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NFF Announces 2008 Draddy Trophy Semifinalists
Posted: Oct 1, 2008
“The Draddy Trophy is one of college football’s most sought after and competitive awards,” said NFF Chairman Archie Manning whose sons Peyton (Draddy winner) and Eli were named NFF National Scholar-Athletes in 1997 and 2003, respectively. “It recognizes an individual as the absolute best in the country for his combined academic success, football performance and exemplary community leadership, and we’re incredibly proud to select the next winner from this remarkable group of semifinalists.” Nominated by their schools, which are limited to one nominee each, semifinalists must be a senior or graduate student in their final year of eligibility, have a GPA of at least 3.2 on a 4.0 scale, have outstanding football ability as a first team player or significant contributor, and have demonstrated strong leadership and citizenship. Established to honor former NFF Chairman Vincent dePaul Draddy, a Manhattan College quarterback who developed the Izod and Lacoste brands, the award comes with a 25-pound bronze trophy and a $25,000 post-graduate scholarship. “The Draddy semifinalists represent everything good about college football,” said NFF President & CEO Steven J. Hatchell. “They are another fine example of how football builds leaders, and it is the NFF’s duty to promote their accomplishments while encouraging future generations of gridiron standouts to aim high on and off the football field.” The NFF Awards Committee will select and announce up to 15 finalists on Oct. 29. Each finalist will be recognized as part of the 2008 National Scholar-Athlete Class, receiving an $18,000 post-graduate scholarship. The Draddy winner, who will receive a $25,000 postgraduate scholarship, will be announced at the NFF’s Annual Awards Dinner on December 9 at the prestigious Waldorf=Astoria in New York City. A total distribution of more than $300,000 in scholarships will be awarded that evening. Launched in 1959, the NFF scholar-athlete program became the first initiative in history to credit a player for both academic and athletic accomplishments. The Draddy, first awarded in 1990, adds to the program’s mystique, having previously honored two Rhodes Scholars, a Rhodes Scholar finalist and a Heisman winner. The University of Texas’s Dallas Griffin was named the 2007 Draddy recipient. Notable NFF National Scholar-Athlete alumni include NFL standout Derrick Brooks (Florida State); actor Mark Harmon (UCLA); NASA astronaut Leland Melvin (Richmond); former Dateline NBC anchor Stone Phillips (Yale); chairman of Augusta National Golf Club, home of the Masters Tournament, Billy Payne (Georgia); famed NFL quarterback Steve Young (BYU); and Heisman Trophy winners Terry Baker (Oregon State), Gary Beban (UCLA); Doug Flutie (Boston College) and Danny Wuerffel (Florida). • 3.56 Average GPA • 67 All-Conference Picks • 102 Team Captains • 10 2007 First Team Academic All-America Selections • Two 2007 First Team All-America Selections • 16 of the top 25 teams in this week’s AP Poll represented • 57 Nominees from the Football Bowl Subdivision • 43 Nominees from the Football Championship Subdivision • 15 Nominees from the Division II • 37 Nominees from the Division III • 12 Nominees from the NAIA • 82 Offensive Players • 63 Defensive Players • 19 Special Teams Players FOOTBALL BOWL SUBDIVISION School - Nominee Air Force - Travis Dekker Arizona State - Anthony Reyes Arkansas - Jeremy Davis Army - Lowell Garthwaite BYU - Kellen Fowler California - Alex Mack Central Michigan - Brian Brunner Colorado State - Jeff Horinek Connecticut - Tyler Lorenzen Florida - James Smith Fresno State - Tom Brandstater Georgia - Brian Mimbs Georgia Tech - Darryl Richard Houston - Thomas Ebner Illinois - Ryan McDonald Indiana - Austin Starr Iowa - Matt Kroul Kansas - Mike Rivera Kentucky - Tim Masthay Louisiana Tech - Quin Harris Louisiana-Lafayette - Michael Desormeaux Maryland - Daniel Gronkowski Memphis - Brandon Pearce Miami (Fla.) - Michael Byrne Mississippi State - Anthony Strauder Missouri - Chase Daniel Nebraska - Todd Peterson Nevada - Andy McIntosh New Mexico - Zach Arnett Northern Illinois - Jon Brost Northwestern - Eric Peterman Ohio State - Brian Robiskie Ohio University - Michael Brown Oklahoma State - Seb Clements Oregon - Nick Reed Oregon State - Andrew Levitre Penn State - Gerald Cadogan Pittsburgh - Conor Lee Purdue - Ryan Baker Rice - David Berken Rutgers - Jason McCourty South Carolina - Ryan Succop Southern California - Jeff Byers Syracuse - Ryan Durand Texas - Chris Ogbonnaya Texas A&M - Stephen McGee TCU - Shae Reagan Texas Tech - Graham Harrell Troy - Will Chambliss Tulsa - David Johnson UCF - Sha'reff Rashad UCLA - Logan Paulsen Utah - Louie Sakoda Washington State - Vaughn Lesuma West Virginia - Reed Williams Western Michigan - Dustin Duclo Wisconsin - Chris Pressley FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP SUBDIVISION School - Nominee Albany - Daniel Bocanegra Appalachian State - Pierre Banks Arkansas-Pine Bluff - John Keith Austin Peay State - P.R. Morris Bethune-Cookman - Ryan Griffin Brown - Michael Dougherty Bryant - Brian Donnelly Bucknell - Kevin Mullen Butler - Mike Bennett Columbia - Phillip Mitchell Dartmouth - Andrew Dete Dayton - Bart Bergfeld Eastern Illinois - Tyler Wilke Elon - Tim Applegate Hampton - Kevin Teel Harvard - Andrew Berry Hofstra - Nicholas Altomare Holy Cross - Matt Partain Illinois State - Kedric Meredith Iona - Timmethy Mastrino Lehigh - Brenden Van Ackeren Maine - Ryan Canary Marist - Jake Dembow McNeese State - Brant Linde Montana - Cole Bergquist Morehead State - Nick Feldman North Carolina A&T State - Mike Christen North Dakota State - Kole Heckendorf Northeastern - Anthony Orio Northern Arizona - Robbie Dehaze Northwestern State - Dudley Guice Princeton - Ryan Coyle Samford - Mitchell Waters San Diego - Patrick O'Neill South Carolina State - Nygel Pearson South Dakota State - Ryan Berry Stephen F. Austin - Cory Long Towson - Mark Bencivengo Valparaiso - Ryan Koepke VMI - Jacob Rochester Wofford - Ben Quick Yale - Casey Gerald Youngstown State - Brad Samsa DIVISION II School - Nominee Central Missouri - Adrian Singletary Chadron State (Neb.) - Joe McLain Delta State (Miss.) - Spencer Strickland Eastern New Mexico - Michael Carrasco Kentucky State - Ralph Warner Minnesota State-Moorhead - Bryce Leggins Minnesota-Duluth - Theodore Schlafke North Alabama - Derrick Chatman Northwest Missouri State - Joel Osborn Ouachita Baptist (Ark.) - Zach Wright Southwest Baptist (Mo.) - Clint Carroz St. Cloud State (Minn.) - Ryan Kees Virginia State - Devon Wiggins Wayne State (Mich.) - Andrew Bates West Texas A&M - Charly Martin DIVISION III School - Nominee Amhert (Mass.) - Gregory Smith Blackburn (Ill.) - Andrew Ott Bluffton (Ohio) - Joel Sienicki Carnegie Mellon (Pa.) - Brian Freeman Carroll (Wisc.) - Maclane Philips Centre (Ky.) - Neil Murphy Chicago (Ill.) - James McAnelly Colorado College - Billy Blaustein Concordia (Minn.) - Levi DeVries DePauw (Ind.) - Michael McNelis Earlham (Ind.) - Drew Hosier Franklin & Marshall (Pa.) - Paul Sousa Gettysburg (Pa.) - Anthony Pastore Middlebury (Vt.) - Andrew Matson Millsaps (Miss.) - Nick Namias MIT - James Oleinik Moravian (Pa.) - Brian Reckenbeil Mount Union (Ohio) - Greg Micheli Pacific Lutheran (Wash.) - Neal Chalmers Redlands (Calif.) - Zach Schafer Rensselaer Poly (N.Y.) - Jimmy Roberson Rochester (N.Y.) - Matthew Stack Salisbury (Md.) - Matt Barnes St. John Fisher (N.Y.) - Daniel Pollock St. John's (Minn.) - Jeff Schnobrich Thomas More (Kent.) - Tyler Grant Trine (Ind.) - Joe Curtis Trinity (Conn.) - Timothy Berry Univ. of the South (Tenn.) - Tyler Brantley Wabash (Ind.) - Brock Graham Wartburg (Iowa) - Marcus Hemesath Wash. In St. Louis (Mo.) - Buck Smith Wisconsin-Eau Claire - Paul Bielmeier Wisconsin-La Crosse - Chris Johnson Wisconsin-Oshkosh - Dieter Juedes Wisconsin-Whitewater - Michael Sherman Wittenberg (Ohio) - Zach Brumfield NAIA School - Nominee Bethel (Kan.) - Omar Hasan Bethel (Tenn.) - Justin Dubruiel Carroll (Mont.) - Zach Richardson Cumberlands (Ky.) - Josh Frosch Dakota State (S.D.) - Scott Sonne McKendree (Ill.) - Ryan Klier Morningside (Iowa) - Ryan Oetken Northwestern (Iowa) - Kyle Oschsner Ohio Dominican - James Dingus Ottawa (Kan.) - Chris McClellan Taylor (Ind.) - Jeremy Prudhomme Union (Ky.) - Kyle Callahan |
