2022 Preseason Watch List - Doak Walker Award - Nation's Top Running Back

July 21, 2022 by Press Release

Each summer, all NCAA Division I-A colleges and universities may nominate running backs from their respective football teams who satisfy the following selection criteria:

• Candidate plays predominantly at the running back position and has made extraordinary contributions to his team.
• Candidate is enrolled in a degree program, is in good academic standing and is on schedule to graduate.
• Candidate holds a record of good citizenship within and beyond the athletic sphere.
• Candidate has demonstrated a record of leadership.
• Candidate exhibits the characteristics of sportsmanship and fair play associated with Doak Walker.

In October, each Division I-A college or university is given the additional opportunity to nominate a candidate or to nominate a replacement for a preseason candidate who may not have performed according to preseason expectations.

Throughout the season, statistical updates are compiled by the Forum office and released to the media and National Selection Committee, which includes sportswriters, television commentators, analysts, radio sports personalities and former All-America and NFL All-Pro football players.

In mid-November, the PwC SMU Athletic Forum Board of Directors convenes to review the achievements of all candidates and votes to select ten semifinalists for the Award. The following day, the files of the semifinalists are forwarded to the Doak Walker Award National Selection Committee, who then votes to determine three finalists. The National Selection Committee will then cast a second vote to determine the winner.

The recipient of the Award is announced live on The Home Depot College Football Awards show on ESPN, and presented with the Award at the Doak Walker Award Presentation Banquet in Dallas.

Devon Achane (Jr.), Texas A&M

Braelon Allen (So.), Wisconsin

Rasheen Ali (So.), Marshall

Ronald Awatt (Sr.), UTEP

Tank Bigsby (Jr.), Auburn

Isaiah Bowser (Sr.), UCF

British Brooks (Sr.), North Carolina

Jarek Broussard (Sr.), Michigan State

Antario Brown (So.), Northern Illinois

Chase Brown (Jr.), Illinois

Jermaine Brown (Jr.), UAB

Byron Cardwell (So.), Oregon

Nate Carter (So.), UCONN

Zach Charbonnet (Sr.), UCLA

Blake Corum (Jr.), Michigan

Travis Dye (Sr.), USC

Justice Ellison (So.), Wake Forest

Samson Evans (Jr.), Eastern Michigan

Deshaun Fenwick (Jr.), Oregon State

Alex Fontenot (Sr.), Colorado

Pat Garwo (Jr.), Boston College

Frank Gore, Jr. (So.), Southern Miss

Eric Gray (Sr.), Oklahoma

Gerald Green (Jr.), Georgia Southern

Tucker Gregg (Sr.), Georgia State

Hassan Hall (Sr.), Georgia Tech

Deion Hankins (So.), UTEP

TreVeyon Henderson (So.), Ohio State

George Holani (Jr.), Boise State

Evan Hull (Sr.), Northwestern

Mohamed Ibrahim (Sr.), Minnesota

Dillon Johnson (Jr.), Mississippi State

Roschon Johnson (Sr.), Texas

Austin Jones (Sr.), USC

Johnnie Lang, Jr. (Sr.), Arkansas State

Keyvone Lee (So.), Penn State

Joquavious Marks (Jr.), Mississippi State

 DeWayne McBride (Jr.), UAB

Chez Mellusi (Sr.), Wisconsin

Kendre Miller (Jr.), TCU

Jordan Mims (Sr.), Fresno State

Keaton Mitchell (So.), East Carolina

Damien Moore (Jr.), Cal

Devin Neal (So.), Kansas

Lew Nichols, III (So.), Central Michigan

Nate Noel (So.), App State

Nathaniel Peat (Sr.), Missouri

Camerun Peoples (Jr.), App State

Dominic Richardson (Jr.), Oklahoma State

Johnny Richardson (Jr.), UCF

Bijan Robinson (Jr.), Texas

Raheim Sanders (So.), Arkansas

Will Shipley (So.), Clemson

Shaun Shivers (Sr.), Indiana

Jabari Small (Jr.), Tennessee

Chris Smith (Jr.), Louisiana

Dontae Smith (Jr.), Georgia Tech

E.J. Smith (Jr.), Stanford

Tyjae Spears (So.), Tulane

Titus Swen (Jr.), Wyoming

Tavion Thomas (Jr.), Utah

Sean Tucker (So.), Syracuse

Calvin Tyler, Jr. (Sr.), Utah State

Sean Tyler (Jr.), Western Michigan

Chris Tyree (Jr.), Notre Dame

Xazavian Valladay (Sr.), Arizona State

Deuce Vaughn (Jr.), Kansas State

Kimani Vidal (So.), Troy

Blake Watson (Jr.), Old Dominion

Treshaun Ward (So.), Florida State

Harrison Waylee (So.), Northern Illinois

Jalen White (Jr.), Georgia Southern

Jamyest Williams (Sr.), Georgia State

Nay’Quan Wright (Jr.), Florida