Clemson linebacker Sammy Brown is on the radar for one of college football’s biggest individual honors.
The Walter Camp Football Foundation announced Brown as one of 50 players on the preseason watch list for the 2026 Walter Camp Player of the Year award. The honor is the nation’s fourth-oldest individual college football accolade, and the foundation’s latest list leans heavily toward offense, with 41 offensive players and nine defensive players included.
The watch list spans 38 schools across 11 conferences, including independents. Texas leads the way with four selections, Miami has three, and seven schools - Georgia, Indiana, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Ole Miss, South Carolina and Texas A&M - each placed two players on the list.
“We are proud to continue the great work of Walter Camp, considered the father of American football, and recognize the very best college football players in the nation,” Foundation president Michael Madera said. “This watch list is a great start to what is shaping up to be another exciting year of college football.”
Brown is one of nine defensive players named to the preseason group. The full list also includes names such as Texas quarterback Arch Manning, Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith, South Carolina quarterback LaNorris Sellers, Oregon quarterback Dante Moore and Georgia quarterback Gunner Stockton.
The preseason watch list will be trimmed to 10 semifinalists in early November, with three finalists to follow in early December. The winner, chosen by the 138 NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision head coaches and sports information directors, will be announced in the second week of December.
Earlier this summer, the foundation released its 2026 preseason All-American teams. Walter Camp is the nation’s oldest and most prestigious collegiate football All-America team.
The award’s history stretches back to 1967, when it was first handed out. Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza was the 59th winner in 2025 and the 24th quarterback to claim it. The list of past winners also includes 25 running backs, five wide receivers, one wide receiver/defensive back, one tight end and three defensive players.
Colorado’s Travis Hunter became the first two-way player to win the award in 2024. Three players have won it more than once: USC’s OJ.
Simpson, Ohio State’s Archie Griffin and Texas’ Colt McCoy. Three defensive players have taken home the honor: Pittsburgh’s Hugh Green, Michigan’s Charles Woodson and Notre Dame’s Manti Teo.
Players from 26 different schools have earned the award, with USC leading all programs with seven wins. Oklahoma, Ohio State and Notre Dame are next with four each.
Appearing on the preseason watch list is not required to win the Walter Camp award or be named to the All-America team.
The 2026 Walter Camp Player of Year preseason players to watch are Micah Alejado, Hawaii, QB; Xavier Atkins, Auburn, LB; C.J. Bailey, North Carolina State, QB; Charlie Becker, Indiana, WR; Rasheem Biles, Texas, LB; DeSean Bishop, Tennessee, RB; Isaac Brown, Louisville, RB; Sammy Brown, Clemson, LB; C.J.
Carr, Notre Dame, QB; Trinidad Chambliss, Ole Miss, QB; Cam Coleman, Texas, WR; Cam Cook, West Virginia, RB; Mario Craver, Texas A&M, WR; Carlos Del Rio-Wilson, Marshall, QB; Devon Dampier, Utah, QB; Cameron Dickey, Texas Tech, RB; K.J. Duff, Rutgers, WR; Noah Fifita, Arizona, QB; Mark Fletcher, Miami, RB; Tre'Dez Green, LSU, TE; Ahmad Hardy, Missouri, RB; Caleb Hawkins, Oklahoma State, RB; Kevin Jennings, SMU, QB; Kewan Lacy, Ole Miss, RB; Broc Lowry, Western Michigan, QB; Maddux Madsen, Boise State, QB; Jayden Maiava, USC, QB; Arch Manning, Texas, QB; LJ Martin, BYU, RB; John Mateer, Oklahoma, QB; Owen McCown, UTSA, QB; Darian Mensah, Miami, QB; Nick Minicucci, Delaware, QB; Dante Moore, Oregon, QB; Leonard Moore, Notre Dame, DB; Marcel Reed, Texas A&M, QB; Duce Robinson, Florida State, WR; Ellis Robinson IV, Georgia, DB; Julian Sayin, Ohio State, QB; LaNorris Sellers, South Carolina, QB; Colin Simmons, Texas, Edge; Anthony Smith, Minnesota, Edge; Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State, WR; Dylan Stewart, South Carolina, Edge; Gunner Stockton, Georgia, QB; Lucky Sutton, San Diego State, RB; Jai'Den Thomas, UNLV, RB; Malachi Toney, Miami, WR/PR; Tyrique Tucker, Indiana, DL; Bryce Underwood, Michigan, QB.
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