The College Sports Communicators (formerly CoSIDA) in association with The Associated Press (AP) and the Fiesta Bowl Organization, today released a “Watch List” of 89 college football student-athletes from 67 different schools currently under consideration for the 2024 Comeback Player of the Year Award.
2024 Comeback Player of the Year Award Watch List Issued
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 2024 Pre-Season Comeback Player of the Year Watch List.
| PLAYER | SCHOOL | Conference | POSITION |
| Zuberi Mobley | FAU | AAC | RB |
| Ikaika Ragsdale | North Texas | AAC | RB |
| Jason Vaughn | Univ. South Florida (USF) | AAC | DE |
| Blake Horvath | Navy | AAC | QB |
| Kenneth McShan | Navy | AAC | LB |
| Bryce Steele | Boston College | ACC | LB |
| Cole Turner | Clemson | ACC | WR |
| Eli Pancol | Duke | ACC | WR |
| Leo Blackburn | Georgia Tech | ACC | WR |
| Sylvain Yondjouen | Georgia Tech | ACC | DL |
| Ja’Corey Brooks | Louisville | ACC | WR |
| Tyler Shough | Louisville | ACC | QB |
| Emory Williams | Miami | ACC | QB |
| Grayson McCall | NC State | ACC | QB |
| Trebor Pena | Syracuse | ACC | WR |
| Oronde Gadsden II | Syracuse | ACC | TE |
| Kobe Paysour | UNC | ACC | WR |
| CJ Harris | California | ACC | QB |
| Kam Butler | Virginia | ACC | DE |
| Nick Gallo | Virginia Tech | ACC | TE |
| Ali Jennings | Virginia Tech | ACC | WR |
| Donavon Greene | Wake Forest | ACC | WR |
| Zakhari Franklin | Illinois | Big Ten | WR |
| Josh McCray | Illinois | Big Ten | RB |
| Solomon Vanhorse | Indiana | Big Ten | RB |
| Cade McNamara | Iowa | Big Ten | QB |
| Luke Lachey | Iowa | Big Ten | TE |
| Tyneil Hopper | Michigan State | Big Ten | TE |
| Darnell Jefferies | Minnesota | Big Ten | DL |
| Gabe Ervin, Jr. | Nebraska | Big Ten | RB |
| Noah Whittington | Oregon | Big Ten | RB |
| Jahmal Edrine | Purdue | Big Ten | WR |
| Max Klare | Purdue | Big Ten | TE |
| Tyreem Powell | Rutgers | Big Ten | LB |
| Ale Kaho | UCLA | Big Ten | LB |
| Cameron Davis | Washington | Big Ten | RB |
| Chez Mellusi | Wisconsin | Big Ten | RB |
| Jake Renfro | Wisconsin | Big Ten | OL |
| Hal Presley | Baylor | Big 12 | WR |
| Hinckley Ropati | BYU | Big 12 | RB |
| Gerry Bohanon | BYU | Big 12 | QB |
| Isaiah Alston | Iowa State | Big 12 | WR |
| Jalon Daniels | Kansas | Big 12 | QB |
| De’Zhaun Stribling | Oklahoma State | Big 12 | WR |
| Justin Wright | Oklahoma State | Big 12 | LB |
| Johnny Hodges | TCU | Big 12 | LB |
| Cameron Rising | Utah | Big 12 | QB |
| Brant Kuithe | Utah | Big 12 | TE |
| Trey Lathan | West Virginia | Big 12 | LB |
| Jackson Parker | U. Albany | CAA (FCS) | WR |
| Tyson Mobley | Liberty | Conference USA | WR |
| Marquis Crosby | Louisiana Tech | Conference USA | RB |
| Lexington Joseph | FIU | Conference USA | RB |
| Riley Leonard | Notre Dame | Independent | QB |
| Kevin Bauman | Notre Dame | Independent | TE |
| Joe Fagnano | UConn | Independent | QB |
| Demetrius Hardamon | Bowling Green | MAC | LB |
| Jake Orlando | Buffalo | MAC | TE |
| Brett Gabbert | Miami (OH) | MAC | QB |
| Jack Coldiron | Miami (OH) | MAC | TE |
| Will Mostaert | North Dakota State | MVC | DT |
| Jacob Spomer | Fresno State | Mountain West | OL |
| Patrick Garwo III | Nevada | Mountain West | RB |
| Luke Wysong | New Mexico | Mountain West | WR |
| Justin Lockhart | San Jose State | Mountain West | WR |
| Latrell Caples | Boise State | Mountain West | WR |
| Cam Lockridge | Fresno State | Mountain West | DB |
| Keyshawn Cobb | Nevada | Mountain West | DB |
| Lawrence Falatea | Utah State | Mountain West | DE |
| Spencer Petras | Utah State | Mountain West | QB |
| Dawaiian McNeely | Wyoming | Mountain West | RB |
| Luke Hasz | Arkansas | SEC | TE |
| Shemar James | Florida | SEC | LB |
| Branson Robinson | Georgia | SEC | RB |
| Jamon Duman-Johnson | Kentucky | SEC | LB |
| John Emery Jr. | LSU | SEC | RB |
| JK Johnson | LSU | SEC | CB |
| Andrel Anthony | Oklahoma | SEC | WR |
| Casey Thompson | Oklahoma | SEC | QB |
| Kaden Helms | Oklahoma | SEC | TE |
| Raheim Sanders | South Carolina | SEC | RB |
| Brady Hunt | South Carolina | SEC | TE |
| Bru McCoy | Tennessee | SEC | WR |
| Conner Weigman | Texas A&M | SEC | QB |
| Donovan Green | Texas A&M | SEC | TE |
| Sam Kenerson | Georgia Southern | Sun Belt | WR |
| Dexter Williams II | Georgia Southern | Sun Belt | QB |
| David Dallas | Georgia Southern | Sun Belt | QB |
| Lincoln Pare | Texas State | Sun Belt | RB |
Previous winners of the Comeback Player of the Year Award include: 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.
2022
College Football Comeback Player Award Winners
The award recognizes college football student-athletes for overcoming injury, illness, or other circumstances. The three honorees were selected in a vote by a panel of AP writers, editors, sports information directors, and Fiesta Bowl Organization representatives. Here’s a look at their remarkable comeback stories.