FLORENCE, Ala. (November 25, 2024) – Following a stellar rookie campaign as a true freshman, North Alabama linebacker
Josh Anglin was named a finalist for the prestigious Jerry Rice Award on Monday.
Stats Perform has announced a standout list of 25 finalists for the 2024 Jerry Rice Award, which honors the national freshman player of the year in college football's Division I FCS subdivision.
This list includes 16 offensive players, eight defensive players and one special teams player.
"
Josh Anglin has shown the world what we already knew about him last year in recruiting," said UNA head coach
Brent Dearmon. "For a true freshman to come in and do what he has done is amazing. Josh will be the face of the Purple Swarm for years to come."
Anglin finishes his rookie season with 81 tackles to rank second on the team. He had 7.0 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks, as well as two quarterback hurries. The former Mill Creek High School standout forced a fumble against nationally ranked Illinois State and added a pass breakup against UT Martin.
Perhaps his best game came at Southern Utah earlier this month, as Anglin tallied a career-high 14 tackles and 1.5 sacks. Anglin matched the FCS school record for single-game tackles, tying teammate
Edwin White Schultz's 14 tackles against Mercer last season.
Anglin, a Georgia native, won three UAC Freshman of the Week awards this season — tied for the most alongside teammate
Jalen Fletcher and EKU's Marcus Calwise Jr.
The Rice Award, now in its 14th season, is named after legendary Hall of Fame wide receiver Jerry Rice. Past recipients include NFL standouts Cooper Kupp, Chase Edmonds and Trey Lance, as well as Miami quarterback Cam Ward and Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders. All five played their rookie seasons at the FCS level.
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 redshirted as a true freshman.
Earlier this season, Anglin and Fletcher were both named to the Jerry Rice Award watch list. No other school had more than one selection on the 30-player watch list outside of North Alabama.
In 2022, former UNA quarterback
Noah Walters was a finalist for the award.
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.
2024 JERRY RICE AWARD FINALISTS
OFFENSE
David Avit, Villanova, RB, 6-0, 220 (CAA Football)
146 carries, 793 yards (5.4 ypc), 9 TDs; 9 receptions, 100 yards (12 games)
CharMar Brown, North Dakota State, RB, 5-11, 224 (Missouri Valley Football Conference)
189 carries, 965 yards (5.1 ypc), 14 TDs; 5 receptions, 54 yards (12 games)
Matt Childs, Brown, RB, 6-0, 200 (Ivy League)
91 carries, 361 yards (4.0 ypc), 2 TDs; 29 receptions, 384 yards, 2 TDs (9 games)
Jason Collins Jr., Morgan State, RB, 5-9, 185 (Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference)
102 carries, 520 yards (5.1 ypc), 6 TDs; 10 receptions, 54 yards (11 games)
Carson Conklin, Sacramento State, QB, 6-1, 180 (Big Sky Conference)
261 of 419 (62.9%), 2,876 yards, 28 TDs, 8 INTs (12 games)
Taron Dickens, Western Carolina, QB, 5-11, 180 (Southern Conference)
127 of 172 (73.8%), 1,428 yards, 12 TDs, 3 INTs; 56 rush yards, 2 TDs (7 games)
Jaden Green, Lehigh, RB, 5-9, 195 (Patriot League)
118 carries, 693 yards (5.9 ypc), 9 TDs; 9 receptions, 65 yards; 535 KOR yards (11 games)
Steve Hall, Lindenwood, RB, 5-9, 195 (Big South-OVC Football Association)
111 carries, 808 yards (7.3 ypc), 5 TDs; 14 receptions, 83 yards (12 games)
Mark Hamper, Idaho, WR, 6-2, 210 (Big Sky Conference)
41 receptions, 858 yards (20.9 ypc), 5 TDs (12 games)
Malachi Henry, Central Arkansas, WR, 6-1, 185 (United Athletic Conference)
41 receptions, 683 yards (16.7 ypc), 5 TDs (12 games)
Collin Hurst, Presbyterian, QB, 5-10, 165 (Pioneer Football League)
187 of 281 (66.5%), 2,382 yards, 17 TDs, 4 INTs; 175 rush yards, 5 TDs (12 games)
Adam Jones, Montana State, RB, 6-1, 200 (Big Sky Conference)
123 carries, 904 yards (7.3 ypc), 9 TDs; 16 receptions, 150 yards, TD (11 games)
Elijah Owens, Indiana State, QB, 6-2, 225 (Missouri Valley Football Conference)
181 of 263 (68.8%), 1,717 yards, 12 TDs, 5 INTs; 645 rush yards, 8 TDs (11 games)
Travis Terrell Jr., Jackson State, RB/Returns, 5-8, 165 (Southwestern Athletic Conference)
64 carries, 412 (6.4 ypc), 3 TDs; 13 receptions, 79 yards; 792 return yards, 2 TDs (11 games)
Tariq Thomas, Bucknell, RB, 5-11, 185 (Patriot League)
166 carries, 783 yards (4.7 ypc), 4 TDs; 13 receptions, 71 yards; 133 KOR yards (11 games)
Drew VanVleet, Dayton, QB, 6-5, 205 (Pioneer Football League)
195 of 312 (62.5%), 1,963 yards, 18 TDs, 10 INTs (11 games)
DEFENSE
Josh Anglin, North Alabama, LB, 6-0, 215 (United Athletic Conference)
81 tackles (29 solos), 7 TFL (22 yards), 1.5 sacks (11 yards), 1 FF, 2 QBH, 1 PBU (12 games)
Charles Battaglia, Stonehill, LB, 6-1, 225 (Northeast Conference)
70 tackles (31 solos), 3 TFL (8 yards), 1 FF, 1 INT, 1 PBU (11 games)
C.J. Coombes, Wofford, S, 6-0, 208 (Southern Conference)
88 tackles (59 solos), 5 TFL (23 yards), 1 sack (12 yards), 1 FF, 1 FR, 1 INT, 2 PBU (12 games)
Sanders Ellis, Tennessee State, LB, 6-2, 225 (Big South-OVC Football Association)
71 tackles (49 solos), 11 TFL (50 yards), 1.5 sacks (21 yards), 1 FR, 1 QBH, 2 PBU (12 games)
Derek Ganter Jr., Eastern Washington, S, 6-0, 188 (Big Sky Conference)
95 tackles (55 solos), 3.5 TFL (15 yards), 1 sack (8 yards), 1 FF, 1 QBH, 4 PBU (12 games)
Christopher Jean, Central Connecticut State, CB, 5-9, 170 (Northeast Conference)
30 tackles (19 solos), 2.5 TFL (6 yards), 2 FF, 4 FR, 3 INTs, 7 PBU (9 games)
Matthew Traynor, Richmond, LB, 6-1, 200 (CAA Football)
64 tackles (48 solos), 4.5 TFL (8 yards), 2 INTs, 3 PBU (12 games)
Andrew Zock, Mercer, DE, 6-2, 250 (Southern Conference)
32 tackles (18 solos), 13.5 TFL (74 yards), 6.5 sacks (56 yards), 2 FF, 15 QBH, 2 PBU (12 games)
SPECIAL TEAMS
Finn Lappin, McNeese, P, 5-11, 178 (Southland Conference)
68 punts, 2,811 yards (41.3 avg.), 68 long, 21 fair catch, 19 I20, 21 50+ (12 games)
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