12/12/20 MFB Alabama vs Arkansas
Alabama wide receiver DeVonta Smith (6)
Photo by Kent Gidley

New Haven, Conn. – The Walter Camp Football Foundation has announced the names of twenty “Players to Watch” for its 2020- Player of the Year award, the fourth-oldest college football award in the nation.

 

Players from the top seven teams in the most recent College Football Playoff rankings are on the list, including quarterback Mac Jones, wide receiver Davonta Smith (sic) and running back Najee Harris from top-ranked Alabama. Quarterback Ian Book from second-ranked Notre Dame is on the watch list along with quarterback Trevor Lawrence and running back Travis Etienne from third-ranked Clemson.

 

The 20-player watch list includes eight quarterbacks, six running backs, six defensive players and two wide receivers/tight ends.  Fourteen different schools and eight conferences are represented on the list.

 

The Walter Camp Player of the Year is voted on by the 130 Football Bowl Subdivision head coaches and sports information directors.   A list of five finalists will be announced on Monday, December 28, and the winner announced on ESPN SportsCenter on Thursday, January 7.

 

The 2019 Walter Camp Player of the Year was former LSU (and current Cincinnati Bengals) quarterback Joe Burrow.

 

2020 Walter Camp Player of the Year Semifinalists

Ian Book, QB, Senior, Notre Dame

Zaven Collins, LB, Junior, Tulsa

Travis Etienne, RB, Senior, Clemson

Justin Fields, QB, Junior, Ohio State

Breece Hall, RB, Sophomore, Iowa State

Najee Harris, RB, Senior, Alabama

Tarron Jackson, DE, RS Senior, Coastal Carolina

Buddy Johnson, LB, Senior, Texas A&M

Mac Jones, QB, Junior, Alabama

Trevor Lawrence, QB, Junior, Clemson

Daviyon Nixon, DL, Junior, Iowa

Jaret Patterson, RB, Junior, Buffalo

Kyle Pitts, TE, Junior, Florida

Desmond Ridder, QB, Junior, Cincinnati

Mike Rose, LB, Junior, Iowa State

Kedon Slovis, QB, Sophomore, USC

Devonta Smith, WR, Senior, Alabama

Kyle Trask, QB, Senior, Florida

Shaun Wade, DB, RS Junior, Ohio State

Zach Wilson, QB, Junior, BYU