BALTIMORE, Md. (Oct. 23, 2024) — Redshirt freshman Jason Collins Jr. has been selected as one of 30 FCS players named to the in-season watch list of the Stats Perform 2024 Jerry Rice Award, which honors the FCS freshman player of the year in college football's Division I subdivision.
The Rice Award, now in its 14th season, is named after legendary Hall of Fame wide receiver Jerry Rice. Past recipients include Cooper Kupp, Chase Edmonds, Trey Lance, Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders.
To be eligible for the Jerry Rice Award, a player must be considered a freshman by his conference in his first academic year or second if he did not surpass four regular-season games played in the true freshman season (the NCAA redshirt rule). More players can join the watch list before a national media panel selects the winner following the regular season.
Collins has been a vital asset for his team, making his mark by participating in every game this season so far. With seven games under his belt, he has established himself as a reliable rusher, ranking second on the roster with an impressive 37 carries for 229 yards. His ability to find the end zone has not gone unnoticed, as he has already crossed the line three times this season on runs of 41, 32, and 9 yards.
Hailing from Washington, D.C., Collins is making a name for himself with an outstanding average of 6.2 yards per carry. Each time he touches the ball, he poses a significant threat to defenses, as he continues to elevate his team's performance with every game.
Collins is the only player from the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference to be named to the list and is the first Bear honored since Lawrence Forbes in 2013 and Elandon Roberts in 2012.
The 2024 Jerry Rice Award recipient will be announced on Dec. 4 and honored at the Stats Perform National Awards Banquet on Jan. 4 in Frisco, Texas. Other awards at the banquet are the Walter Payton Award (FCS Offensive Player of the Year), Buck Buchanan Award (FCS Defensive Player of the Year), Eddie Robinson Award (FCS Coach of the Year), Urban Edge Network HBCU+ Player of the Year and FedEx Doris Robinson Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
Joining Collins on the Jerry Rice Award Watch List, which includes both true and redshirt freshmen, are the following:
Josh Anglin, North Alabama, LB, 6-0, 215, Buford, Georgia (United Athletic Conference)
David Avit, Villanova, RB, 6-0, 220, Potomac, Maryland (CAA Football)
Charles Battaglia, Stonehill, LB, 6-1, 225, Massapequa, New York (Northeast Conference)
CharMar Brown, North Dakota State, RB, 5-11, 224, Omaha, Nebraska (Missouri Valley Football Conference)
Matt Childs, Brown, RB, 6-0, 200, Medway, Massachusetts (Ivy League)
Jason Collins Jr., Morgan State, RB, 5-9, 185, Washington, D.C. (Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference)
Carson Conklin, Sacramento State, QB, 6-1, 180, Yorba Linda, California (Big Sky Conference)
C.J. Coombes, Wofford, S, 6-0, 208, Bellefonte, Delaware (Southern Conference)
Sanders Ellis, Tennessee State, LB, 6-2, 225, Nashville (Big South-OVC Football Association)
Jalen Fletcher, North Alabama, RB, 5-7, 175, Trinity, Alabama (United Athletic Conference)
Derek Ganter Jr., Eastern Washington, S, 6-0, 188, Pasadena, California (Big Sky Conference)
Steve Hall, Lindenwood, RB, 5-9, 195, St. Louis (Big South-OVC Football Association)
Trey Hedden, Furman, QB, 6-3, 231, Tampa, Florida (Southern Conference)
Jamarie Hostzclaw, Alabama State, RB, 5-9, 176, North Ft. Lauderdale, Florida (Southwestern Athletic Conference)
Collin Hurst, Presbyterian, QB, 5-10, 165, Davie, Florida (Pioneer Football League)
Adam Jones, Montana State, RB, 6-1, 200, Missoula, Montana (Big Sky Conference)
Ayden Jones, Prairie View A&M, LB, 6-2, 215, Houston (Southwestern Athletic Conference)
Finn Lappin, McNeese, P, 5-11, 178, Melbourne, Australia (Southland Conference)
Cole Nilles, Bryant, LB, 6-4, 252, Philadelphia (CAA Football)
Elijah Owens, Indiana State, QB, 6-2, 225, Jacksonville, Illinois (Missouri Valley Football Conference)
AJ Pigford, Princeton, DE, 6-3, 230, Snellville, Georgia (Ivy League)
Brennan Ridley, Hampton, WR, 5-11, 177, Richmond, Virginia (CAA Football)
Jayden Robertson, Southern Utah, CB, 5-10, 180, Henderson, Nevada (United Athletic Conference)
Isaac Saffold, Georgetown, DE, 6-1, 285, Chicago (Patriot League)
Travis Terrell Jr., Jackson State, RB/Returns, 5-8, 165, Atlanta (Southwestern Athletic Conference)
Tariq Thomas, Bucknell, RB, 5-11, 185, Springfield, Massachusetts (Patriot League)
TJ Thomas Jr., Elon, RB, 5-8, 181, Thomasville, Georgia (CAA Football)
Drew VanVleet, Dayton, QB, 6-5, 205, Richmond, Indiana (Pioneer Football League)
Jack Wagner, Idaho, QB, 6-4, 190, Tualatin, Oregon (Big Sky Conference)
Dallas Winner-Johnson, Missouri State, LB, 6-5, 230, St. Louis (Missouri Valley Football Conference)
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Morgan State University, founded in 1867, is a Carnegie-classified high research (R2) institution offering nearly 140 academic programs leading to degrees from the baccalaureate to the doctorate. As Maryland's Preeminent Public Urban Research University, and the only university to have its entire campus designated as a National Treasure by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Morgan serves a multiethnic and multiracial student body and seeks to ensure that the doors of higher education are opened as wide as possible to as many as possible. For more information about Morgan State University, visit www.morgan.edu.
