub.org.
ABOUT THE SHAUN ALEXANDER FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR AWARD – The Shaun Alexander Freshman Player of the Year Award is an honor given each year to the most outstanding freshman player in college football. Named after Shaun Alexander since 2018, this award recognizes the exceptional performance and impact made by these players on their respective teams throughout the season. The winning formula evaluates players based on Talent, Character, Ambassador and Legend.
Questions concerning the 2024 Shaun Alexander Award watch list can be directed to MFC Executive Director Mark Wolpert mwolpert@maxwellfootballclub.org or MFC Director of College Awards Rich Cirminiello rcirminiello@maxwellfootballclub.org
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