Duke graduate offensive lineman Micah Sahakian has earned a spot on the 2026 Allstate American Football Coaches Association Good Works Team, a national honor reserved for college football players making an impact away from the field.
Sahakian is one of 22 student-athletes and one honorary coach chosen from a pool of 162 nominees. The selection recognizes leadership in local communities and a commitment to service that stood out beyond football.
A native of Mount Prospect, Illinois, Sahakian has appeared in four games at Duke with two starts. His 2024 season was interrupted by injury, keeping him out for the opening portion of the year before he was cleared during the final month of the campaign. He then missed the entire 2025 season because of injury.
Tim Tebow, who is an ESPN analyst, two-time national champion, 2009 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team member and Allstate Wuerffel Trophy recipient, said: "One of my favorite things about the Good Works Team is that it measures something stat sheets don't," Tim Tebow, ESPN analyst, two-time national champion, 2009 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team member and Allstate Wuerffel Trophy recipient said. "The spotlight is on student-athletes who are impacting their communities through what they do off the field. By recognizing these young leaders, including the program's first female honoree, Allstate is elevating their commitment to inspire more players, coaches, and fans to make a difference in the world around them."
Sahakian’s résumé off the field is just as long as his football one is short. He was named to the ACC Academic Honor Roll during the 2024-25 campaign and was a two-time All-Ivy League selection at Cornell, earning honorable mention in 2022 and second team in 2023. He graduated from Cornell in May 2024 with a bachelor of applied science in pre-medical studies and a business minor, and he is now working toward a masters in liberal studies with a certificate in global health at Duke.
His community work has taken him far from campus. Over the last five years, Sahakian has traveled to Lebanon four times, including a trip in January 2026.
He said he chose Lebanon because it is where his parents immigrated from before he was born. He has taken part in visits through Living With Power, the non-profit ministry founded by his aunt to support Syrian refugees and the Lebanese.
On those trips, he has spent time with adults and children who do not have homes, jobs, stable education or enough food to eat, and he has helped run faith-based sports camps and medical clinics. He said those experiences have humbled him and put his life into perspective.
Back in the United States, Sahakian has also volunteered at Duke Children's Hospital, New Hope Elementary School and the Emily K Center.
He is the 16th Blue Devil to be named to the Good Works Team and the 12th in the last 14 years. Duke’s list of honorees also includes Chandler Rivers (2025), Ja'Mion Franklin (2023), DeWayne Carter (2022), Rakavius Chambers (2020), Koby Quansah (2019), Johnathan Lloyd (2018), Gabe Brander (2017), DeVon Edwards (2016), Kelby Brown (2015), Laken Tomlinson (2014), Dave Harding (2013), Sean Renfree (2012), Bryan Morgan (2010), Re'quan Boyette (2008) and Zaid Abdul-Aleem (1994).
Allstate and the Wuerffel Foundation will hand out the Allstate Wuerffel Trophy to one of the team’s 11 FBS semi-finalists on Dec. 11 during The Home Depot College Football Awards Show. The winner also serves as the Good Works Team captain.
Fans can vote through Nov. 3 at ESPN.com/Allstate. The finalists will be trimmed to three in November before a national voting committee of college football leaders, former players, coaches and members of the media makes the final selection.
The 2026-2027 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team also includes Noah Fifita of Arizona, Michael Allen of Baylor, Gideon Davidson of Clemson, Jaylin Belford of Liberty, Leonard Moore of Notre Dame, Mudia Reuben of South Florida, Edwin Spillman of Tennessee, Colin Simmons of Texas, Marcus Ratcliffe of Texas A&M and Matt Hofer of Toledo in the FBS group. The combined divisions team features L'Shawn Taylor of Bemidji State, Jaegar Ash of Bethel (Minnesota), Peyton Ritzert of Central College, Josh Fedd of Harvard, Shea Ruddy of Hillsdale, Troy Mrukowski of John Carroll, Browning Trainer of Johns Hopkins, Luke Paulsen of Morningside, Gianna Bennett of Northwestern College, Sam Nolan of Saint John's (Minnesota) and JayJay Jordan of Slippery Rock. Kalani Sitake of BYU is the head coach.
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