Maxwell Award

Given every year since 1937 to the player of the year, chosen by the Maxwell Football Club. Notre Dame and Penn State have won it most, seven times each. Tim Tebow and Johnny Lattner won it twice. Share

Every winner

Season	Player	Position		School
2025	Fernando Mendoza	QB		Indiana
2024	Ashton Jeanty	RB		Boise State
2023	Michael Penix Jr.	QB		Washington
2022	Caleb Williams	QB		USC
2021	Bryce Young	QB		Alabama
2020	DeVonta Smith	WR		Alabama
2019	Joe Burrow	QB		LSU
2018	Tua Tagovailoa	QB		Alabama
2017	Baker Mayfield	QB		Oklahoma
2016	Lamar Jackson	QB		Louisville
2015	Derrick Henry	RB		Alabama
2014	Marcus Mariota	QB		Oregon
2013	A.J. McCarron	QB		Alabama
2012	Manti Te’o	LB		Notre Dame
2011	Andrew Luck	QB		Stanford
2010	Cam Newton	QB		Auburn
2009	Colt McCoy	QB		Texas
2008	Tim Tebow	QB		Florida
2007	Tim Tebow	QB		Florida
2006	Brady Quinn	QB		Notre Dame
2005	Vince Young	QB		Texas
2004	Jason White	QB		Oklahoma
2003	Eli Manning	QB		Ole Miss
2002	Larry Johnson	RB		Penn State
2001	Ken Dorsey	QB		Miami (FL)
2000	Drew Brees	QB		Purdue
1999	Ron Dayne	RB		Wisconsin
1998	Ricky Williams	RB		Texas
1997	Peyton Manning	QB		Tennessee
1996	Danny Wuerffel	QB		Florida
1995	Eddie George	RB		Ohio State
1994	Kerry Collins	QB		Penn State
1993	Charlie Ward	QB		Florida State
1992	Gino Torretta	QB		Miami (FL)
1991	Desmond Howard	WR/RS		Michigan
1990	Ty Detmer	QB		BYU
1989	Anthony Thompson	RB		Indiana
1988	Barry Sanders	RB		Oklahoma State
1987	Don McPherson	QB		Syracuse
1986	Vinny Testaverde	QB		Miami (FL)
1985	Chuck Long	QB		Iowa
1984	Doug Flutie	QB		Boston College
1983	Mike Rozier	RB		Nebraska
1982	Herschel Walker	RB		Georgia
1981	Marcus Allen	RB		USC
1980	Hugh Green	DE		Pittsburgh
1979	Charles White	RB		USC
1978	Chuck Fusina	QB		Penn State
1977	Ross Browner	DE		Notre Dame
1976	Tony Dorsett	RB		Pittsburgh
1975	Archie Griffin	RB		Ohio State
1974	Steve Joachim	QB		Temple
1973	John Cappelletti	RB		Penn State
1972	Brad Van Pelt	S		Michigan State
1971	Ed Marinaro	RB		Cornell
1970	Jim Plunkett	QB		Stanford
1969	Mike Reid	DT		Penn State
1968	O.J. Simpson	RB		USC
1967	Gary Beban	QB		UCLA
1966	Jim Lynch	LB		Notre Dame
1965	Tommy Nobis	OG/LB		Texas
1964	Glenn Ressler	OG		Penn State
1963	Roger Staubach	QB		Navy
1962	Terry Baker	QB		Oregon State
1961	Bob Ferguson	FB		Ohio State
1960	Joe Bellino	RB		Navy
1959	Richie Lucas	QB		Penn State
1958	Pete Dawkins	RB		Army
1957	Bob Reifsnyder	OT		Navy
1956	Tommy McDonald	RB		Oklahoma
1955	Hopalong Cassady	RB		Ohio State
1954	Ron Beagle	E		Navy
1953	Johnny Lattner	RB		Notre Dame
1952	Johnny Lattner	RB		Notre Dame
1951	Dick Kazmaier	RB		Princeton
1950	Reds Bagnell	RB		Penn
1949	Leon Hart	E		Notre Dame
1948	Chuck Bednarik	C/LB		Penn
1947	Doak Walker	RB/K		SMU
1946	Charley Trippi	RB/QB/P		Georgia
1945	Doc Blanchard	FB		Army
1944	Glenn Davis	RB		Army
1943	Bob Odell	RB		Penn
1942	Paul Governali	QB		Columbia
1941	Bill Dudley	RB/S/KR		Virginia
1940	Tom Harmon	RB		Michigan
1939	Nile Kinnick	RB		Iowa
1938	Davey O’Brien	QB		TCU
1937	Clint Frank	RB		Yale

Photos: Wikimedia Commons, free licenses; credits on each player’s page.