Winners Revealed for 2021 The Home Depot College Football Awards

Thursday’s 31st annual The Home Depot College Football Awards on ESPN recognized some of the most outstanding performances in college football this season, with Jordan Davis (Georgia), Kenneth Walker III (Michigan State) and Bryce Young (Alabama) the night’s big winners, taking home two awards apiece.
Davis received the Check Bednarik Award for defensive player of the year along with the Outland Trophy, which recognizes the nation’s most outstanding interior lineman. Walker took home the Doak Walker Award for the nation’s premier running back, as well as the Walter Camp Player of the Year. Young took home the Maxwell Award for college player of the year, in addition to the Davey O’Brien National Quarterback Award.
Additional National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA) honors announced during the two-hour special include: Pittsburgh’s Jordan Addison received the Biletnikoff Award, Michigan’s Jake Moody was awarded the Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award, San Diego State’s Matt Araiza received the Ray Guy Award and Cincinnati’s Coby Bryant took home the Paycom Jim Thorpe Award.
The Home Depot College Football Awards Winners
Chuck Bednarik Award College Defensive Player of the Year |
Will Anderson, Jr., Alabama Jordan Davis, Georgia Kyle Hamilton, Notre Dame Kayvon Thibodeaux, Oregon |
Biletnikoff Award Outstanding Receiver |
Jordan Addison, Pittsburgh David Bell, Purdue Jameson Williams, Alabama |
Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award Nation’s Outstanding Placekicker |
Gabe Brkic, Oklahoma Jake Moody, Michigan Noah Ruggles, Ohio State |
Ray Guy Award College Punter of the Year |
Matt Araiza, San Diego State Adam Korsak, Rutgers Jordan Stout, Penn State |
Maxwell Award College Player of the Year |
Kenny Pickett, Pittsburgh Kenneth Walker III, Michigan State Bryce Young, Alabama |
Davey O’Brien National Quarterback Award Nation’s Best Quarterback |
Kenny Pickett, Pittsburgh C.J. Stroud, Ohio State Bryce Young, Alabama |
Outland Trophy Nation’s Most Outstanding Interior Lineman |
Jordan Davis, Georgia Ikem Ekwonu, NC State Tyler Linderbaum, Iowa |
Paycom Jim Thorpe Award Nation’s Best Defensive Back |
Coby Bryant, Cincinnati Verone McKinley III, Oregon Jalen Pitre, Baylor |
Doak Walker Award Nation’s Premier Running Back |
Tyler Badie, Missouri Breece Hall, Iowa State Kenneth Walker III, Michigan State |
Additional honors recognized during The Home Depot College Football Awards:
The Home Depot Coach of the Year | Luke Fickell, Cincinnati |
NCFAA Contributions to College Football Award | Lou Holtz |
Disney Spirit Award Most Inspirational Player or Team |
Tre Tipton, Pittsburgh |
William V. Campbell Trophy Scholar-Athlete |
Charlie Kolar, Iowa State |
The Allstate AFCA Good Works Team | Team captain: Nakobe Dean, Georgia |
John Mackey Award Outstanding Tight End |
Trey McBride, Colorado State Charlie Kolar, Iowa State Jalen Wydermyer, Texas A&M |
Rimington Trophy Outstanding Center |
Tyler Linderbaum, Iowa Alec Lindstrom, Boston College Olusegun Oluwatimi, Virginia |
Wuerffel Trophy Community Service |
Nakobe Dean, Georgia Patrick Fields, Oklahoma Isaiah Sanders, Stanford |
Broyles Award Assistant Coach of the Year |
Josh Gattis, Michigan Jeff Grimes, Baylor University Jim Knowles, Oklahoma State Dan Lanning, Georgia Warren Ruggiero, Wake Forest |
Burlsworth Trophy College football’s most outstanding player who began his career as a walk-on |
Stetson Bennett, Georgia Carlton Martial, Troy Grant Morgan, Arkansas |
The following players were also announced for the Walter Camp All-America Team:
Position | Player | School | Class |
WR | David Bell | Purdue | Jr. |
WR | Jordan Addison | Pittsburgh | So. |
TE | Trey McBride | Colorado State | Sr. |
OL | Ikem Ekwonu | N.C. State | So. |
OL | Evan Neal | Alabama | Jr. |
OL | Darian Kinnard | Kentucky | Sr. |
OL | Zion Johnson | Boston College | Gr. |
C | Tyler Linderbaum | Iowa | Jr. |
QB | Kenny Pickett | Pittsburgh | Sr. |
RB | Kenneth Walker III | Michigan State | Jr. |
RB | Breece Hall | Iowa State | Jr. |
PK | Jake Moody | Michigan | Sr. |
DL | Jordan Davis | Georgia | Sr. |
DL | Aidan Hutchinson | Michigan | Sr. |
DL | Kayvon Thibodeaux | Oregon | So. |
DL | Jermaine Johnson | Florida State | Sr. |
LB | Will Anderson | Alabama | So. |
LB | Nakobe Dean | Georgia | Jr. |
LB | Devin Lloyd | Utah | Jr. |
DB | Kyle Hamilton | Notre Dame | Jr. |
DB | Coby Bryant | Cincinnati | Gr. |
DB | Jalen Pitre | Baylor | Sr. |
DB | Verone Mckinley | Oregon | So. |
P | Matt Araiza | San Diego State | Jr. |
Kick Returner | Brian Battie | South Florida | So. |