Texas leads Walter Camp watch list with four nominees; A&M, USC, BYU also represented

Texas placed four players on the Walter Camp Player of the Year Award preseason watch list, the award committee announced Monday, topping all programs with nominations for quarterback Arch Manning, wide receiver Cam Coleman, edge rusher Colin Simmons and linebacker Rasheem Biles.

The Walter Camp Award is presented annually to the top player in college football and ranks among the nation's oldest individual accolades at the collegiate level. Texas has claimed the honor three times in program history — running back Ricky Williams in 1998 and quarterback Colt McCoy in 2008 and 2009. The Longhorns produced back-to-back semifinalists most recently when defensive lineman T'Vondre Sweat was named one in 2023 and quarterback Quinn Ewers followed in 2024.

Other programs joining Texas on the list

Texas A&M also earned multiple nominations, with redshirt junior quarterback Marcel Reed and junior wide receiver Mario Craver both recognized. Reed threw for a career-high 3,169 yards, 25 touchdowns and 12 interceptions during his first full starting season, while Craver connected with him for 917 yards and four touchdowns. The pair are considered one of the more dynamic duos in the country heading into the 2026 campaign, with the season opener against Missouri State scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 5.

USC quarterback Jayden Maiava and BYU running back LJ Martin rounded out the notable watch list additions. Maiava's inclusion was confirmed by USC Athletics, while Martin, an El Paso native, figures into a high-powered Cougars offense as BYU enters the 2026 season.

The breadth of the watch list reflects the range of positions and conferences in contention for the award this season. Along with skill-position players such as Manning, Coleman, Craver and Martin, the list also features defensive contributors in Simmons and Biles, underscoring that the Walter Camp committee considers impact across all phases of the game when compiling its preseason candidates.