2026 Comeback Player of the Year Award Watch List Issued
College Sports Communicators in association with The Associated Press (AP) and Fiesta Sports Foundation, today released a “Watch List” of 94 college football student-athletes from 59 different schools currently under consideration for the 2026 Comeback Player of the Year Award.
Since 2018, the award has recognized college football student-athletes for overcoming injury, illness, or other circumstances. At the conclusion of each season, in a vote by a panel of college football writers, editors, and sports information directors, three college football student-athletes are honored as Comeback Player of the Year Award winners at the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl.
College athletic communications professionals working with football programs are encouraged to nominate deserving candidates at www.Comeback-Player.com.
Here’s a look at the 2026 Comeback Player of the Year Preseason Watch List.
| PLAYER | SCHOOL | CONFERENCE | POSITION |
| Vic Listorti | Navy | American | RB |
| Jahiem White | North Texas | American | RB |
| Dickson Agu | Tulane | American | LB |
| Chris Thompson Jr. | Tulsa | American | LB |
| Sevion Morrison | Tulsa | American | RB |
| Jaden Alexis | USF | American | WR |
| Isaiah Crosby | California | ACC | DB |
| Nate Burrell | California | ACC | DL |
| Bryant Wesco Jr. | Clemson | ACC | WR |
| Nick Morris Jr. | Duke | ACC | LB |
| Ethan Pritchard | Florida State | ACC | LB |
| Justice Haynes | Georgia Tech | ACC | RB |
| Brody Barnhardt | NC State | ACC | S |
| Censere Lee | Pittsburgh | ACC | WR |
| Jalen Hale | SMU | ACC | WR |
| Jonathan Jefferson | SMU | ACC | DL |
| Steve Angeli | Syracuse | ACC | QB |
| Billy Edwards Jr. | North Carolina | ACC | QB |
| Monroe Mills | Virginia | ACC | OL |
| Xavier Brown | Virginia | ACC | RB |
| Jake Renfro | Illinois | Big Ten | OL |
| Xavier Scott | Illinois | Big Ten | DB |
| Tobi Osunsanmi | Indiana | Big Ten | DL |
| John Henry Daley | Michigan | Big Ten | DE |
| Rod Moore | Michigan | Big Ten | DB |
| Cam Fancher | Michigan State | Big Ten | QB |
| A.J. Turner | Minnesota | Big Ten | RB |
| Janiran Bonner | Nebraska | Big Ten | WR |
| Mac Markway | Nebraska | Big Ten | Edge/TE |
| Evan Stewart | Oregon | Big Ten | WR |
| Jeremiah Cooper | Penn State | Big Ten | DB |
| Max Granville | Penn State | Big Ten | DE |
| Tony Rojas | Penn State | Big Ten | LB |
| George Burhenn | Purdue | Big Ten | TE |
| Dantae Chin | Rutgers | Big Ten | OL |
| Moses Walker | Rutgers | Big Ten | LB |
| Malik Hartford | UCLA | Big Ten | DB |
| Ryan McCulloch | UCLA | Big Ten | LB |
| Caden Chittenden | USC | Big Ten | K |
| Waymond Jordan | USC | Big Ten | RB |
| Charlie Crowell | Washington | Big Ten | TE |
| Kade Eldridge | Washington | Big Ten | TE |
| Rashid Williams | Washington | Big Ten | WR |
| Trey Cooley | Washington | Big Ten | RB |
| Malcolm Hartzog | Arizona | Big 12 | DB |
| Tre Smith | Arizona | Big 12 | DE |
| DeKalon Taylor | Colorado | Big 12 | RB |
| Jayden Cofield | Texas Tech | Big 12 | DL |
| Quinten Joyner | Texas Tech | Big 12 | RB |
| Will Hammond | Texas Tech | Big 12 | QB |
| Hunter Andrews | Utah | Big 12 | TE/RB |
| Jaden Bray | West Virginia | Big 12 | WR |
| Zach Marker | Florida International | Conference USA | QB |
| Ashton Craig | Notre Dame | Independent | OL |
| Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa | Notre Dame | Independent | LB |
| Jaden Greathouse | Notre Dame | Independent | WR |
| Kedren Young | Notre Dame | Independent | RB |
| Daymon David | Akron | MAC | S |
| Corey Thompson Jr. | Ball State | MAC | WR |
| Dorian Pringle | Bowling Green | MAC | LB |
| Jadyn Glasser | Central Michigan | MAC | QB |
| Joshua Nobles | UMass | MAC | DL |
| T.Y. Harding | UMass | MAC | WR |
| TJ Magee | UMass | MAC | CB |
| Cole Cabana | Western Michigan | MAC | RB |
| Ben Ford | Boise St | Pac 12 | WR |
| Pearce Spurlin III | Colorado State | Pac 12 | TE |
| Noble Thomas Jr. | Oregon State | Pac 12 | DB |
| Jah-Marien Latham | Alabama | SEC | LB |
| Jeremiah Beaman | Alabama | SEC | DL |
| Champ Anthony | Auburn | SEC | S |
| Chas Nimrod | Auburn | SEC | WR |
| LJ McCray | Florida | SEC | DL |
| Ethan Barbour | Georgia | SEC | TE |
| Jordan Hall | Georgia | SEC | DL |
| Aaron Gates | Kentucky | SEC | DB |
| CJ Baxter | Kentucky | SEC | RB |
| Sam Greene | Kentucky | SEC | OLB |
| Sam Leavitt | LSU | SEC | QB |
| Whit Weeks | LSU | SEC | LB |
| Ahmad Hardy | Missouri | SEC | RB |
| Jahlil Florence | Missouri | SEC | CB |
| Jayden Gibson | South Carolina | SEC | WR |
| Andre Cojoe | Texas | SEC | OL |
| Ja’Den McBurrows | Appalachian State | Sun Belt | DB |
| Ja’Quez Cross | Appalachian State | Sun Belt | RB |
| Kanye Roberts | Appalachian State | Sun Belt | RB |
| Chance Gamble | Georgia Southern | Sun Belt | DB |
| Josh Dallas | Georgia Southern | Sun Belt | WR |
| Max Johnson | Georgia Southern | Sun Belt | QB |
| Blake Baker | LA Tech | Sun Belt | QB |
| Kolbe Fields | LA Tech | Sun Belt | LB |
| Koa Naotala | Old Dominion | Sun Belt | LB |
| Goose Crowder | Troy | Sun Belt | QB |
| Andrew Body | Alabama State | SWAC | QB |
Previous winners of the Comeback Player of the Year Award include: 2025 – Christian Bodnar (Liberty University); Byrum Brown (USF); Bryce Steele (Boston College); 2024: Ike Larsen (Utah State); Raheim Sanders (South Carolina); Tyler Shough (Louisville); 2023 – Blake Corum (Michigan); Jacob Dobbs (Holy Cross); Mike Hollins (Virginia); 2022 – Mohamed Ibrahim (Minnesota); Laiatu Latu (UCLA); Michael Penix Jr. (Washington); 2021 – Aidan Hutchinson (Michigan); McKenzie Milton (Florida State); J.J. Weaver (Kentucky); 2020 – Jarek Broussard (Colorado); Kenneth Horsey (Kentucky); Silas Kelly (Coastal Carolina); 2019 – Jake Luton (Oregon State); Drew Wilson (Georgia Southern); Octavion Wilson (Salisbury); 2018 – Antwan Dixon (Kent State), Seth Simmer (Dartmouth); Antonio Wimbush (Carson-Newman). For a complete list of past honorees, visit www.Comeback-Player.com.