College Football Offense Awards Preview 2022

From the Davey O'Brien to the Biletnikoff, who might we see take home college football's individual hardware in 2022?

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It's Watch List Season. As the days of the offseason wane thin, let's take a look at individual awards for offensive players for the upcoming 2022 college football season. Who will be named the nation's top quarterback? The best tight end?

(Give us a break, it's July.)

Note: The Maxwell Award and Walker Camp Award historically go to offensive players, but they are not truly offensive awards (given to the "Best Overall/All-Around Player"). Similarly, the Outland Trophy goes to the best interior linemen either offensive or defensive and was won by DL Jordan Davis in 2021.

Davey O'Brien Award: Quarterback of the Year

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With the Heisman Trophy being such a QB-heavy award, it's often that the Davey O'Brien Award winner is also the Heisman winner. Eleven of the past 15 Heisman winners also won this award, with the only QB Heisman winner to not being Lamar Jackson in 2016.

C.J. Stroud is the betting favorite for the Heisman Trophy this season, so this is a logical conclusion to draw.

In total, 35 players were named to the Davey O'Brien preseason watch list. Highlighting the list are Stroud, last year's winner Bryce Young, and USC transfer Caleb Williams (among many others). Deeper names to watch for are Tennessee's Hendon Hooker and NC State's Devin Leary.

Winner Prediction: CJ Stroud, Ohio State

Rimington Award: The Nation's Best Center

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Iowa's Tyler Linderbaum set a new standard for centers in 2021 after running away with the Rimington Award and being a first-round NFL Draft pick (atypical for centers). This year, a couple names are strong contenders to be named the best center.

40 players were named to the watch list (with at least one from every conference). The Big Ten and Pac-12 lead the way with six players named each, with our pick for the award coming from the former. TCU center Steve Avila is on the watch list. 

Minnesota's John Michael Schmitz was named first team All-American by Athlon Sports while Notre Dame's Jarrett Patterson was named first team by Phil Steele. Either is a terrific choice for the award.

Given a higher-profile RB behind him in Mo Ibrahim, John Michael Schmidtz is our pick for the Rimington Award in 2022.

Winner Prediction: John Michael Schmitz, Minnesota

Doak Walker Award: Best Running Back

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Speaking of running backs, there's been few years with as many interesting contenders for the Doak Walker Award as this year. A whopping 73 players were named to the preseason watch list, highlighted by Texas' Bijan Robinson, Ohio State's TreyVeon Henderson, Kansas State's Deuce Vaughn, and TCU's Kendre Miller.

Other names to watch are 2021 leading rusher Lew Nichols III of Central Michigan and Syracuse star Sean Tucker.

If we ripped off all of the players who are interesting in this race, we'd be here all afternoon. This year's pick is Michigan's Blake Corum, who rushed for nearly 1,000 yards and 11 touchdowns as a sophomore in 2021. The back ahead of him, now-Tennessee Titan Hassan Haskins, vacates 270 carries and 20 rushing touchdowns behind one of the best OLs in the country.

Robinson and Henderson are tough players to pass up, but rarely do two players from the same team win individual offensive awards.

Winner Prediction: Blake Corum, Michigan

Biletnikoff Award: Best Receiver

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As a true freshman, Xavier Worthy hauled in almost 1,000 yards and 12 touchdowns. Not only does he get a potential upgrade at QB in Quinn Ewers, but Pitt receivers coach Brennan Marion joins the Longhorns for 2022 after producing last year's Biletnikoff winner Jordan Addison (as a sophomore!).

Other contenders for the award are Addison and Ohio State's Jaxson Smith-Njigba, who set program records for receptions and touchdowns as a true freshman and behind two first-round NFL Draft picks. TCU's Quentin Johnston is also on the list. 

While past winners like Ja'Marr Chase and Calvin Johnson were no-doubters, this is an award that usually favors circumstance. For example, Addison won the award last year over names like Jameson Williams (first-round pick) and Smith-Njigba himself.

Perhaps having a Heisman-winning QB counts against JSN this year?

Winner Prediction: Xavier Worthy, Texas

John Mackey Award: Top Tight End

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Georgia's Brock Bowers dominated opposing SEC defenses, including Alabama's in the National Championship Game as a true freshman. Returning as a sophomore, he's poised to line up back-to-back John Mackey Awards and there's an argument he should have won it last season.

Georgia is stacked at TE, with Bowers' counterpart, Arik Gilbert, also being a contender for the award. The other interesting team to look at is Utah, who rosters seniors Dalton Kincaid and Brant Kuthie – both likely contenders.

While Utah has the better QB situation, Georgia's Stetson Bennett proved to have a mind meld with Bowers that will only propel them forward. Don't be surprised to see the sophomore contend for the nation's TD lead.

Winner Prediction: Brock Bowers, Georgia

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