2021 Preseason Honors

Austin Jones (RB)

Junior Austin Jones established himself as one of the premier players in the Pac-12 Conference during the 2020 season, starting all six games at running back. Jones rushed for 550 yards and nine touchdowns, the second-most rushing touchdowns nationally for players who played six games or fewer. Jones' nine rushing touchdowns were the second-most through the first six games of a season at Stanford dating back to 2000. He added 21 receptions for 156 yards, the second most receptions on the team. Following last season, Jones garnered All-Pac-12 honors from the conference's coaches, as well as Phil Steele, while earning a spot on the Pac-12 All-Academic Honor Roll. 

Maxwell Award
The Maxwell Football Club will award the 85th Maxwell Award presented annually to the outstanding player in college football, with Austin Jones named one of 90 to the initial preseason list.
The Maxwell Award has been presented to the College Player of the Year since 1937 and is named in honor of Robert "Tiny" Maxwell who was a former standout at the Swarthmore College and a renowned sports writer and football official. Semifinalists for the Maxwell Award will be announced November 1, 2021, while the three finalists for the Maxwell Award will be unveiled November 22, 2021. The winners of the 2021 Maxwell and Bednarik Awards will be announced as part of the ESPN Home Depot College Football Awards Show held on December 9, 2021. The formal presentations of the Maxwell Award will be made at the Maxwell Football Club Awards Gala hosted by Tropicana Hotel & Casino Atlantic City on March 11, 2022.

Doak Walker Award
The PwC SMU Athletic Forum released today the preseason candidates for the 2021 Doak Walker Award. The Forum annually presents the award to the nation's top college running back. The PwC SMU Athletic Forum Board of Directors will name ten semifinalists in November, and three finalists, as voted on by the Doak Walker Award National Selection Committee, will be announced in November. The committee will cast a second vote in December to determine the recipient. The National Selection Committee consists of past recipients, former NFL All-Pro and college All-America running backs, media members and selected special representatives. The recipient of the 2020 Doak Walker Award will be announced live on The Home Depot College Football Awards. The award is named for SMU's three-time All-America running back Doak Walker. It is the only major collegiate award that requires all candidates to be in good academic standing and on schedule to graduate within one year of other students of the same classification.
 

Thomas Booker (DE)

A CoSIDA first team Academic All-American, Thomas Booker opted to return to Stanford for his senior season in 2021. A double major in economics and communication, Booker was named All-Pac-12 first team at the special teams spot in 2020 while earning All-Pac-12 second team recognition at his defensive end spot. Booker, a returning team captain, started all six games and finished with 21 tackles, three tackles for loss and one sack. He added two pass breakups, one fumble recovery and two blocked PATs. 

Lott IMPACT Trophy
Booker was one of 42 student-athletes named to the Lott IMPACT Trophy preseason watch list. The 42 (Ronnie Lott's number) nominees represent the finest in college football -- defensive players who have had the biggest IMPACT on their teams both on and off the field. IMPACT stands for Integrity, Maturity, Performance, Academics, Community and Tenacity. The Lott IMPACT Trophy, which has raised more than $1.6 million for scholarships and other youth-related charities throughout the country, is the only major college football award where the character of the nominee is considered. Candidates will be evaluated during the season with a Player of the Week chosen each week (and his school receiving $1,000 for its general scholarship fund). The four finalists will attend the 18th annual Lott IMPACT Trophy banquet in December in Newport Beach. 

Bronko Nagurski Trophy
Booker was one of 90 defensive standouts named to the Bronko Nagurski Trophy watch list. The Bronko Nagurski Trophy is presented annually to the top defensive player in college football, and will be awarded by the Football Writers Association of America among five finalists at the Bronko Nagurski Awards Banquet, presented by Lending Tree, Dec. 6. The FWAA and the Charlotte Touchdown Club will announce the five finalists for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy on Nov. 17. 

Michael Wilson (WR)

Entering his senior year, Wilson has established himself as one of the premier pass-catchers in the Pac-12 Conference. In 16 games and starts over the last two seasons, Wilson has 75 catches for 1,233 yards and six touchdowns. Wilson was named All-Pac-12 honorable mention in 2020, despite playing in just three-and-a-half games before a season-ending injury. Wilson has been named to the Pac-12 All-Academic Honor Roll following each of the last two seasons and was named Preseason All-Pac-12 by Athlon this season. 

