FLORENCE, Ala. (October 23, 2024) – The freshman takeover at North Alabama continues.
 
On Wednesday, the Jerry Rice Award Watch list was announced by Stats Perform FCS. The University of North Alabama is the only school in the nation with multiple selections on the list as freshman running back Jalen Fletcher and freshman linebacker Josh Anglin were both recognized.
 
A standout list of 30 players were named to the in-season watch list of the Stats Perform 2024 Jerry Rice Award, which honors the FCS freshman player of the year in college football's Division I subdivision.
 
The Rice Award, now in its 14th season, is named after legendary Hall of Fame wide receiver Jerry Rice. Past recipients include NFL standouts Cooper Kupp, Chase Edmonds and Trey Lance, as well as Miami quarterback Cam Ward and Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders. All five played their rookie seasons at the FCS level.
 
To be eligible for the Jerry Rice Award, a player must be considered a freshman by his conference in his first academic year or second if he redshirted as a true freshman.
 
Anglin makes the list as one of UNA's defensive leaders, totaling 51 tackles over eight games this season to rank second on the team. He also has 4.0 tackles for loss, a forced fumble, a quarterback hurry and a pass breakup this season.
 
The former Mill Creek High School standout is a two-time United Athletic Conference Freshman of the Week. He had a game-high 12 tackles, two TFLs and a forced fumble against nationally-ranked Illinois State in his first collegiate start, then won it again the next week with 10 tackles at UT Martin.
 
Fletcher has been a spark plug on the offensive side, as he has rushed 36 times for 305 yards and a touchdown. The former West Morgan ball carrier is averaging a whopping 8.5 yards per carry. He has also caught four passes for 79 yards and another score.
 
Fletcher is currently the clubhouse leader in UAC Freshman of the Week awards with three. In his collegiate debut against SEMO, he had 55 all-purpose yards on limited touches, including a 26-yard run on his first career carry. Fletcher has also won the award in each of the last two games, including 10 touches for 128 all-purpose yards against Utah Tech and 10 rushes for 123 yards against No. 10 Abilene Christian.
 
Only one other player from the UAC is on the watch list — Southern Utah defensive back Jayden Robertson. Alabama State running back Jamarie Hostzclaw was the only other in-state player on the list. No other school had more than one selection on the 30-player watch list outside of North Alabama.
 
In 2022, former UNA quarterback Noah Walters was a finalist for the award.
 
The 2024 Jerry Rice Award recipient will be announced on Dec. 4 and honored at the Stats Perform National Awards Banquet on Jan. 4 in Frisco, Texas.
 
Other awards at the banquet are 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), Urban Edge Network HBCU+ Player of the Year and FedEx Doris Robinson Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
 
Coming off a bye week, the Lions are in action this Saturday, October 26 at No. 10 Central Arkansas. Kickoff is set for 4 p.m. in Conway, Ark.
 

2024 Jerry Rice Award Watch List
Josh Anglin, North Alabama, LB, 6-0, 215, Buford, Georgia (United Athletic Conference)
David Avit, Villanova, RB, 6-0, 220, Potomac, Maryland (CAA Football)
Charles Battaglia, Stonehill, LB, 6-1, 225, Massapequa, New York (Northeast Conference)
CharMar Brown, North Dakota State, RB, 5-11, 224, Omaha, Nebraska (Missouri Valley Football Conference)
Matt Childs, Brown, RB, 6-0, 200, Medway, Massachusetts (Ivy League)
Jason Collins Jr., Morgan State, RB, 5-9, 185, Washington, D.C. (Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference)
Carson Conklin, Sacramento State, QB, 6-1, 180, Yorba Linda, California (Big Sky Conference)
C.J. Coombes, Wofford, S, 6-0, 208, Bellefonte, Delaware (Southern Conference)
Sanders Ellis, Tennessee State, LB, 6-2, 225, Nashville (Big South-OVC Football Association)
Jalen Fletcher, North Alabama, RB, 5-7, 175, Trinity, Alabama (United Athletic Conference)
Derek Ganter Jr., Eastern Washington, S, 6-0, 188, Pasadena, California (Big Sky Conference)
Steve Hall, Lindenwood, RB, 5-9, 195, St. Louis (Big South-OVC Football Association)
Trey Hedden, Furman, QB, 6-3, 231, Tampa, Florida (Southern Conference)
Jamarie Hostzclaw, Alabama State, RB, 5-9, 176, North Ft. Lauderdale, Florida (Southwestern Athletic Conference)
Collin Hurst, Presbyterian, QB, 5-10, 165, Davie, Florida (Pioneer Football League)
Adam Jones, Montana State, RB, 6-1, 200, Missoula, Montana (Big Sky Conference)
Ayden Jones, Prairie View A&M, LB, 6-2, 215, Houston (Southwestern Athletic Conference)
Finn Lappin, McNeese, P, 5-11, 178, Melbourne, Australia (Southland Conference)
Cole Nilles, Bryant, LB, 6-4, 252, Philadelphia (CAA Football)
Elijah Owens, Indiana State, QB, 6-2, 225, Jacksonville, Illinois (Missouri Valley Football Conference)
AJ Pigford, Princeton, DE, 6-3, 230, Snellville, Georgia (Ivy League)
Brennan Ridley, Hampton, WR, 5-11, 177, Richmond, Virginia (CAA Football)
Jayden Robertson, Southern Utah, CB, 5-10, 180, Henderson, Nevada (United Athletic Conference)
Isaac Saffold, Georgetown, DE, 6-1, 285, Chicago (Patriot League)
Travis Terrell Jr., Jackson State, RB/Returns, 5-8, 165, Atlanta (Southwestern Athletic Conference)
Tariq Thomas, Bucknell, RB, 5-11, 185, Springfield, Massachusetts (Patriot League)
TJ Thomas Jr., Elon, RB, 5-8, 181, Thomasville, Georgia (CAA Football)
Drew VanVleet, Dayton, QB, 6-5, 205, Richmond, Indiana (Pioneer Football League)
Jack Wagner, Idaho, QB, 6-4, 190, Tualatin, Oregon (Big Sky Conference)
Dallas Winner-Johnson, Missouri State, LB, 6-5, 230, St. Louis (Missouri Valley Football Conference)

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