Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award
| Awarded for | College freshman player of the year |
|---|---|
| Country | United States |
| Presented by | FWAA (2018–2020)
Maxwell Football Club (2021–present) |
| History | |
| First award | 2018 |
| Most recent | QB Julian Sayin, Ohio State |
| Website | shaunalexander |
The Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award is presented annually to the best freshman player of the year in college football . The award is named for Shaun Alexander, a former college and professional American football player.[1] It was initially created by the FWAA and later taken over by the Maxwell Club.[2][3] Voters for the Maxwell College Awards are NCAA head college football coaches, members of the Maxwell Football Club, and sportswriters and sportscasters from across the country. The Maxwell Club is located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and the presentations are held in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Club members are given voting privileges for the award.
Winners
[edit]| Year | Player | Position | School | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Trevor Lawrence | QB | Clemson | [4] |
| 2019 | Kenneth Gainwell | RB | Memphis | [5] |
| 2020 | Will Anderson Jr. | LB | Alabama | [6] |
| 2021 | Brock Bowers | TE | Georgia | [7] |
| 2022 | Drake Maye | QB | North Carolina | [8] |
| 2023 | Caleb Downs | S | Alabama | [9] |
| 2024 | Colin Simmons | DE | Texas | [10] |
| 2025 | Julian Sayin | QB | Ohio State | [11] |
References
[edit]- ^ "The Shaun Alexander Award". ShaunAlexander.com. Retrieved February 21, 2026.
- ^ "FWAA adds Shaun Alexander Freshman Player of the Year Award". The Fifth Down. August 13, 2018. Retrieved February 21, 2026.
- ^ "Julian Sayin Named Shaun Alexander Freshman of The Year". Ohio State. December 30, 2025. Retrieved February 21, 2026.
- ^ Higgins, Ron (January 9, 2019). "Trevor Lawrence named FWAA's first Shaun Alexander National Freshman of the Year". The Fifth Down. Retrieved February 21, 2026.
- ^ Johnson, Steven (March 18, 2021). "Former Tigers RB Kenneth Gainwell receives Shaun Alexander award". Daily Memphian. Retrieved February 21, 2026.
- ^ WBRC Staff (April 15, 2021). "Shaun Alexander presents Freshman of the Year Award to Will Anderson". WBRC News. Retrieved February 21, 2026.
- ^ "Bowers Named Shaun Alexander Freshman Of The Year Award". University of Georgia Athletics. January 10, 2022. Retrieved February 21, 2026.
- ^ "Maye Named Shaun Alexander Freshman Of The Year". University of North Carolina Athletics. December 27, 2022. Retrieved February 21, 2026.
- ^ Gilbert, Hayden (February 22, 2024). "Former Mill Creek star, Caleb Downs, awarded Maxwell Football Club's Shaun Alexander Freshman Player of the Year Award". www.scoreatl.com. Retrieved February 21, 2026.
- ^ Tafolla, Grace (December 26, 2024). "No. 4/4/3 Football's Simmons wins 2024 Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award". University of Texas Athletics. Retrieved February 21, 2026.
- ^ Thompson, Cody (December 30, 2025). "OSU QB Julian Sayin earns 2025 Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award". spectrumnews1.com. Retrieved February 21, 2026.