Biletnikoff Award
Wilson was named one of 51 receivers on the 2021 Biletnikoff Award watch list. The Biletnikoff Award annually recognizes the college football season's outstanding FBS receiver. Any player, regardless of position (wide receiver, tight end, slot back, and running back) who catches a pass is eligible for the award. As such, the Biletnikoff Award recognizes college football's outstanding receiver, not merely college football's outstanding wide receiver. The semifinalists, finalists, and award recipient are selected by the highly distinguished Biletnikoff Award National Selection Committee, a group of prominent college football journalists, commentators, announcers, Biletnikoff Award winners, and other former receivers. Foundation trustees do not vote and have never voted. For a list of voters, please see BiletnikoffAward.com/voters. Stanford has one Biletnikoff Award winner in school history, as Troy Walters won the Award in 1999. 

Benjamin Yurosek (TE)

Entering his sophomore season, Benjamin Yurosek looks to be Stanford's next great tight end. The native of Bakersfield, Calif., played in all six games last season, primarily on special teams. After the departure of Scooter Harrington, and with fifth-year tight end Tucker Fisk poised to split time between tight end and defensive end, Yurosek will become a big factor in the Cardinal offense.

John Mackey Award
Given annually to the most outstanding collegiate tight end, the award is in honor of NFL Hall of Fame member John Mackey, who is considered to be the best to have played the tight end position. The award recipient is selected by vote of the John Mackey Award Selection Committee, and the 2020 Mackey Award recipient will be announced in December.

Walter Rouse (OL)

An honorable mention All-Pac-12 selection by the coaches in 2020, Rouse enters his junior season as one of the anchors of the Stanford offensive line. Rouse has started the previous 17 games for the Cardinal at left tackle after cracking the starting lineup in Week Two of the 2019 season. A freshman All-America selection by The Athletic in 2019, Rouse hails from Silver Spring, Md.
 

Outland Trophy
Given annually to the nation's top interior lineman, the Outland Trophy is presented by the Pro Football Writers Association of America. Rouse is one of 80 players honored on the preseason watch list, the 75th annual presentation of the award. The recipient of the 2021 Outland Trophy will be announced at the Home Depot College Football Awards, live on ESPN in December.

Ryan Sanborn (P)

The only true freshman in the country to handle punting duties full time in 2019, Sanborn enters his junior season as one of the top specialists in the country. Nine of his 23 punts in 2020 pinned the opposition inside the 20 yard line — including four in the 123rd Big Game against Cal. Sanborn also has experience handling kickoffs, and he is 7-for-9 on field goals in his career. Sanborn was an honorable mention selection the All-Pac-12 team in 2020.
 

Ray Guy Award
Presented annually by the Augusta Sports Council, the Ray Guy Award honors the nation's top punter. The 50 candidates for the preseason watch list were selected from the 2021 Ray Guy Award semifinalists, the top 10 punters from 2020, as well as last season's all-conference and All-America teams. The complete list of candidates will be announced on Nov. 2, with the award committee narrowing the list to 10 semifinalists in mid-November. The top three finalists will be announced on Nov. 23, with the winner being announced at the Home Depot College Football Awards, Dec. 9.

Isaiah Sanders

A sixth-year quarterback, Sanders enters his second year on The Farm. The former Air Force quarterback made two appearances in 2020 for the Cardinal, including converting a pivotal third down in the 123rd Big Game. Sanders was a finalist for the Wuerffel trophy in 2019 and was named to the Allstate AFCA Good Hands Team.  
 

Wuerffel Trophy
Named after 1996 Heisman Trophy winning quarterback from the University of Florida, Danny Wuerffel, the Wuerffel Trophy is presented in February annually in Fort Walton Beach, Florida. The trophy exists to honor college football players who serve others, celebrate their positive impact on society, and inspire greater service in the world. 93 student-athletes were selected for College Football's Premier Award for Community Service.

Elijah Higgins

A junior wide receiver, Higgins is expected to factor heavily into Stanford's offensive plan this season. In the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, the Kyle, Texas, native hauled in 15 receptions for 176 yards, coming on late in the season for the Cardinal. During Stanford's three-week stint on the road to close out the season, Higgins hauled in 14 passes for 147 yards. 
 

Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award
The Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award recognizes the top offensive player in Division I football who also exhibits the enduring characteristics that define Earl Campbell: integrity, performance, teamwork, sportsmanship, drive, community and tenacity; specifically, tenacity to persist and determination to overcome adversity and injury in pursuit of reaching goals. In addition, the nominee must meet one or more of the following criteria: born in Texas and/or graduated from a Texas High School and/or played at a Texas-based junior college or four-year college. 

Kyle Petrucci

A senior from Newport Coast, Calif., Petrucci has made two appearances for the Cardinal in his career. He saw action twice as a junior in 2020.
 

Patrick Mannelly Award
The Patrick Mannelly Award, named after former NFL long snapper Patrick Mannelly, is presented annually to the best FBS senior long snapper. 31 long snappers were named to the preseason watch list of the award on Aug. 9, with 10 semifinalists being announced on Nov. 15, and the three finalists set to be announced on Nov. 29.