22 FCS freshman standouts named 2023 Jerry Rice Award finalists

Stats Perform has announced 22 finalists for the 2023 Jerry Rice Award, which honors the national freshman of the year in Division I FCS college football.

The Rice Award, first presented in 2011 and now in its 13th season, is named after legendary wide receiver Jerry Rice, who starred at Mississippi Valley State as part of his Hall of Fame career. Past recipients include Cooper Kupp, Chase Edmonds, Trey Lance and Shedeur Sanders.

All 13 FCS leagues, comprised from 15 conferences overall, are represented by a Jerry Rice Award finalist. The winner, to be selected by a national voting panel, will be announced on Dec. 6 and honored at the FCS National Awards Banquet on Jan. 6 in Frisco, Texas — the eve of the FCS championship game.

RICE AWARD: Complete history of the top FCS freshman honor

OFFENSE

• MJ Flowers, Eastern Illinois, RB, 6-1, 195 (Big South-OVC Football Association)
  • 157 carries, 854 yards (5.4 ypc), 8 TDs; 35 receptions, 192 yards (11 games)
• Eli Gillman, Montana, RB, 6-0, 206 (Big Sky Conference)
  • 152 carries, 857 yards (5.6 ypc), 10 TDs; 11 receptions, 103 yards (11 games)
• Malachi Hosley, Penn, RB, 5-10, 185 (Ivy League)
  • 121 carries, 723 yards (6.0 ypc), 7 TDs; 22 receptions, 246 yards, 1 TD (9 games)
• Jawarn Howell, South Carolina State, RB, 6-1, 215 (Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference)
  • 102 carries, 809 yards (7.9 ypc), 7 TDs; 10 receptions, 149 yards, 2 TDs (9 games)
• Brendan Jenkins, Samford, WR, 6-1, 200 (Southern Conference)
  • 41 receptions, 312 yards, (7.6 ypc) 4 TDs (11 games)
• Anthony Johnson, Stony Brook, WR, 5-11, 190 (CAA Football)
  • 59 receptions, 714 yards (12.1 ypc), 3 TDs (10 games)
• Jaylen King, Gardner-Webb, QB, 6-4, 200 (Big South-OVC Football Association)
  • 86 of 163 (52.8%), 992 yards, 10 TDs, 5 INTs, 118.0 pass efficiency; 392 rush yards, 5 TDs (8 games)
• Gavin Lochow, Dayton, WR, 6-0, 195 (Pioneer Football League)
  • 35 receptions, 402 yards (11.5 ypc), 5 TDs; 17 kickoff returns, 412 yards (11 games)
• Connor Moore, Montana State, LT, 6-5, 306 (Big Sky Conference)
  • Starting left tackle for offense that has averaged 40.5 points and 293.7 rushing yards per game (11 games)
• Dom Nankil, San Diego, QB, 6-0, 180 (Pioneer Football League)
  • 109 of 186 (58.6%), 1,158 yards, 5 TDs, 4 INTs, 115.5 pass efficiency; 1 rush TD (8 games)
• Beau Sparks, Utah Tech, WR, 5-11, 180 (United Athletic Conference)
  • 74 receptions, 723 yards (9.8 ypc), 7 TDs (11 games)
• VJ Wilkins, Campbell, WR, 5-10, 160 (CAA Football)
  • 52 receptions, 546 yards (10.5 ypc), 4 TDs; 588 kickoff return yards (11 games)
• Ty’Jarian Williams, Mississippi Valley State, QB, 6-3, 240 (Southwestern Athletic Conference)
  • 123 of 199 (61.8%), 1,197 yards, 6 TDs, 6 INTs, 116.3 pass efficiency; 2 rush TDs (10 games)
• Griffin Woodell, UAlbany, RB, 5-10, 194 (CAA Football)
  • 143 carries, 694 yards (4.9 ypc), 6 TDs; 24 receptions, 231 yards, 4 TDs (12 games)
• Luke Yoder, Lehigh, RB, 5-11, 195 (Patriot League)
  • 135 carries, 644 yards (4.8 ypc), 13 receptions, 87 yards (9 games)

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DEFENSE

• Carter Glassmyer, Saint Francis, LB, 6-1, 210 (Northeast Conference)
  • 89 tackles (50 solos), 6.5 TFL (21 yards), 2.5 sacks, 1 FF, 1 FR, 1 QBH (10 games)
• Jaylon Joseph, Lafayette, DE, 6-2, 240 (Patriot League)
  • 26 tackles (13 solos), 5.5 TFLs (31 yards), 4 sacks, 8 QBH, 1 BK (11 games)
• Rasheed Lovelace, Nicholls, DT, 6-3, 310 (Southland Conference)
  • 25 tackles (6 solos), 2.5 TFL (3 yards), 1 sack, 1 INT (10 games)
• Tye Niekamp, Illinois State, LB, 6-3, 230 (Missouri Valley Football Conference)
  • 74 tackles (42 solos), 9 TFL (26 yards), 1.5 sacks, 7 QBH, 7 PBU (11 games)
• Aaron Sears, Stephen F. Austin, CB, 5-10, 190 (United Athletic Conference)
  • 55 tackles (26 solos), 1.5 TFL, 3 PBU (8 games)

SPECIAL TEAMS

• Hunter Green, Northern Colorado, PK/P, 6-3, 200 (Big Sky Conference)
  • 68 punts, 43.7 ypp, 70 long, 19 50+, 26 FC, 21 IN20; 9 of 12 FG (75%), 50 long (11 games)
• Owen Zalc, Dartmouth, PK, 5-10, 160 (Ivy League)
  • 17 of 21 FG (81%), 47 long, 76 points (10 games)

BRACKET: See the official 2023 FCS playoff bracket

To be eligible for the Jerry Rice Award, a player must be considered a freshman by his conference in his first or second academic year without surpassing four games played in the previous academic year.

Like the Jerry Rice Award, the winners of 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) and FedEx Ground Doris Robinson Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award will be honored at the national awards banquet.