FLORENCE, Ala. (October 20, 2026) – On Tuesday, Stats Perform announced the 2026 Jerry Rice Award Watch List, an award given to the top freshman in FCS each season. University of North Alabama wide receiver
Xavier Johnson was one of 30 players on the watch list.
Johnson has been the lead target for UNA quarterback
Destin Wade this season, helping the team to a 4-3 record thus far and the best start in the program's short Division I history.
The Fort Worth, Texas native is the fourth-leading receiver in FCS this season with 97.0 yards per game. Up until last week, Johnson averaged over 100 yards per game the entire first half of the season and was the top-ranked receiver in FCS for three straight weeks.
Earlier this season, Johnson became the first player in United Athletic Conference history to win four freshman of the week awards.
"Xavier has been a joy to coach since stepping foot onto campus," said UNA head coach
Brent Dearmon. "He is an electric player with the ball in his hands. Looking forward to watching what more he will do at UNA."
UNA has had two finalists for this award in the last five seasons, including quarterback
Noah Walters in 2022 and linebacker Josh Anglin in 2024. Johnson's current teammate,
Jalen Fletcher, was on the watch list in 2024, as well.
The Jerry Rice Award is named after the legendary Hall of Fame wide receiver who starred in the FCS at Mississippi Valley State. Past recipients that went on to NFL careers include Cooper Kupp, Chase Edmonds, Trey Lance, Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders.
True and redshirt freshmen are eligible for the Jerry Rice Award. A national media panel will select the winner from a group of finalists folllowing the regular season.
The UAC had two players on the list — UNA's Johnson and Austin Peay's Denver Harper. Both redshirt freshmen will square off this week in Florence, as the Lions host the Govs for homecoming at 6 p.m. on Bobby Wallace Field at Bank Independent Stadium.
The Jerry Rice Award is one of six to comprise the Stats Perform FCS National Awards. The others 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), HBCU National Player of the Year and Doris Robinson Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
2026 Jerry Rice Award Watch List
Bryce Allen, Richmond, WR, Fr., 6-3, 206 (Patriot League)
Nate Bailey, Harvard, WR, Fr., 5-8, 175 (Ivy League)
Rashon Brown, Bethune-Cookman, RB, R-Fr., 5-10, 185 (Southwestern Athletic Conference)
Khalid Bueno, Stony Brook, DE, R-Fr., 6-3, 215 (CAA Football)
Isaiah Champagne, UIW, WR, R-Fr., 5-10, 180 (Southland Conference)
Treynor Cleeland, UC Davis, QB, R-Fr., 6-2, 215 (Big Sky Conference)
Bryce Coleman, Columbia, WR, Fr., 6-4, 180 (Ivy League)
Carter Dahlke, Montana State, WR, Fr., 5-9, 175 (Big Sky Conference)
Cade Ellis, William & Mary, DB, Fr., 6-0, 195 (Patriot League)
Trehsyn Fesili, Idaho State, DE, Fr., 6-2, 217 (Big Sky Conference)
Donovan Frederick, North Carolina A&T, LB, R-Fr., 6-2, 230 (CAA Football)
Da'Jean Golmond, Norfolk State, QB, Fr., 6-2, 210 (Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference)
Denver Harper, Austin Peay, WR, R-Fr., 5-8, 161 (United Athletic Conference)
Emmanuel Harris, Stephen F. Austin, DE, Fr., 6-4, 242 (Southland Conference)
Xavier Johnson, North Alabama, WR, R-Fr., 6-0, 190 (United Athletic Conference)
Kamerin McDowell-Moore, Elon, RB, Fr., 6-0, 183 (CAA Football)
Mason Mims, ETSU, QB, R-Fr., 6-3, 211 (Southern Conference)
Austyn Modrzewski, South Dakota, QB, R-Fr., 6-5, 215 (Missouri Valley Football Conference)
Ashton Pannell, Chicago State, QB, Fr., 6-3, 190 (NEC Football/Independent)
Braylon Peebles, Furman, S, Fr., 5-10, 184 (Southern Conference)
Byron Perrilliat, Alabama A&M, RB, Fr., 5-11, 182 (Southwestern Athletic Conference)
Nick Peipert, St. Thomas, QB, R-Fr., 6-1, 211 (Pioneer Football League)
Jadyn Reed, Indiana State, WR, Fr., 6-0, 175 (Missouri Valley Football Conference)
Davon Smith Jr., Central Connecticut State, RB, R-Fr., 6-0, 190 (NEC Football)
Tate Surber, UT Martin, QB, R-Fr., 6-3, 200 (Ohio Valley Conference)
Parker Vance, Southern Utah, S, R-Fr., 6-2, 200 (Big Sky Conference)
Zalen "Aki" Watkins, Gardner-Webb, DL, R-Fr., 6-3, 290 (Ohio Valley Conference)
Jamarius Wilson, South Carolina State, OL, Fr., 6-3, 280 (Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference)
Dax Wiskur, Drake, S, Fr., 6-2, 200 (Pioneer Football League)
Mason Wuenschel, Lamar, LB, R-Fr., 6-2, 231 (Southland Conference)
For more information on North Alabama Athletics, visit www.roarlions.com and follow UNA Athletics on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
