University of Alabama football players captured a total of seven individual national awards on Thursday night.
This includes six at the virtual ESPN College Football Awards Show presented by Home Depot, in addition to senior wide receiver DeVonta Smith being named the 2020 Walter Camp Player of the Year by the Walter Camp Football Foundation.
In earning that honor — which is awarded annually to the most outstanding player of the year in college football who has exemplified the qualities of self-discipline, unselfish team play, desire to excel, mature judgement and respect for leadership — Smith joined only past Alabama winners Derrick Henry (2015) and Tua Tagovailoa (2018).
Smith on the night also was presented the prestigious Biletnikoff and Maxwell awards.
The Biletnikoff is awarded annually to the top pass-catcher in college football, while the Maxwell annually recognizes the top player in college football. This comes after Smith was announced as the winner of college football’s most coveted honor, the Heisman Trophy, on Monday night.
He is the first player in college football history to win the Heisman, Maxwell, Walter Camp and Biletnikoff in a single season.
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Overall, the Crimson Tide had a big night on Thursday.
Landon Dickerson won the Rimington, presented annually to the most outstanding center; Najee Harris earned the Doak Walker, presented annually to the nation’s premier running back for his accomplishments on the field, achievement in the classroom and citizenship in the community; Mac Jones scored the Davey O’Brien, presented annually to the nation’s best college quarterback; and Alex Leatherwood was awarded the Outland, presented annually to the top interior lineman in college football (offense or defense).
Notably, Jones became Alabama’s first ever winner of the Davey O’Brien Award; he also won the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award earlier this week.
It should further be noted that the Tide had six players earn first team All-America honors from the Walter Camp Football Foundation, the most in the history of Walter Camp voting: Dickerson, Harris, Jones, Leatherwood, Smith and defensive back Patrick Surtain II.
With the release of the Walter Camp team, Dickerson, Harris, Leatherwood, Smith and Surtain cemented unanimous All-America status, while Jones picked up consensus All-America recognition.
Alabama’s current roster featuring seven first team All-Americans ties the 2011 roster for the most first-teamers in a single season in program history. The five unanimous selections are the most in program history, surpassing the previous high of three by the 2016 squad. That total also matches the NCAA single-season mark by one team, tying the 2003 Oklahoma roster.
Nick Saban’s squad is scheduled to play Ohio State in the National Championship on Monday evening.
Sean Ross is the editor of Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @sean_yhn
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