Nine Fresno State Football players were named to preseason award watchlists for the 2025 season.
Quarterback E.J. Warner, who won the starting job on Aug. 11, was named to the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award watchlist. The award recognizes the top senior quarterback who is on track to graduate with their class.
The only Bulldog to win the award is David Carr with his stellar 2001 season, where he threw for 4,830 yards with 46 touchdowns and nine interceptions.
Defensive back Al’zillion Hamilton was named to two watchlists for the 2025 season. The first watchlist he was named to was for the Jim Thorpe Award. This award is given to the best defensive back in college football, and the watchlist is limited to 35 players.
Hamilton’s second award watchlist was for the Chuck Bednarik Award, which goes to the best defensive player in college football, voted by the Maxwell Football Club.
No Bulldog has won either award since they were given out in 1986 and 1995, respectively. Past winners of the Jim Thorpe Award include former Michigan Wolverines defensive back Charles Woodson and Texas Longhorns defensive back Jahdae Barron.
Past winners of the Chuck Bednarik Award include former Colorado Buffaloes wide receiver and defensive back Travis Hunter and former Pittsburgh Panthers defensive tackle Aaron Donald.
Running back Bryson Donelson was named to the Doak Walker Award watchlist. The award is given to the top running back in the nation. Donelson made headlines last season after taking over the starting role when running back Malik Sherrod suffered a season-ending ankle injury in a 59-14 loss to the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Donelson rushed for 462 yards in 11 games in 2024.
No Bulldog has won this award since its creation in 1990. Past winners include former Boise State Bronco running back Ashton Jeanty and former Wisconsin Badgers running back Jonathan Taylor.
The other six award watchlist recipients include: wide receiver Jordan Brown (Allstate Wuerffel Trophy), kicker Dylan Lynch (Lou Groza Award), long snapper Wesley Brown (Patrick Mannelly Award), center Jacob Spomer (Rimington Trophy) and defensive back Camryn Bracha and wide receiver Josiah Freeman (Comeback Player of the Year).
Catch the Bulldogs on Aug. 23 as they kick off their final season in the Mountain West Conference against the Kansas University Jayhawks at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. on FOX.
Correction: A previous version misspelled Jonathan Taylor and Malik Sherrod.
