CHARLOTTE, NC (theACC.com) – A total of 17 Atlantic Coast Conference football players have been named to a “watch list” for consideration for the 2024 Comeback Player of the Year Award, it was announced Wednesday, Aug. 7, by the College Sports Communicators (formerly CoSIDA) in conjunction with The Associated Press (AP) and the Fiesta Bowl Organization.
Since 2018, the award has recognized college football student-athletes who have overcome injury, illness or other circumstances. At the end of each season, a panel of college football writers, editors and sports information directors will vote to honor three college football student-athletes as winners of the Comeback Player of the Year Award at the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl.
The ACC is represented on the preseason roster by linebacker Bryce Steele of Boston College, quarterback CJ Harris of California, wide receiver Cole Turner of Clemson, wide receiver Eli Pancol of Duke, wide receiver Leo Blackburn and defensive lineman Sylvain Yondjouen of Georgia Tech, wide receiver Ja’Corey Brooks and quarterback Tyler Shough of Louisville, quarterback Emory Williams of Miami, quarterback Grayson McCall of NC State, wide receiver Trebor Pena and tight end Oronde Gadsden II of Syracuse, wide receiver Kobe Paysour of North Carolina, defensive end Kam Butler of Virginia, tight end Nick Gallo and wide receiver Ali Jennings of Virginia Tech and wide receiver Donavon Greene of Wake Forest.
The watch list consists of 90 college football student-athletes from 68 different schools.
Mike Hollins of Virginia was one of three players to win the award last year.
ACC representatives on the candidate list for the 2024 Comeback Player of the Year Award:
- Bryce Steele, Boston College, redshirt junior, LB
- CJ Harris, Cal, redshirt sophomore, QB
- Cole Turner, Clemson, redshirt sophomore, WR
- Eli Pancol, Duke, graduate student, WR
- Leo Blackburn, Georgia Tech, redshirt junior, WR
- Sylvain Yondjouen, Georgia Tech, redshirt senior, DL
- Ja’Corey Brooks, Louisville, redshirt senior, WR
- Tyler Shough, Louisville, redshirt senior, QB
- Emory Williams, Miami, sophomore, quarterback
- Kobe Paysour, North Carolina, junior, WR
- Grayson McCall, NC State, graduate student, QB
- Trebor Pena, Syracuse, redshirt junior, WR
- Oronde Gadsden II, Syracuse, redshirt junior, TE
- Kam Butler, Virginia, sixth grader, DE
- Nick Gallo, Virginia Tech, PhD student, TE
- Ali Jennings, Virginia Tech, graduate student, WR
- Donavon Greene, Wake Forest, redshirt junior, WR
