Five finalists named for Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award

The five finalists for the Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award have been revealed. Since 2018, the award has been given out to the most outstanding freshman in college football.

In recent seasons, the award has recognized success while predicting future stars. The first recipient of the award was Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence in 2018, who went on to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. Since then, Memphis running back Kenneth Gainwell and Alabama linebacker Will Anderson have followed suit.

In 2021, the competition was stiff — but these five stars rose above the rest. One of them will be recognized as the most outstanding freshman in college football.

Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award finalists:

• RB Braelon Allen, Wisconsin
• TE Brock Bowers, Georgia
• RB TreVeyon Henderson, Ohio State
• QB C.J. Stroud, Ohio State
• WR Xavier Worthy, Texas

First, Braelon Allen was tasked with following in the footsteps of a long line of great Wisconsin running backs. While the Badgers didn’t have the year they wanted, it was far from Allen’s fault — he helped carry the team’s offense.

On the season, Allen used his 157 rushing attempts to accumulate 1,109 yards and 12 touchdowns. The Badgers offense started to hum once Allen received a lion-share of the carries, and his future is more than bright.

Next, Brock Bowers starred for Georgia as they dominated teams in 2021. With the injuries to the team’s receiving corps, Bowers stepped up — reeling in 47 passes for 791 yards and 11 touchdowns.

In Columbus, a pair of freshman led Ohio State to another great season. Quarterback C.J. Stroud and running back TreVeyon Henderson are both up for the Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award.

Moreover, Stroud was a Heisman finalist as well, throwing for an impressive 3,862 yards and 38 touchdowns after starting the season slow. However, he couldn’t do it without Henderson‘s help — the running back amassed 1,172 yards and 15 touchdowns for the Buckeyes.

Finally, Xavier Worthy was one of the bright spots in a rough season for the Texas Longhorns. Even though Steve Sarkisian didn’t find many victories in his first season, the head coach has a player in the wide receiver.

In an offense littered with questions at quarterback, Worthy still reeled in 62 catches. Additionally, his 981 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns proved he could stuff the stat sheet.

As you can see, either one of these five candidates is deserving of the honor of being named the Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year. The winner will be unveiled January 10, 2022.