The Walter Camp Award has released its preseason watch list for 2024, and it’s loaded with stars from the local university. First given in 1967, the award goes to the nation’s most outstanding player. It was presented to 2023 Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels.

Several locals and former locals have made it onto the 50-player watch list.

The current local stars who have made the cut are Texas Tech RB Tahj Brooks, Texas QB Quinn Ewers, Oklahoma LB Danny Stutsman, Texas A&M QB Conner Weigman and Oklahoma State RB Ollie Gordon II.

Oklahoma transfer quarterback Dillon Gabriel, who now works as a signal caller for Oregon, made the list, as did Walter Nolen, who was transferred to the DL from Texas A&M and now plays for Ole Miss.

Brooks and Gordon II top the list as two of the best running backs in both the Big 12 and the country.

Brooks is back for his final year in Lubbock and is chasing the Red Raiders’ career record for most rushing yards, set by Byron Hanspard. This season, he needs 1,167 yards to break the record. Brooks ran for 1,538 yards and 10 touchdowns last season, averaging 5.3 yards per carry.

Gordon II, the Euless Trinity product, is a slightly more well-known national talent than Brooks. He is coming off an incredible season for the Cowboys, totaling 1,732 rushing yards and 21 rushing touchdowns at an incredible 6.1 yards per carry, and finishing with over 2,000 all-purpose rushing yards.

Gordon II’s list of accolades for his incredible 2023 season is long: Doak Walker Award winner, unanimous All-American, Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year, First Team All-Big 12, Maxwell Award semifinalist and Walter Camp Player of the Year semifinalist.

Ewers leads the Longhorns into their first season in the SEC, just a year after leading Texas to its first College Football Playoff appearance and a Big 12 title. He threw for 3,479 yards and 22 touchdowns last season and is one of the best quarterbacks returning this season.

Weigman is one of the bigger wild cards on the roster. After being named to ESPN’s Freshman All-American team in 2022, he looked great to start 2023, throwing for 979 yards, eight touchdowns, and two interceptions. Things were looking good in Aggieland until Weigman’s injury ended the season and limited his season to just four games. Now fans will find out if he can live up to his potential, which was hampered by the injury.

Stutsman is considered the leader of the Sooners’ defense in Oklahoma’s first season in the SEC. The star linebacker was named to the AP All-American third team and All-Big 12 first team in 2023. Last season, he recorded 104 tackles, three sacks, one interception and two forced fumbles.

Baker Mayfield of Oklahoma is the most recent local star to win the award, taking home the trophy in 2017. Mayfield, Josh Heupel (now head coach at Tennessee) in 2000, Billy Sims in 1978 and Steve Owens in 1969 are the Sooners who have previously received the award.

Ollie Gordon II hopes to be the second Oklahoma State player to win the award, joining Hall of Famer Barry Sanders, who won the Walter Camp Award in 1988.

Texas legend Colt McCoy won the award in consecutive seasons in 2008 and 2009, while Longhorns icon Ricky Williams won it in 1998.

The full Walter Camp Award watchlist can be found below.

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